NOTES ON RUGBY AND RUGBY PLAYERS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 238, 28 May 1932, Page 7

NOTES ON RUGBY AND RUGBY PLAYERS

"Free-Kick")

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The representative team, the personnel of which was made knowq last Saturday, has put in some solid training during the week uqder ,the coaching pf the seleetor, Tom Anderson, in preparatiqxi for their first representative fixture for the 1932 season against Taupo to-day. . , This match will give the seleetor the opportunity of sorting out those players whose representative football is not -consistent with their cluh showing. The result of the match with Taupo cannot be considered a test as to the leam's strength as a decisiye win by the. Rotorua sid'e would not.indicate their chances with the teams tiiey will j meet in the Waikato. . . I Sutherland, the eustodian of . the 1 rep. team, did not impress in his first matph against Whaka, but gave a much improved display against Waikite last Saturday. His line kieking got his side oUt of diffieulties time after ?ime and with a set of hacks whose '.'efence was hopeless his job as last \ine of defeuce was no sine- J cure. Sullivan on the wing can be relied i upon to do his share, hoth in defence and attack. At full-back he would be more at home but his in- j clusion is fully justified as lie is a consistent point scorer by means of the place-kick. T. Morrison on the lcft wing has plenty of pace and if not crowded out on the line is a dangerous man to tlie opposition. Waerea at centre is the best. man for the job and assoeiated with his club-mate B. Kukum'e, second five-

eighths, should make a strong combination. N. Steele (first five-eighth) will have to remember to leave his "dummy" at home and get the ball out to his backs. His ducking and dodging only keeps his team out of position and often lands the side in trouble. T. Thompson is the pick of the halfbacks seen in action this season and if he maintains the form he has displayed in club matches, Rotorua will be well served in the man behind the scrum position. Qf the pack, R. Waerea, T. Ngaero, R. Thompson, W. Allen and J. Archer have all been outstanding in both the loose and tight work this season, while B. Rogers, Leonard and Poland should produce the forlh that is expected in representative football. A promoted junior who is showing great pr.omise this season is Browir the diminutive half-baclc of Kahukura seniors. Although he received more than his share of the bumping around against "V^aikite last Saturday, . he was always in the thick of the play and was going stronger at the end than many of his co-players. The decision of the management committee in having seats erected around the playing fields is to be comm'snded. This .qecessary conrfort to the public should greatly increase the popularity to the "Park" on Saturday afternoon.