OUT IN THE OPEN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 24 July 1929, Page 6

OUT IN THE OPEN

THE SEDDON SHIELD MATCH GENERAL RUGBY FOOTBALL NOTES COMMENT ON SATURDAY'S PLAY The first Soililon Shield match of tlie season will be played at Trafalgar Park next Saturday when West Coast is the challenging team. The Coast team has not. come to han3 yet. From reports received from the Coast, it appears that their football has been'seriously affected bv wet weather. The team was picked oh last Saturday's play, which was the fust for five weeks. The following were remarks made in the football notes of the "Grey River Argus" last Saturday. "The weather conditions ruling in Greymouth for some weeks now have made it a long time between games, and with some of the players it will appear as though they are starting off in a new season when next they take the field. "The problem of selecting the senior team to meet Nelson for the Seddon Shield has. through enforced postponement of matches,"been rendered more difficult for the selectors. "It is highly probable that without interruption, more than one player who has up till the present not been considered for representative honours, would have shown such marked improvement in play, that the "Big Three" would have been called upon to debate the credentials of these "men for inclusion in the team. "As matters stand, it will only require another postponement to-day, and the selectors will have to leave a good deal to chance in picking the team. "It is, of course, highly probable thatsuch players who recognise that they are knocking at the door of the selection room, will have looked to their training and should be quite fit to participate in a hard ninety minutes' play. "One cannot help but notice, however, that the men devoting proper time to training during the past weeks, arc few in number. At the Park or the Recreation Ground can he seen almost every i day the same half dozen players keeping in form, but maiw of the "reps." are conspicuous liy"ftie"ir absence." Nelson Team. The Nelson team will be as follows. Reed has notified the selectors thai ha will not be available. Full back: Boyce. Three-quarters: Wells, White. Snodgrass. Five-eighths: R. Fowler (c.» >Lj, Nohle-Adams. Half back: F. Fowler. Wing forward : Young. j Back row: W. Snow, W. Sutton. j Middle row: H. Snow, Murphy, Max. Front row: Everett, Walsh. Emergencies: Backs—Eden, Watson; Poteete; forwards Taylor, Sixtus, Hollyman. The Combined Team In Saturday's trial match th©\ Combined team's "forwards put up a good showing in the first half, but could not see it out with their trained opponents. Hollyman showed good form, putting plenty of work into the tight, yet having a little to spare for following up. The next best forward on the side was Dutch, who puts dash into his play. . He followed Russell very nicely twice when the half broke away. None of the other forwards showed out. They evidently had all they could /do to hold out against their heavier opponents in the tight. _ Russell was right on his game. Twice he broke awav brilliantly clean through • the forwards." This, player's game has been patchy this season, but when he lias a dav on he verges on brilliancy. Watson and Smith combined well in the five-eighths but they .saw little of- the ball after- half time. The three-quarter line was far from weak. Cooke is a strong runner whose tackling is beyond reproach. If .he took his game more seriously he would go a long way. Chapmari,taekled well but found Snodgrass a pretty solid proposition. Wells put in a good run for his try. He is a real galloper'who can tackle. He would make things merry if he had a chance in the three-quarter line of fhe representatives. Biggs did all that was asked ©f him at full back. He might have gone across for the winger more often. Shield Players. The opposition was not strong enough to test Reed at full back in which position he .did a. freeze, for most'of the game. He seemed very confident when the play came his way. and grassed everyone who came to him with the ball. It must have seemed strange for Reed hot to be in the thick of it. Snodgrass's goal was a beauty. It is to be hoped he has several similar ones to show the West Coasters. The winger's ' running was more like his old form. Boyce used the , short punt when blocked, but he kicked the ball too far each time." If he kicked half the length he did on Saturday or higher s'o that he had a chance to regain possession he would be more effective. When attacking near the opposition's 25 Boyce might remember that a high centring kick to land in front of the posts, gives The forwards a splendid chance to score. The representative forwards in the past have scored many points as the result of Reed's high up and unders which landed near the line. Boyce won't let any Coasters past. White is a sprinter who can handle the ball and tackle. His display on Saturday was quite good, but he must run straight, otherwise the wingers have little chance. Three things White might remember in the Shield match are: (1) to back up outside the winger, (2) call for a reverse pass from the winger, (3) when he sees the winger has little room, reverse pass to Fowler. R. Fowler was consistently good without being brilliant. / Adams was a. good five-eighths once he got used to Fowler's play. A great feature of his play is that he puts every ounce into his run when he has the bail even if he only carries it three or four yards. Every member of the team could copy Adams's example in this. F. Fowler will not have to improve on his Saturday's play to be the best player on the ground in the Shield match. Young was again a success at wing forward. He lias a happy knack of getting to where the ball is" going to landarid it lands in safe hands. The forwards missed Max, Murphy and Sutton. Sixtus, one of the reserves, showed that he was in good trim. Ibis no doubt a good tight forward. Eden did not seem to know how to push to the best advantage in the scrummage. However, he is a hack, and is

