THE RUGBY CODE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 122, 27 April 1925, Page 9

THE RUGBY CODE.

PERSONALITIES AND JOTTINGS. CULLED FROM ALL SOURCES. (By “Cross Bar.”) Saturday found all the local clubs engaged preparing for the opening of tho season on May 2, Western-United paying three visiting teams, while Kia Toa and Old Boys held practice matches. Without doubt the first-named club adopted the better course, for a game, even if a friendly one,- is taken more seriously than merely practice “flutters.” Kia Toa had about forty pluyers ion tho one field, and as a result open rearguard work was almost impossible. Western, .while lacking in combination in the rearguard, is nevertheless a hardworking fifteen, but the matches they have engaged in should do much to rectify that deficiency, and they will without doubt he a much harder proposition when the competitions open thun was the caso last year. Levin Wanderers deserved their win in the senior match, although they narrow Jly averted having a defeat debited ugainst them, the winning try being forthcoming in the closing moments. The effort which brought to them tho victory was of an individualistic nature, but , nevertheless a brilliant one, and in Wilson, Horowhenua should find a useful representative player in the near future.

Western juniors made no race of it in the junior clash, emerging with the substantial victory of 29 points to three, and thus balanced the honours.

The Wanganui Queen’s Park Old Boys’ team, which opposed Western’s thirds, contuined players whose schooldays were not yesterday, but, nevertheless, the points margin was but two in their favour at completion. Lack of training found out some of the contestants in the practice game behind the stand on Saturday, and they might well have been mistaken for indifferent sea travellers rather than footballers.

J. Kirkland, an ex-Foxton player, fills a place in the ranks of Merrivale senior team in Christchurch. W. A. Ford, the ex-New Zealand and Army player, will probably captain the side this year. Bert Cooke, the dashing All Black fiveeighth, will again be found in the ranks of his old club, Grafton, in Auckland.

Dr. R. G. Sinclair, New Zealand’s fullback of 1923, was nominated for a seat on the Taranaki Rugby Union’s management committee, but failed to receive sufficient votes. Perhaps the Haweraites prefer to have him in the active ranks.

Norman Steud, a younger brother of the famous “Billy,” will he playing for Kaicrau Club, Wanganui, litis season. While he bus gained representative honours, ho cannot approach his wonderful brother. Jimmy Wilson, who last year captained Otago ,will fill the role of noach to tho Zingari Club, Timaru, this season. Jimmy was at the top of his form in the days of the N.Z.E.F., and as wing-forward for tho lI.Q. team, played a prominent role on tho other side. Robilliard, the All Black winger, is reported to be speedier than ever, his work being twice as clean as last season, while ho has developed that final “burst” to the lust degree. Ho should prove a distinct asset to Canterbury when the representative fixtures open. Dailey and Parker will figure in the ranks of Old Boys in Christchurch this season, while. McGregor and Robilliard will he found with the Christchurch Club.

Gernmell, the Hawke’s Buy forward, who was unlucky in not finding a place in the All Blacks last season, is reported to be entering League circles in Auckland.

Yates, who filled tho last line of defence for Hawke’s Bay in soino of their matches last season, is now stationed in Wunganui and will don the back jersey of tho Pirates Club.

Charlie Bacon, who represented Wairarapa against tho Springboks, fills a place in the frontal division of the Christchurch Club.

The Nicholls Bros., Corner and Hawkins, will again turn out for Retone in the Wellington competitions. Svonson and Porter will nx> doubt be found with their old club, Athletic, in the Empire City, but Swain, their representative hooker, will be missing, he* having removed to Hnwke’s Bay. Goodall, a Buller forward, who figured in the preliminary trials for the All Blacks last season, is now with Berhampore, Wellington. “Nugget” Pringle, the tall Oriental forward, will again be found in the game. Pringle should catch a trip with the team to Australia.

Efforts are being made to resuscitate Melrose Club in Wellington. There promises to be strong competition for places in the three-quarter line in Christchurch this -'-n-mn. ‘ In addition to last season’s best—Elry, Doreen, Robilliard, Ford—there is Storey to be taken into account.

