Rugby —The Game and Its Players

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 403, 11 July 1928, Page 11

Rugby —The Game and Its Players

Reports from Wellington indicate that a prominent All Black is acting as his own press agent during the present tour of South Africa.

The Right Man

Bill Wrigh t was certainly the right man in the right place as donkeyman for Marist on Saturday. He was here., there and everywhere, and his knack of keeping up with the play was a valuable asset to Marist. Grafton found Wright a stumbling block.

Immediately the whistle blew in the Ponsonby-Grammar game it was apparent that the Grammar forwards were out after Ponsonby’s scalp. In first quarter they had everything their own way, but they could not last

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP

The following is the position of the various teams in the Auckland Rugby Union’s senior championship:—

the distance. The consistency of the Ponsonby forwards, who fought strenuously against a heavier pack from whistle to whistle, and the bad handling and passing of the Grammar backs, won the game for Ponsonby. Although the handling of the Pony backs was patchy they did it right when the opportunity was there, and they also saved their forwards. Despite the rain and the mud the game was not uninteresting. Marist Unlucky Marist must be counted unlucky to have been beaten by Grafton by a potted goal to a try. That is from a

championship point of view. Actually, the 4-3 score was Grafton’s just due, for. after a lifeless first half in whjch the Tykes were uppermost. the Black and Whites held the advantage in the second spell. Just before Ferguson made the winning pot, Grafton’s for-

wards, especially Finlayson, had a run of sheer bad luck through not scoring when chances were abundant. Finlayson is one of the hardest grafters in the competition. Drastic Changes The Sun’s comment on the drastic change made in the All Black side before the retirement of Kilby appears to be borne out by South African Press ! comment received yesterday. In the cabled report of the game practically

no comment was made regarding individual play, and no indication as to whether it was Nicholls or McGregor that was replaced in the five-eighth line by Rushbrook shortly after the commencement. It is known that Mark Nicholls was leading the side.

and his action in altering the formation so early in the game seems bard to explain. The players for the tour were all picked for their positions, and with a man like Sheen in the side, who is just as good a fiveeighth as a centre —in fact in the

opinion of many much better —then

was no occasion to bring a good scoring wing into the live-eighth line. By so doing Nicholls certainly gave the Wellington man more opportunity, and it must also be admitted that apparently Rushbrook took full advantage of it, but it is not sound policy. When Kilby was carried off a further re-arrangement was necessary, and this time it would appear that Sheen was sent out to the wing. This is certainly not fair treatment and. furthermore, will never make for combination. As one African critic states, “The backs were completely demoralised and the game cannot be Two Honest Forwards According to reports Charlie Sontag. the big Otago forward, who generally

manages to just miss All Black honours after getting into the Possibles, is in good form just now, and should stand a big chance this season of filling a place against New South Wales. Another player showing great form at present is C. G. Porter, of Wellington, i and a former All Black captain. Wellington critics assert that on present form he would have flown into the New Zealand team now on tour in South Africa. Perhaps it is a pity he did not. Apart from his capabilities on the field Porter is a great sportsman. His action in standing down from the test team to play England because he thought Parker was a better man for the job is characteristic of the man From the Windy City After watching Auckland Rugby (writes a Sun scribe from Wellington) one misses in Wellington club football the flashing back play seen regularly on Eden Park. Even Varsity, which seems to have the best set of backs at present on parade in the windy city, comes to light with only occasional pieces of concerted back play, and the handling of the backs in the main senior game last Saturday, between Oriental and Varsity, was for the most part atrocious. There is none of the finessing and reverse passing seen so frequently in Auckland. But the Wellington club forwards undoubtedly play harder and keener Rugby than their Auckland brethrer

Points Ch. W. Tj. D. For Agst. Pts Ponsonby . . 8 1 1 180 91 17 University ..8 1 1 159 64 17 Marist .... 5 4 1 157 72 11 Grafton .... 5 4 1 94 110 11 City 5 5 — 95 108 10 Manukau ..4 4 1 89 93 9 Grammar O. B. 4 5 1 99 120 9 North Shore 2 7 1 62 118 5 Training Col. 1 5 3 50 106 5 College Rifles 1 7 2 50 133 4