THE OVAL BALL

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 72, 27 April 1929, Page 12

THE OVAL BALL

HASTINGS RUGBY, SEASON. LAST SATURDAY'S GAMES

(Xotes by "Olcl Timer.")

For the first games of a Rugby season no one expeets to see footbal of Ran- | iurlv Shiold staiulard, for, despite j jn ac-tice and training, piave rs are not ready rvhen tho season opens. Jt takes tliem a ganie or two to fscttlo dmvn, and then, when tliey're set tled down. a few more gaiiies are nccessary belore tliev approach auvibing Jike tlieir be-l torin. HARDLY FAIR . Therefore it is hardly fair tliat players should be r-riticised on their very i enrly fonn. At the siiiic tinie good advioe given carly in the season, provided it is aeccpted, oitei^ bears fruit and tcnds to eorrect faults whieli, l'f allowcd to continue, are liardcx* than over to eliniinate. * * * HAND1CAPPED. Xot only wero Saturday's games tlie fir>t of tlie season, but all the teams were hadly handieapped by the AVaipukuvau camp, and tlie majorily of tlie .senior teams were unable to field their best lifteen. ^ * -r FAST, AND HARD. Taking all thcse cireuinstances into consideration, it,was really siirprisiiig, as well as very plcasing, to tind Hastings and tlie new senior tcam, Hastings H.S.0.13., giving sueh a spirited display, not only of hard Rugby, but also of good Rugby, and after watcliing the ganie one was justified in reaching tho conclusion tliat some gieat material is available for tliis season's representative feam. * * * NOT DISGRACED . . Tliough well beaten, Old Eoys were not by any meaiis disgraeed, and the writer has no hesitation in stating that before the season cnds tliis tcam is going to upset somebodv's apple cart. * * * SNAPPY FOOTBALL. Led by "Snow" iMiller, tliey played snapji.v i'ootball of tlie right kind, and bad Hastings not been in possessiou qf Bert Grenside and Jiuimy Mill thcre would have been a different story to write. As it was, Old Roys, tcrritoriallv, had as niuc-li of tlie gamo as Hastings in the first spell, ngainst tho wind, and with tho wind tliey outshone the Yellows. It was only flint tliev did not have the brilliant individualists tliat stop]ied tliein froni scoring more. Their team work, tliougli, was great, and it is tliis which will help tliem when tliey settle down in oarnest. * * * GOOD DIV1SIONS, "With Rotherway at tho liead of the rearguard and Miller lcading the forwards, tliey* have two good divisions, and it is worth lecording that tliis pair plaved really good football on Satur--lay. * * * FOUR OUTSTAND In tlie Hastings tcam tliero were four players outstanding. "Tubby" Onmpbell played a gamc as good as liis best rejiresentative effort, and not for a momciit did lie Jct up. He was in great nick. * * * AT HIS BEST. Ikwt Oronside was soeu at his best, but eondition beat Iiim, and he was rather too well marked to do anything sensational. At the same tinie, he was all over tho plaec with piaetieal ideas, and thcre is no doubt tliat he

and Jimmy Mill are likely to be a wonderful eombination. MADE* GOOD OPEN1NGS. Mill was not fit enough for a strenuous ganie and his handling was not as sure as of yore, but be made innuiiierable openings for Bramwell, wlio proved tliat, with tlie vigbt jilayers to iiack liiin, is good elass. With the exceptioii, peihaps, of "Diiftv" l'eavson, tlie rest of the Yeli lows wero not inipressive, but, as stated, it is not reasonable to eritieise, at least destnietively, untjl tliey have settled dowu a bit. POOR TO WATCH. The ganie between M.A.C. and Celtie was a jioor oue to watch, although it provided an exciting ending. Oue expeetcd M.A.C. to do much better than tliey did, for their team was not affected by the camp, whereas Ccltie liad to eall on five juniors and a tliird grader and nianv of the plajrers were in unaccustomcd positions. JUDGMENT DEFERRED. If M.A.C. ennnot do hetter than tliev did ngainst Celtie tliey are not likel.v to prove the surprise packet tliey often did last season, but judgment of Celtie nnist be witlilield unti! tliey get their full team out. NEXT SATURDAY * Next Saturdav's games in Hastings are: Hastings H.S.O.B. v. (keltie and TT.fi. O.R. v. M.A.C. At Napier Pirates will meet Hastings and M.B.O.B. will meet T.C.O.B. PERT1NENT * PARs". The ground in Hastings on Saturday was great — just like a soft carpet. * * * Les. Fisher had the first kiek of the eompetitious in Hastings. He tired hadly, thougli, before tlie game was far advanced. V "i" •{• Berb Glenside made the first conversion of tlie season and "Snow" Miller kieked the first penalty. ^ Where wero tho numhers on tho players' jcrseys last week ? Tho suhuii ion should give attention to tliis. M.A.C. was the only team who turned out numbcred. Tlie fir.sfc casualtv of tlie season was Joll. of Hastings H.fi.O.B. — a knock in the faee — but it wasn't serious. Rcrt Grenside skippered Hastings 011 Saturday. "Snow" Miller led Hastings H.S.O.B.. Les. Fddy sliowed Celtie tlie way and Crawford was in cliarge of M.A.C. * V rfi Crawford looked like developing into a great wing fonvard last season, but tliis season he won't go far uiiless he watches the off-side play more closely. Lala's familiar faee was missing from M.A.C. 011 Saturday. * * * In fnrai, Mill and Grenside should be a great eombination. * * * fihepherd, an addition to the Hastings Club, sliows proinise as a centre. ij? jjt Attwood made a 'brilliant run for Old Bovs. and should be well worth watch ing.