Rugby

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 711, 10 July 1929, Page 13

Rugby

The Game and. its* Player*

Teachers were a bit surprised,

Grammar was not their strong point on Saturday. Nice Chap, But “Cynic.” writing in the Sydney “Referee,” says: ‘ New Zealand is sending over a wing-forward, and the home team must be drilled in tactics to counteract the well-meaning if exasperating gentleman. Porter we know of old. A fine chap and a fine footballer. but—he’s a wing-forward.’ Not Diplomatic When a player who had been penalised for off-side play on Saturday retaliated with the remark, “You had better take the kick as well, ref.,” he was instructed by the man in charge to watch subsequent proceedings from the side-line. There are many occasions in life when one should count ten before saying anything. This is one of them. Generous Ponsonby Though having won but four games out of 11, Technical College Old Boys is a team that has given the leaders in the competition good games and indeed, as in the case of Ponsonby last Saturday, some uncomfortable iuoi ments. They have wilted under no runaway scores, as their table of 113 S points for and 133 against plainly shows. A light but hard-working pack and one or two good backs has carried the team a long way, and it may yet surprise teams higher up. The backs are being trained at the Ponsonby shed this week, where faults in tackling and dropped passes may be remedied. “A splendid all-round exhibition. Magnificent line-kicking.” —The verdict of an Otago critic on Dave Lindsay’s fullback play in Dunedin recently. Once Bitten The names of five referees were submitted to Mr. J. McLeod, manager of the All Blacks, prior to the New South Wales game on Saturday week, and among them was included that of Mr. A. L. C. Irving, whose attitude regarding wing- forward play has brought him into conflict with All Black teams of the past, and Cliff Porter in particular. Mr. Irving, who is considered to be Sydney’s best referee, being both strict and technical, was not selected, the All Black manager deciding on Mr. A. V. Mayne. In his first international fixture Mr. Mayne evidently gave satisfaction, the losing side commenting favourably on his rulings. Quite In Order The referee in the Technical Old Boys’-Ponsonby senior grade game at Eden Park came in for a good deal of criticism, as referees often do, when he awarded a try to Solomon in the concluding stage of the game. Keane, the Technical fullback, had been tackled by Lucas almost on the line, and as the ball rolled across, Solomon, who was waiting handy on the right side of the line, pounced on it, and forced it. “There is no offside in this game,” loudly remarked a spectator, but he had overlooked the fact that the Technical fullback was the last to.play the ball, not Lucas. Spectators do not always see all the game. Pity the Announcer Pouring rain one Saturday and an attack of influenza the next—the announcer who has so closely followed the fortunes of the All Blacks in the two matches they have played on the Sydney Cricket Ground had had a hard row to hoe. On the first Saturday, in the New South Wales game, he was unable to distinguish players on account of the mud, and he spent two miserable hours sitting under an inadequate umbrella in the full sweep of the gale. Last Saturday the weather was glorious, but the test of the previous Saturday had told its tale, and the announcer was a sick man. He welcomed stoppages for injuries, as they gave his tired voice a rest. In spite of all this, however, he gave a faithful report of the game and missed few of the thrills. To be Replayed The action of the referee in the | Star-Celtic game at Timaru .recently in stopping the game ten minutes be- ! fore time has not been upheld by the South Canterbury Rugby Union. The referee, Mr. R. Logan, reported to the union that he did so because rough play was-developing, and the players . were disregarding his rulings. The union agreed that “in accordance with the rules, the referee had no justification for stopping the game,” and ordered it to be replayed. It is interesting to note that the referee in question had played for both clubs. He is an ex-representative footballer with considerable experience. tie played for Star for a number of years, and in his last season turned over and played for Celtic. This makes it very difficult l'or supporters of either side to accuse him of partisanship. How Tuck Fared Rugby reports cabled from Australia are always very scanty regarding live comment on the players. Although t is said that the Sew Zealand backs were not up to the standard of former years, nobody is selected for criticism. The question that mostly concerns Rugby enthusiasts on this side of the Tasman at the present moment is how Tuck fared in mat most important position of halfback. His display is not commented upon, but from the report of the game it would appear that both on attack and defence lie acquitted himself well. A “sensational 40-yard run,” a “great save by a brilliant mark off the toes of his opponents in a terrific forward dribbling rush," and “a thrilling back movement by Tuck. Oliver, Lilburne, Carleton. and Waterman, who was pushed out close up." are mentioned. It certainly does not indicate that he was lacking either in resourcefulness or determination. Incident Recalled The stopping of the Star-Celtic game at Timaru ten minutes befoi'e time recalls another incident in which this team figured. On this occasion the game was stopped just before halftime, the result of the Celtic team leaving the field. It was in the 1923 season, and Celtic, which that year fielded a powerful pack of forwards, was leading in the competition. As with all leading teams. Celtic was made the butt of a good deal of hostile barracking from other club supporters. Considerable bitterness crept into the competition, culminating with the ordering off of a Celtic player in a match against Zingari. The team immediately left the field and withdrew from the competition. An attempt was made to make the club the nucleus of another code, but players, realising that their complaint was with a section of the public more than the Rugby Union,

