Untitled

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 88, 30 August 1912, Page 7

I proven-iont on the Rugby Union game. Nevertheless, it would be distinctly un- . fair to sum up the merits and demerit of the League style on the game that day because it fell short of expectations. To begin with, the teams were unevenly matched. Then, again, having so comparatively few men to draw from, the Taranaki thirteen were not a brilliant erew. Worse still, New South Wales—and just here there is ground for complaint—did not put their best team in the (ield. They have a very large body of playera on tour, and yet they sent up to Taranaki the dregs of their team. As a matter of fact, the team included only three men who are. picked to irepresent New South Wales in the match against Auckland. The team was, of course, strong enough to beat Taranaki, but that was not what the public wanted. What the crowd wanted was the opportunity of passing judgment on the League game under the most favorable auspices. Their wish was to see the cream of North-Unionism in the field, but they were sadly disappointed. Under the circumstances, it would be unjust to attempt to form any positive conclusion as to which is the better game. Although the rain held off, the ground was greasy, and the ball still more so. The game was exceedingly fast, but at times it was very ragged and disjointed. The Taranaki "forwards played splendidly in the loose, and sometimes heat the visitors in the close. Their 'lacks, however, were an uninspiring lot, and with the exception of Robinson, Siddells and Stockman were completely at the mercy of their opponents. The League game undoubtedly offers greater facilities for passing than does the Union game, but the passing of the visuors was not what it should have been. The trouble was, to quote from tin; opinions of their own confreres, that after they reached a certain point and were assured of victory, it was "every man for himself, and the devil take the hindmost." They all wanted to score, and were content*to fling combination and good generalship to the • four winds of Heaven. "They want to get their names cabled over'to Sydney as having scored," was the trenchant remark of one of their own number to a pressman after the match was over. It was a pity that they were not compelled to be on their mettle now, for, hardpressed, the visitors must have served up some fairly brilliant play. As it was, the match was just sufficient to give an indication of no mean possibilities on the. part of the League game from the point of view of brilliancy and scoring propensities. The Australians had a big pull over the Taranaki men in their superior knowledge of the game. It was interesting to see how cleverly their halves manoeuvred the serums. The local players, on the other hand, were not able to take the best advantages of the scrums. In D. McGregor the visitors have a sterling and clever fullback. He quite puts in the shade any seen in Taranaki, and yet he is only an emergency. Their three-quarters, especially Thompson and Eraser gave the impression of being great men. if hardpushed, with a peculiar and dangerous propensity for jumping, a la Asher (of fond memory), when tackled low. Their forwards were a medium lot, with one or two players of outstanding ability, but they were on the whole a leisurely orew, and were well held by Taranaki. For Taranaki, Stockman played not half a bald'•game at full-back, and Robinson put up a good fight as five-eighths, but the hero of the side was Siddells, who, but: .for lack of support, must have scored more than once. The halves. C. Hogg and H. 'locker, battled well on the defence, but lacked sufficient initiative when it came to instituting an attack. ' Kyle (captain) played a splendid game 'among the pack, and was a star of I' tho -first magnitude. E. Judd also did great things, until tiredness overtook him. ■ Julian and Gernhoefer also did ■mucV solid work. The backs were undoubtedly handicapped by the absence of their-brilliant -half, Moir, who represented New Zealand in Australia recently.

'Taranaki kicked off, and their forwards got going:, only to be twice penal-, iscd. Kyle took a mark, and Iris kick went into the. hands of the opposing hacks,., who' initiated a pretty passing rush. A free kick relieved matters for Taranaki, Judd finding the line well out. From.the ensuing scrum Taranaki secured, hut could do nothing. Their forwards, were getting all over the blues, who' soujrht relief in sundry ficrums, and a free kick. This relieved matters, and McLean saved poorly for Taranaki. A blue passing rush, initiated by Gleeson, wns hroken up by the Taranaki forwards, led by Robinson, who went within an ace of scoring, a force resulting. Hogg marked well for Taranaki, but Kyle fail,ed with the kick. Tocker lined well for the local-team, but their opponents secured from the scrum, and turned defence into attack. Give-and-take play ensued, and Tocker earned much applause for splendidly tackling a blue hack. A free kick was awarded Taranaki, but Judd's attempt at goaling was very feeble. C. Fraser relieved for New South Wales with a good piece of footwork. So far the game, was fast, but otherwise not very interesting. Presently the visiting backs got into ther stride, and some neat hut short-lived passing rushes ensued. Penalties frequently marred the game, largely through Taranaki's ignorance of sonic of the finer points of the League code. New South Wales were awarded a free kick right on the half-way line, and Cummins essayed a good but unsuccessful attempt at goal. Scrums were frequent, but the restrictions placed on them robbed them of much of their interest. Led by Judd, Julian and Kyle, the home forwards were frequently the aggressors, and it was not long before the blues had to geek respite in a force. Up to this time Taranaki were having slightly the better of the game. The scenes were shifting swiftly, but the constant temporary cessation of hostilities while a player rose from the ground and played the ball made the crowd impatient. A. prolonged forward rush on the part of Xew South Wales ended in Thompson putting in a good ran and scoring under the posts. Cummins added the major points.