GAME SPOILT BY RAIN

NZ Truth, Issue 1189, 13 September 1928, Page 17

GAME SPOILT BY RAIN

I^ome Team Scores Narrow Win pver The Bay

(From "ISte.vTruth's 1 ' Wellington Representative.)

In a game ; which /hardly ever rose above mediocre interprovincial Rugby standard, Wellington beat Hawkes Bay at Athletic Park on Saturday by 11 points to 8. The margin would have been greater had the first spelli conditions continued, but the rain slowed the 'game to a standstill. - ,

QIX. years ago '/',•' a';: match • between ? J; .-vi?.a>yke!J.;Bay,/land Wellington was regarded , as a 'match between the Rugby giants of .the Dominion^ Today — well, no one could enthuse over the football of either province. ; - Without the All Blacks of their ■respective districts,'- team'- play has been lacking, finesse has been lacking, and, real he-man tackling has. been mi6sibg»'.^.. . In the -first speil.the i Wellington forwards made the'game'open with a fair measure of' success, ; but : Hefferman soon stopped these, .tactics. The ball w£s hooked fairly regularly to VLeys,' : but /'everything "ended once Chancy fired. the ball put. The Wellington backs were rather gainful at times "and- Ramson was a failure. He was like a well-worn

clutch. He slipped into the wrong place all the tim«. The Bay forwards proved a hard pushing unit, while their dribbling was first-class. The backs were nippy, especially the insldes, but the passing was not always sure. Of the Wellington forwards O'Regan, Coulston and Jessup stood out. O'Rega played pne of his best games. He was always m the thick of things, •while his following-up was good. Coulston and Jessup hooked the ball with a fair measure of success. Shearer was a poor substitute for Porter. .He has a lot to learn about play round the side of the scrum. It must be said In his -favor, however, . that his proper place, is m the pack. Leys certainly gave a better display behind the scrum than Coman. He is young and may improve, but j he has a lot to learn before he reaches, top interprovincial class.

standard and perhaps this long delayed honor will come his way one day. Hefferman, the Hawkes Bay lock, was the outstanding forward on the ground. Always a hard worker, he showed himself on Saturday to be quite the equal, if not a little better, than Steere, his' team-mate, who won All Black colors. With, the exception of the three inside backs, Anstis, Setford and McDonald, the Bay rearguard, like Wellington, was only average. Huxtable, the much vaunted winger, showed \pace an<L dash, but he lacked Rugby ability. Smith, on the opposite wing, found Elliott just a little hard to beat. , '. Yates fielded and kicked well, but his positional play left room for improvement. Through 'being unable to gauge the wind he missed three or--f our splendid opportunities of winning the game .for Hawkes Bay.

Chancy played a fair game m the flve-eighths line. He made- some nice openings, but at times his passing was poorly directed. Peterson was fair as Chaney's support, but he failed m positional play. Broderick was just a link m a chain of many ; flaws- at that. , : Elliott, on the left wing, showed decided promise . considering the few chances he received, but Ramsbn was the direct antithesis. Ramson has> much natural attacking ability. He can kick and he can show a clean pair of heels, but on defence^-! Well, he is the poorest player "N.Z. Truth" has seen m years. Heazlewood was the only back on the ground. Hi 3 fielding, kicking and tackling were excellent. Heazlewood has been very unlucky during the past two seasons. Rightly, he can claim to r be up to New Zealand