Fast Rugby Scoring

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 461, 17 September 1928, Page 6

Fast Rugby Scoring

Auckland’s Fifty-Six Points THAMES VALLEY OUTCLASSED IN setting the Thames Valley representative game down for the same day as the Auckland v. Hawke’s Bay match it was probably with the intention that the Valley men would meet a B team. Unfortunately for them very few of the A team were able to make the trip to Napier, and as a result the team fielded to meet Thames was almost up to full strength.

In registering a total of 56 points to their opponents* 8, Auckland provided a good exhibition of back play which, to a great extent, compensated for the lack of interest in what, very obviously, was a foregone conclusion. The Auckland rear division threw the ball about with abandon, and it was a result of that, and not so much weak defence, that made such a large score possible. As a matter of fact the defence was by no means as weak as the score would indicate. The tackling of the Thames backs was certainly not the worst seen here this season, but they were outclassed and often bewildered by superior individual and concerted play. The reappearance of Shorty McManus in the halfback position these last two Saturdays has afforded Rugby patrons a great deal of pleasure. McManus has proved conclusively that in

rain or shine he is our best half. With a big margin up his sleeve on Saturday, he was very cheeky on occasions. throwing the ball almost across the paddock. Even if he does break a few football commandments occasionally. let us render thanks that there is someone enterprising enough to break the dreary monotony of the orthodox football seen here for the greater part of the represenetative season. It has been consistently urged in these notes that Paewai should be relieved t>y Butler; not that is the better fullback, but because his services would be more valuable to Auckland closer in—preferably at second five-eighth. On Saturday Butler was played at fullback and Paewai at centre threequarter. Butler had very little to do, but Paewai was the presiding genius of the party. Except for one fault—a tendency to give a falling pass —he played an outstanding game. He fed his wings assiduously and by constantly varying his play always had the opposition guessing. Cross and grubber kicks were seen exploited for the first time since Ces Badeley put his boots away. Both Minns and Falwasser played good games, Minns being the soundest and Albert Falwasser the most spectacular. In Wales, the Marathon player, Mr. Vin Meredith has picked out a likelylooking five-eighth. He has yet to be tried out against harder opposition, but he shapes well. Jenkins played his usual sound game. Tho Auckland pack was not extended and had no great difficulty in controlling the situation. Walter Batty and Cathcart were the two head men, and L. Knight and Anderson were also conspicuous. Linton roved effectively. Of the Valley threequarter line, Towers was the most effective, running and tackling well, and Goldsbury occasionally did some good spoiling work. Lockett was about the best of the inside men, where the services of Snodgrass and Mcßae were badly missed.

Mulgrew and Frost were about the best of a very even front division.

Mr. G. Peace controll the game with commendable discretion.