Rugby

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 439, 22 August 1928, Page 11

Rugby

No Test For Auckland This season Auckland Rugby enthusiasts will have no opportunity of seeing the Rugby stars of the Dominion in action together. For graphical reasons the North and South Island games are played alternately at Wellington and Christchurch, and only when we get an occasional test do Aucklanders see any big games. To counteract the advantage in regard to the playing of the inter-island game it is reasonable to expect that when a visiting team tours the Dominion the centre which has had the benefit that season of the North and South game should forego a test match in favour of Auckland or Dunedin. This year the tests will be played at Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, Christ-

church having been granted a game in addition to the big inter-island classic. If the game were played at Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin it would have been a much fairer allotment and one that could have given no possible cause for complaint. On this point the Auckland Rugby Union should have been insistent. In dealing with the New Zealand Rugby Union nothing is to be gained by being backward. The union should have asserted its claims in this respect and asserted them vigorously. * * * Auckland's Tackling Though it is naturally pleasing to know that the province has excellent raw- material to draw on and will be able to keep up its strength in interprovincial football for quite a few

years to come, the deficiencies of the younger players must be fairly considered. Saturday’s game with the Bay of Plenty showed where the Home team’s weakness lay. In regard to the tackling, one is forced to use the word deplorable. Bush and Brimble options in this direc-

tion, particularly the former, as he was called on to grass the opposition more often than was the nuggety little forward. It was no uncommon thing to see a Bay player struggling down the

rhe Game and. its 4 Players s

field with two Aucklanders hanging round his neck and vainly trying to throw him. Otago Backs Outplayed “Tubby” Holden was the only one of the Otago backs who in Saturday’s match against Auckland lived up to reputation, writes The Sun’s Dunedin Rugby correspondent. The game little half-back was often smothered in the enveloping mass of big forwards who came down upon him like so many angry elephants. Often, too, he cleverly eluded them, and on one occasion darted between them to score Otago’s solitary try. The rest of the backs (the whole rearguard consisted of clubmates), in thir failure, showed up the weakness generally of back-plav

SIX AUCKLAND ALL BLACKS

in Dunedin, for the Varsity backs had consistently outrun all opponents during the season, and were so much speedier that there was no need for them to bother much to keep in place. So that, when the Aucklanders proved as fast, or faster, and, moreover, kept position, the erstwhile Light Blue flyers had their wings clipped most effectively, toiling painfully and puffily in the rear in many a side-line chase.

Good Will Out Like the prophet who was without honour in his own country, Minns had to go on tour with the Auckland team in order to obtain a chance of getting into big football. When the team was in Christchurch and the nominations for the North Island team were- sent on Minns was not included. Apparently the New Zealand selectors who

saw him play had other ideas regrardng his abilities, and the unusual course was adopted of selecting him to represent New Zealand over the heads j Df players who had the opportunity of demonstrating their qualifications in the Inter-Island game Providing he does not allow himself to get unduly impressed by the Minns should do well for himself. 4 The New Zealand Team With the talent at their disposal it must be admitted that the New Zealand selectors have done their work well in selecting a side to oppose the Waratahs at Wellington on September 5. In the South Island it was expected that Oliver would have been certain for the centre position, but a poor display in the inter-island game on Saturday must have seriously affected his= chances. Tn any case, on his performances this year the claims of L. Hook could not be ignored. The threequar ter line, Snodgrass, Hook and Minns, should prove a good attacking trio and with Cooke and Holden to provide the powder and shot it will be interesting to see what New Zealand car

provide in the way of backs with 29 of her alleged best men out of the country. * * * It is reported that Snodgrass, who injured his ankle in the North and South Island game on Saturday, will be fit and ready for play before the first test is played on September 5. The New South Wales Rugby team which landed in Wellington from the Ulimaroa on Tuesday arrived in Auckland this morning to prepare for the opening match of their tour against Auckland on Saturday. Following the Auckland team’s Southern tour, the home side should have a decided advantage in combination, and the visitors are a little unlucky in striking the hardest provincial team in New Zealand for their opening game. Given fine weather, there should be a large attendance at Eden Park on Saturday.