not likely to be in the scrum in a representative match. Taylor and Everett seem to be flu l most effective hookers. It does not- matter how good Nelson's forwards are. Ihe team's best hope of winning is in the hacks, therefore much will revolve on the front row of the serum next week, fl. Snow cannot be left out. of the Shield team on his form in tho trial. He was the only forward who was wound, tip an i put sting into his play. VV. Snow seemed to be a bit off colour for a start, but did his share as the game progressed, lie was always bandy when the ball reached the line, scoring two tries, and just missing another. Walsh was useful throughout, but it looks as if he wil.l have to give way to Taylor in the front low. Star of the Forwards On (he play in the first Test- match wiih Australia. "The Cynic," of the Bydnev "Referee" came to the conclusion that Nelson's All P.lack. E. M. Snow, is the real star of the All Rlack forwards —"heavy, rugged, tireless, tremendously strong, ami a tiger for work." Snow certainly is a very fine forward, greatly improved by his experience in South Africa last year. But he was also a trifle lucky iii getting into the 1928 All Black team, for then the selectors were not so careful about looking for really hard-working forwards as they were this year. Probably, too, it was Snow's capacity for hard work that prevented him horn gaining New Zealand honours earlier; he was born a little before his time. Still, though it is at the age of 29, he has at last the satisfaction of being appreciated. Snow was first selected to play for Nelson nine years ago. He represented the South Island in 1923 and 1927. He played in the trial matches of 1924 a<s well as those of 1927. He .stands 6ft Hin. and weighs 13.10. ■lack Steel Ex-All Black J. Steel scored all of Albion's nine points against Christchurch recently. Rustless Steel, comments a Southern paper.

SCHOOL. TEAM'S RECORD' (By Telegraph—Press Association) THAMES, This Day. What is claimed as a record has been, achieved bv bovs of Hikutaia, Thames Vallev school, in the primary schools football competition brought to a. close last Saturdav by Hikutaia' defeating united Paeroa bv 51 points to ml. lne matches played this season betweeni the same schools resulted 40-0, 37-0, 26-0, 430, making a total of 197 points to nil, average 39.4.

BEFORE GOING TO CHURCH "Baxter's" Saves Annoyance f luring the winter months those irritating Tickling coughs so often cause ann.v.Vnce during church services. One Sum lay evening, just recently a ady was heard to remark to a friend as Hey came out, of church, "Didn't you find the people with coughs disturbing tonight' I n sm.l ouite a good bit of the cermon and could not concentrate on that account." "Ye*," replied the other "I wish these people with coughs would take a- good dose of Baxter's Lung Preserver before they co/ie to church. They would fillet it a great relief, save embarrassment to themselves, and annoyance to other people." Churchgoers would be well advised to take this lady's hint, The soothing properties of "Baxter's" loosen phlegm and promptly allay irritation in the throat and bronchial passages. A few doses taken before you go to church will ensure a peaceful time for yourself and' for those around you. Besides being a sterling cough and cold remedy, Baxter's Lung Preserver possesses wonderful tonic properties that help to build up the system. "Baxter's" is obtainable from all chemists and stores in a. generous-sized bottle at half-a-crowr. but. economical people purchase the family size at 4/6. Bachelor's bottle eighteenpeneo.