RUGBY

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1037, 30 July 1930, Page 14

RUGBY

Jibe Come and. its* Players*..

New Zealand's Best According to a member of the British team tho Auckland forwards and Canterbury backs would form the most dangerous combination the British team could be called upon to face in New Zealand.

McLean or Hazlett "Enthusiast.”—McLean's number on Saturday was 13, although in the programme it was set down as 9. Hazlett, who was,listed as 13, wore number 9. Hazlett also wore head-gear. McLean, who is taller than Hazlett. has short curly hair. It is certainly a very important duty of team managers to see that the players are issued with correctly numbered jerseys. As far as the public is concerned it is far more important than making speeches.

Third Rugby Test I was rather amused, writes “South Islander,” to read Mr. E. McKenzie’s complaint re Britain’s tactics in the Rugby Test last Saturday. I wonder if the selector could see one of the All Blacks who was very seldom to be seen on side, and was penalised only three times instead of 33 times.

Waikato’s Strong Forward If Rugby scoring was any indication or if there was no such thing as variation in form Waikato should score a fairly easy victory over Great Britain. Auckland beat Britain by 19 to 6 and yet could only manage to beat Waikato by 7to (J. On these figures It would appear that Waikato could expect to beat Britain by ten or eleven points, a chance, however, that even the most optimistic Waikato supporters would hardly invest upon. Nevertheless the Waikato side, and particularly its pack, can be relied upon to put up a good fight. On its own ground Waikato is always a solid proposition, playing hard Rugby and tackling soundly.

The Lucas Try In the newspaper accounts of the try scored by F. W. Lucas, through Nicholl’s “prearranged cross-kick,” it seemed to me, and those around me, that in the “prearrangement” Mark Nicholls must have been the one participant not "in the joke,” writes "Terrace.” Possibly, our eyes deceived us, but at any rate, Nicholls appeared to change feet and make an attempt to "pot a goal.” The ball was caught by the wind and carried wide past the posts, where Lucas, who showed clever anticipation of the result, raced up, secured and scored. The members of both teams practically stood still watching the flight of the ball goalwards. I would like an expression of opinion from the spectators.

Auckland and N.Z. Forwards "Front Row” writes as follows: In an article published in The Sun before the Test match was played it was stated that if the seven All Black fur- # wards were living in Auckland at the present time very few of them could And a place in the Auckland pack. After seeing Saturday’s Test 1 am inclined to share that opinion. With tho displays given by the two sets of forwards. I suggest that If the Auckland selector was called upon to pick an Auckland pack from both sets of forwards he could not Improve a great deal on the following:—Hookers, Hadley. A. Finlayson; lock. A. Knightside row, Hazlett, L. Knight; back row. Batty. McLean. t feel quite confident that in the second half of last Saturday’s game a pack such as this would have smashed right through the British van, when it commenced to wing round and would have increased the score by several more points.

Speeches Barred A suggestion lias been forwarded by a correspondent, that in the best interests of the game all officials should be barred from attending official dinners, including ulso the managers of visiting teams. There, is no doubt that the biggest portion of the trouble on the present tour has been caused by officials and team managers. In the writer’s day an official dinner was a function at which one dined and wined to the best of one's ability and thumped the table enthusiastically when the winning captain explained that "they were lucky to win” and the losing captain that “the best side won.” Both captains would then join in eulogistic reference to the "best referee they had ever played under,” and the players, who had been cursing him under their breaths all the afternoon, would join in singing "For Heezer Jolly Good Fellow.” and affectionately spill beer over him. But the good old days when football captains and managers could lie like gentlemen seem to have gone forever. * • * Tough Forwards Both at Whangarei today and at Hamilton on Saturday the British team will be opposed by strong, bustling packs, and although the visitors may be inclined to regard these as minor fixtures, they should not make the mistake of regarding them too cheaply. It is unfortunate that North Auckland will be without the services of I. Finlayson, whoso bad arm still keeps him out of commission, but with Sherrilf and Morrissey as hookers, and the two Rikas and Bert Fletcher in tho pack, the British forwards will not have things entirelv their own way. » • • Ran to Instructions It was very evident that one of the ball boys at Eden Park on Saturday had his instructions what to do with tho ball when the game ended. When the whistle went he picked up the spare ball and sprinted down the sideline, well away from the players, who immediately set about the business of collecting souvenirs. But the boy had got a good start and although Hart, the speedy threequartcr, set off in pursuit. the boy never looked like a loser. The boy was also wise enough to keep away from the crowd near the sideline, which was in such .happy humour that for souvenirs it would have collected boy and all.