PRELIMINARY RUNS

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 71, 26 April 1930, Page 12

PRELIMINARY RUNS

PRACTICE RUGBY. IN HAWKE'S BAY. GENERAL NOTES ON GAME. ' (Notes by "Serana.")

Rugby clnbs engaged in practice games over Easter as a prelude to the comniencement of championship fixtures to-day. In Napier Pirates (Napier) played Berhampore (Wellington) in a friendly game, which, after 'two spells of not too serious football, resulted in a draw, eigbt all. • Berhampore had the better of it territorially, but a draw ivas a fitting conclusion -for sucli a fixture. Heffernan and Steere, the H.S.O.B. and Hawke's Bay forwards, played for Pirates, and the former was the best worker on the ground. He seemed very fit for so early in the year. Steere went in fits and starts, and it was noticeable that he wore a protective leather sleeve round „the ankle injured on the Australian tonr last jear. If there is any suggestion that the injury has not properly healed, the Bay man's chances of selection in this year's New Zealand ,team to meet ,the Britishers mav be prejudiced. Only'absolutely sound men will be wanted in the tests. Pirates have evidently acquired a more than ordinarilv usoful forward in Orowther, from Taupo. Last week he played p.trticularly well in the open. Tooman, the new Wellington fiveeighths, showed that he can be dangerous on attack if given room to operate, but his defensive work last week was not good. THE OTHER PLAYERS. Berhampore, who usually finish about _ mid-way in the Wellington championship, produced a very smart half in Hooper, who made some spectacular runs. • Huxtable, the former Hawke's Bay representative, played for the visitors and was about the best of the tbreequarters on the paddopk. At the satne time, if be showed his true form last week, he is not as good as when he wore the Bay jersey in 1927. - OVIark Nicholls, who was billed trf play on the visiting side, contented himself with following play from the side-line. He had only the day before hapi the stitches taken out of an eye mjupv sustained in a practice match m Wellington. The hero of the last test in Africa professes _ himself keen to play in the tests against the Britishers this year. . The outstanding feature of the practice matches in Hastings was the appearanee of Blake for Oeltic. If this player can recover the form he showed ' in 1924-25-26 he is certain of selection ior Hawke's Bay again, particularly as South, last year's Bay centre, says that he is going to content himself with club fbothall this year. .The fact that Yates and McDonald did not play for Pirates is no indication that they are out of the game. Both stood down last week to give younger players a trial, but they will be wearing the black jerseys 'from today. _ Anstis, former Hawke's Bay . half, is also permanently hacb in the team. THE BR1TISH VISIT. _The British team that is to play in New Zealand and Australia this year is now on the water and will arrive in Wellington on May 14. The first match will b® against Wanganui on

May 21, and Hawke's Bay will he met on July 12. F. D. Prentice, a Leicester forward, has heen appointed captain in place of W. W. Wakefield, who had to retire. from the side through an injury. Everyone will regret that this famous player will not be seen on the tour, is he is still an able forward and a. man whose views on the politics of the game are aUvays worth hearing. The selection of Prentice in his place is a surprise, as that 'worthy is not by any meqns a regular member of the English side. In addition to - Wakfield, Jones and Howard have declined the trip, but, if anything, the inclusion of Bowcott, Crowe, and Leicester in their places will probably strengthep the team. ' . The visit of the British team promises to create wonderful enthnsiasm. Incidentally the welcome - cable sent the team by the New Zealand Union, commencing "Welcome,. you Britishers," could have heen more happily worded. "Britishers" is an American mutilation of "Briton," and to put such a word in a message of greeting was as great a breach of the dictates of good taste as it would have been to have started off, "Welcome, yod Homies." GENERAL NOTES / Napier H.S.O.B. claim to have secured a useful forward in McDuff, a burly unit who has been helping to Jieep the Bugby flag flying in Melbourne for a season or two. He is now resident in Napier. Nepia; the famous full-back, is playing agam on tbe East Coast this year. The genial George is selector, trainer. eoach and full-back in the districi representative team there, and a member of the East Coast TJnion's management committee as well. When -Henley, tbe New Zealand Bhodes Scholar, played for Hawke's Bay against Wairarapa in Masterton last year, Mr W. O'Neill, manager pf the Bay team, wagered a new hat that Henlev ' wonld get his "blue" at Oxford "University in his first year. Henley obliged by gaining the honour, but it was an expensive business for him, as, under the terms of the wager, ha had to buy the hatl Some of our present-day footballers are . useful in otber forms of sports. Evans, the Bay full-back, represented tEe province at!' cricket against the English team this year, and Heffernan, the hig forward, distinguished himself in more than one water-polo tournament. Lambie, the half back,' is one of the best swimmers hereabouts and Steere, when not putting his weight into the scrum, uses it in propelling ihe shot at athletic meetings or Mt* ting up hurrieane centres in junior grade cricket. At the annual meeting of the Hawke's Bay TTnion a compliment was paid the members of "the management committee for their able control of the game by tbeir re-election en bloo without a vote. At the New Zealand Union meeting Mr S. S. Dean and his confreres were also all re-elected, but in that case there is more in it than meets the eye. Members of tbe management^ committee of tbe New Zealand Union must live in or near Wellington, so that the choice of candldates is ratber limited. ■