? Rugby

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 959, 30 April 1930, Page 7

? Rugby

JThe Game and it* Player*

A Good Average Despite one or two changes, the Grammar Old Boys’ pack still maintains a good average weight. The weights of the forwards taken in football togs on Saturday last, showed them to average 13st 31b—a good useful weight for any senior team.

Numbering Players Now that the Auckland Rugby Union has gone to the trouble of providing patrons with a good programme, it is up to the clubs to assist in seeing that players are correctly numbered. Unnumbered players, especially forwards, make the best programmes useless. No doubt this will be put right on future Saturdays. Varsity Qualifications It has been decided by the Otago University Football Club that the club’s teams shall be limited to undergraduates and graduates who are practically full-time students at the college. The university teams in consequence will contain an unusual amount of fresh blood this season; Recent alterations to the rules governing the Auckland University College Rugby teams have laid down that only undergraduates and graduates of the college are eligible. * * * City Harlequins Although City did not succeed in defeating Marists on Saturday, the team certainly made a very fine impression when it took the field resplendent in its brand new colours. City this year has adopted narrow red and light-coloured stripes on a blue jersey, and from the side-line it was not difficult to imagine the Harlequins being led out by the famous W. W. Wakefield. From the members’ stand the impression gained was that the English team had unexpectedly arrived. However, it is certainly a welcome contribution to brighter football. Fair Exchange An exchange of players that in juvenile language could be termed a “fair swop” is the transfer of R. Bush from Varsity to Training College, and V. Butler from Training College to Varsity. Both are good fullbacks, and both are big and safe, and on last

year’s form there is certainly very little between them. As a further coincidence, it might be mentioned that both fullbacks are good cricketers. * * * , Big Men are on the Job Although there were still a few players short of a gallop or two on opening day, and the usual awkwardness that follows a mere nodding acquaintanceship with the ball, At was apparent that most of the players who can be classed under the heading of “prospective reps.” had kept the visit of the English team in mind, and equipped themselves with a few early runs. Two who showed much better opening form than usual were the brothers Knight, of Grammar Old Boys. Laurie Knight, who does not find it difficult to put on weight, exhibited quite a slim silhouette compared to the side view displayed on the first appearance last season, and even

at the end of the game was moving about with considerable agility, as proved by the very fine try scored near the end. Arthur Knight Avg.s another of the heavy-weight division who appeared much fitter than usual for this time of the year.

Seventeen Stone-odd In announcing that he would be unable to accompany the Christchurch club on its Easter trip to Timaru, Ron Stewart, the husky All Black forward

! explained that, as a preliminary to getting rid of some of his 17st-odd for the big engagementsahead, he proposed to spend the Easter vacation pig shooting in the hills. Stewart, despite a lengthy experience in big football, including tours to England and South o. young man, being now only 25 years of age. Being an inch over the 6ft mark, and being particularly big-limbed, be carries his weight well, and is surprisingly fast. Pit and well for the fray, he should take the paddock at about 3 6st—quite a handy weight l'or a fast forward, or, as ho played so effectly in the African tests, as loose head to the front row. * * * Forgetfulness It is just as well that the old rule about the claim of fair catches in Rugby is not to apply to club and interprovincial matches in New Zealand this season, but only to matches with the British team. Under the old rule, which is also the present international rule, “marks” could be claimed only by the making of a heel-mark. Members of the Wellington and Christchurch club teams agreed to play their match at Easter under this old rule, but they soon forgot about it, and the look of astonishment on the faces of some players when their vocal claims for “marks,” unaccompanied by the making of heel-marks, were disregarded by the referee, was amusA Good Return Back again in the Rugby fold after briefly flirting with League toward the Ciose of the past season, Arnold Berridge has rejoined his uld club. City, and judging by his opening performance on Saturday, he should be an

extremely valuable Inside back to his team. He did not see much of the ball ; t first, but once the veteran Tom Heard, came up alongside him from fullback, he displayed dash and confidence, running with fine thrusting effect. The two tries h« registered

were the result of brilliant individual effort, and their varied nature showed initiative. Heard skippered the City team a couple of years ago, and many supporters were pleased at the form he displayed in the five-eighths’ line after a season on the sideline. City staged a determined fight against odds in the match with Marist on Saturday. The team was certainly up against it for hookers, particularly in view of the fact that its expectations of having the Auckland representative front-ranker. Angus Finlayson, from Grafton. The Rugby Union, however, declined to sanction the representative’s transfer, although it allowed Magpies migetty half Mackay and wing Ruru to go over to the same team. Bert Fletcher, who was incapacitated by an injury, was also a notable absentee from the pack, but he will probably be out next Saturday, along with t apish and Sherman, hookers, Blakey in the fullback position, and Lanigan on the five-eighths’ line. The rover, Holt, who is back again after a long spell off with an injured leg during last season, played good football on Saturday. He was invariably in the van in the rushes, dribbling and .‘•mothering the opposing backs to verygood effect. A Good Pack

Contrary to expectations. Marist showed it still has a solid pack of weighty forwards who, led by the brothers Swin and Cam Hadley, asserted their superiority over City in the loose on Satur- ! day. Bunn was another hard-work-ing member of the pack in the lineouts and loose.