Potnka, the Maori who played for New Zealuni against New South Wales in 1923, is playing this season for Celtic, Hawke's Bay.

George Aitken, who captained the All Blacks against the Springboks, will be leaving Oxford for New Zealand shortly, and expects to reach Wellington in August next. ' It is understood that Mr Aitken will take up a position on the staff of the Wellington Boys’ College. R. H. Lowry, a Cambridge Rugby blue, has now settled in Hawke’s Bay, but apparently does not intend ho play. In England lie won, a reputation as a useful forward.

Among flip trophies acquired by tho Brownlie brothers on tlie tour of the All Blacks is a lino tray won by Maurice in an open swimming match in Canada. Both tho massive brothers are good in the water.

Falwasser and Mill will both bo playing for the Napier M. 8.0.8. this season. Three Bout Its, three Grensides, two Mitchells and two Brownlies are among those . whom Hastings seniors may put in the field this season—quite a family affair.

Though probably the oldest member of tho recently returned All Blacks, Alf West, tho Taranaki veteran, was proh ably the first of the All Blacks to appear in serious football this season. West turned out for tho Hawera Club in its annuul match with the WangunuiT’irules Club.

The Wanganui Union officially opened its season last Saturday with a seven-u----side tourney,, Technical School Old Boys bringing oil’ a surprise victory by defeating Kaicrau in the final by 8-5. The All Bluck team for New South Wales Ibis season will leave New Zealand on June 4, and will consist of 23 players, all selected mainly from outside All Blacks who visited the Old World. Some of the latter who did not piuy in many games abroad may be included. With these two teams the N.Z.R.U. will have plenty of material available for the team against the English touring side in 1926, and the pioneer team for South Africa in 1927. The death is announced from Christchurch at the age of 26 years of J. McCormae, tho well-known Marist and Canterbury player. Deceased had the honour of representing his province in that memorable match when Canterbury triumphed over the Springboks. The demise of Don Hamilton, which occurred at Auckland last welt, has removed one who, some years ago, was a prominent figure in athletic circles in Southland, he having gained honours in both Rugby and cricket. In 1908 he won New Zealand honours, playing wing-forward against Bedell-Sivright’s team. An unfortunate incident, which resulted in two of the ifuding Invercargill clubs being disqualified and later the majority of the players suffering a life disqualification owing to their engaging in the League code, saw Don go out of the game when right at the to]) of his form. Although League did not survive in Invercargill, some years elapsed before the unfortunates reentered the game. One in Hughes, the Southland and later Wellington and New Zealand hooker, was one who survived, he having gained the honours in both codes. However, Don, when he aguin came buck to the Rugby code, was past his besi, hut his tremendous kicking powers are still remembered by “Cross Bar,” who places him as one of tho longest kickers, place or punt, he has ever seen inaction. Various rumours have been Hying round since the return of tho All Blacks’ team regarding the intentions of Nepia and Paowai. The lutest is to the effect that Nepia has decided to go over to Katana amt play under the Wanganui Union’s jurisdiction. That may ho so, of course, but it is hardly likely, all the same (says a Napier paper). For the present, at any rate, and apparently for some time to ootne, Hawke's Bay is going to be one of the most important football centres in New Zealand, and the lure of high-class football will probably be strong enough to keep the genial George in this district.

Football clubs at Home have a far bigger programme of matches than any New Zealand Club. The Newport Club alone played 42 matches in one season, whereas clubs in New Zealand rarely have played more than 14 or 15. During the war period many tall stories were told, when such occasions arose, by members of the N.Z.E.F., the vocation of run-holder, sheep-farmer, toi toi farmer, etc., being freely assumed, and to tho gullible they were accepted at their face value. Whether such opinion still lives is problematic, but the following par from an English sporting paper would almost make it appear that such still exists. The writer commenting on the fact that the All Blacks were immensely thickly built around the thighs and a great deal of their weight was concentrated there, thus making them difficult of bringing down in a tackle, explains this peculiarity in tho following words: —“Why the New Zealanders should he built like this I don’t know —I suppose sheep farming has something to do with it. Certainly the life they load has a great deal to do with their success. It must be a great advantage, from the point of view of fitness, to have all day in the open air, taking vigorous exercise and even if this means that you ride fifty miles for your weekly game, it is something to be fit enough to do it.”