refused to secede from the union, and still played its lower grade teams. The following season the senior team made its. reappearance and was warmly welcomed back to the fold. Paewai Comes Back Making a welcome reappearance with Grafton on Saturday was Lui Paewai, brilliant Maori five-eighth, member of the 1924 All Blacks and Auckland’s representative fullback last season. Since his sterling performance for the Maori team against New South Wales last season Paewai has not turned out. On that occasion he had to retire with a dislocated shoulder, - but not before he had | given an impressive display in his old position. It is to be hoped that j his services will be at the disposal of Grafton for the remainder of the season. At the present moment lie would be of very great help. Unlucky Grafton This season Grafton has had more than the usual run of bad luck, not only in regard to losing players through injuries, but also through losing useful men who have transferred to other districts of who have given the game best. This club’s bad luck continued on Saturday when, against City, it was without the services of three of its best forwards in Finlayson. Wanoa and Wyllie. A run of better luck is certainly Grafton’s due, and the turn of the tide in this club’s fav>>v win lie welcomed by many Tlugby followers. SUB-UNION TEAMS i (From Our Otvu Correspondent j TE AROHA, Tuesday. The following will represent Piako seniors in the representative match against Hauraki Plains, to be played at Ngatea next Saturday:—T. Goldsbury, W. Crowe, W. Donald, A. Lipsey, J. Ruckham, J. Arkle, J. Nicholson, P. O’Donoghue, D. McLaren, Brown, J. Riddell, P. McLaren. F. Mulgrew, S. Clarkin, Payne. Emergencies: Back.s, Rangi, Sykes: forwards. Johns, Hill. The juniors will be represented as follow against Hauraki Plains at Te Arolia: —Jackson, Gibbs, Mackie, G. Johnson, Beaver, Worrall, Graham, Grant, D. Johnson, Crawford, McGirr. Burgess, Frear, Kinn, Glover. Emergencies: Forwards, Baker, Stockley, Biggs; backs, Gemmell, Whitten, Morrison. THAMES, Tuesday. The following players have been asked to go into training in preparation for the Peace Cup match at

Morrinsville on July l‘7:—Backs, A. Wonder, A. Morrissey, B. Harrison. A. j Dobson. E. Wells. T. Dufty, G. Win- j der, T. Henderson and A. Isaacs: for- i wards. A. O’Hara. G. Kinlock, G. Pollock, W. Pollock. E. Kelly, G. Percy. W. Percy. J. Strange, W. Brunton, A. Lomas and ’R. Smith. OPOTIIvI. Tuesday. The following will represent Opotiki next Saturday against Apanui for the Hurunui Memorial Shield:—Fullback. Mackay; threequarters, Y. Kelly, T. Black. F. Hawkins: five-eighths. Clark, O’Sullivan: halfback. Harriman: rover. S. Kelly: forwards. Majoribanks, Newth, C. Black. Parkinson. Craig, P. Edwards, M. Foy. Emergencies: Backs, Temple. Selwyn, P. Fox: forwards. Clay, Prime. Hunt.