“There arc none so blind as those who won’t see” writes “3-2-3,” in the Christchurch Star. “The All Blacks got numerous lessons in England as to the advantages of tho other side’s scrum formation, and Colonel Trevor, a critic who was markedly friendly to our side, said that we won not on account of the two-three-two system, but in spite of it. Will we make a change ? Never on your life I Talk about Conservative England. Sometimes Conservative New Zealand can be worse. You never hear anything now of points the Springboks showed us or of the report by the manager of tf)at team and the way it was hushed up. Do you?” —“Cross Bur” had some doubts ol the outcome when tho All Blacks went Home, for during the war period experience had shown that three front rankers gained a greater percentage of the ball in set scrums. There is, however, much to be said against the 3-2-3 formation and, from the point of view of close packing with pushing power the 2-3-2 appears to hold the advantage. Dunedin will have all its senior Rugby in one division this season. A proposal to follow Canterbury’s example and make two divisions was thrown out by the Otago Union. Members stated that if a team was not going to play first grade, it sliould play second grade. Speaking at tho annual meeting of the Canterbury Rugby F’ootball Referees’ Association, Mr S. F. Wilson, president of the Canterbury Rugby Union, and a member of the association, said that he had discovered 'that Rugby football in England was by no means a class game, for more working men played it than university men. Half of England’s team in the last match against the All Blacks consisted of working men, and very line sportsmen they were.

EMPHATIC DENIAL. MINISTER AND ALL BLACKS. REMARKS TO NEPIA AND PAEWAI. Hon. J. G. Coates, as Minister of Native Affairs, gave an emphatic denial on Monday to the assertion of a correspondent in tho Otago Daily Times that in addressing Nepia and l’aewai, the Maori members of tho 1924 All Blacks team, “lie had promised these two that they had only to ask, and anything within his power should be given them.” The Minister said that he promised to give advice and not “anything within his power.”

The Minister stated that he was greatly surprised when this matter was brought under his notice. “1 am not in the habit,” lie added, “of making rash promises, ns I aim alleged to have made. When welcoming these two young men back inko tho midst of their tribe—NgatiKahungunu—f, as Native Minister, advised them to seriously consider the question of settling down to a life of useful citizenship now that they had had a tuste of tho sporting life in other parts of the world, und I said that if at any time my

advico was of any use In them, they could have it for the asking. Advice is what I promised to give, und not ‘anything within my power to give.’ “As for-the wild statement made by tho correspondent that returned soldiers have been reduced to starvation because tho Government gave them no help, I havo nothing to say, because flic returned soldiers themselves and their associations already know what the Government has done, and is doing, to help them.” TE KAWAU RUGBY SUB-UNION. The fixtures for the first two rounds are as follow t—April 18. • llui Mai v. United ut Sondon, Central v. Awahuri at Kaimatarau; May 2 Awahuri v. Hui Mai at Awahuri, United v. Central at Oroua Downs; May 9. United v. Awahuri at Oroua Downs, Central v. Ilui Mai at Rongotea; May 16 United v. Ilui Alai at Oroua Downs, Awahuri v. Central ut Awahuri; May 23 Hui Mai v. Awahuri at Oliakea, Central v. United at Rongotea; May 30 Awahuri v. United at Awahuri, Hui Mai v. Central at Sandou. JUNIOR. April 10 United v. .Ilui Mai at Oroua Downs, Awahuri v. Central at Awahuri; May 2. Ilui Mai v. Awahuri at Ohakea, Central v. United at Rongotea; May 9 Awahuri v. United at Awahuri, llui Mai v. Central at Sandon; May 16 Hui Mai v. United at Ohakea, Central, v. Awahuri at Kuimatarau; May 23 Awahuri v. Hui Mai at Awahuri, United v. Central at Oroua Downs; May 30 United v. Awahuri at Oroua Downs, Central v. Ilui Mai at Kaiinatarau.