1937-12-23 — Page 19

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THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 23, 1937.

ENGLAND'S RUGBY TEAM IS

TAKING SHAPE

F.J. REYNOLDS MAY SOLVE PROBLEM AT STAND-OFF

PLAYERS SHOULD REVISE THE

SCRUMMAGE LAWS

(By HOWARD MARSHALL)

London, November 17.

THE days of representative football loom nearer. On Saturday fortnight the first England trial match takes place at Newcastle. The Univer- sity match sets Twickenham alight in less than three weeks, and the County Championship is unravelling itself gradually. This afternoon, in- cidentally, Hampshire and Middlesex meet at Bournemouth, a game which will be of considerable interest to Surrey supporters.

WE SHOULD BE TURNING OUR MINDS TOWARDS STERN REALITIES, IN FACT, A PROSPECT WHICH IS NOT PARTICULARLY PLEASING. SOMEHOW THE SEASON DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE MATURED AS QUICKLY AS USUAL, POSSIBLY BECAUSE THE RE VISED LAWS HAVE CAUSED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CHAOS.

been

Correspondents have kind enough to deluge me with their ideas about the England team, and I find that opinions. vary greatly. Certain forwards appear in most lists--R. J. Long- land, for example, and some of the Coventry stalwarts, with A. Seaton a particular favourite, and G. T. Dancer, of Bedford, and E. A Hamilton-Hill, of thei Harlequins but when we come to the backs there is considerable confusion

MIDFIELD CANDIDATES The difficulty is to pick the mid- field players. There are a number of scrum-halves about, chief among them J. L. Giles, B. C. Gad- ney and J. D. Low, but where are the stand-off halves of internation- al calibre?

halves to mock at the hopes of legislators.

Page

Cricket

(Continued from Page 18)

with the bowling of young Gosano, who took 4 wickets. A left-hander with a pleasing action in which he makes full use of his body, he has the happy knack of being able make a ball nip off the deadest wicket

TRYS TO BOWL FAST

At the moment he has a decided propensity for bowling on the leg, chiefly, I think, through trying to bowl too fast. He will learn by ex- perience, that to bowl fast is not the beginning and ending of every- thing

EL Gosano bowled with all his old skill and turned the ball very sharply from the off. The ball which beat Ernie Zimmern was a beauty Slightly short of a length, it turned back viciously to take the leg stump.

One very experienced referee A Rodrigues and Willie Beed writes to me on this point, saying started off as if they would secure "Of course, all this should be ruth the runs off their own bats. Both lessly penalised, but did penalties were confidence personified and al- stop the old near-foot hookers? though they did not score at any Moreover, I hold the view strange phenomonal pace, they never look- Here, for example, is a letter in a referee that there are fared like getting out.

too many penalisable offences al- which puts the case admirably.

“Don't you think that it is about ready, and the last thing the game time that the players were consuited about this scrummage law? Surely wants is more p nalties. the laws are made for the game and not vice versa? The laws are at present being framed by a committee agine of old men (in a purely comparative! sense) who have taken no acitre part in the game for years, either as players or referees.

"HEAR, HEART- To that observation I can im- "Hear, hear! arising in a chorus from players and (Continued on Page 22)

(Continued from nexi Col).

SMART WICKET-KEEPING Ismail found a spot, however, with the score about 70-and, with the aid of some smart work by Ernie Zimmern, behind the stumps, dismissed both opening batsmen and skittled out the rest of the side in quick time to eventually return and anlysis of 6 for 35 in 12 overs. Both teams fielded very well in- deed and the skippers, Eddie

K.C.C. SEAFORTH'S

“Admitting that legislation is the job of the elder statesmen, I cannot help thinking that the actual players, if called upon to make the law in- made some prodigious hits includ-Gosano and Ernie Zimmern made. stead of regarding it as something ing one well into the Tung Wah full use of their opportunities. like a police regulations which every Towards the end of last season. right-minded citizen will break if he Hospital.

I am told that even this hit did

At Sookunpoo, a K.C.C. team can safely do so (1) "would find their F. J. Reynolds made a name for

own solutions without much difficul- not satisfy his lust for sixes, so it composed of members of both the himself as a clever and construc-

seems his idea was to hit one right Senior and Junior's elevens, made STATEMENT OF FACT

light of the Seaforth attack and de- tive runner, and in the Calcutta Cup match he did well He has

Now this is not the letter of an out of the Valley. been abroad since, and only re-inveterate reactionary, tums December 17, but if he proves imply disrespect for men who have though the majority of the team and Anderson retired after scor

and thought 's

reached double-figures, Sgt. Chap-ing 103 but the fireworks were pro- 28 was easily the highest vided by G. F. O'Bryen during an a brief 30. he may solve the stand-off half pro- to our great game. It is a plaim

score and their innings closed at innings which lasted statement of fact. Theorising

159. Freddie Zimmer on one of minutes. THE CENTRES

about so complex a subject as

his rare outings with the ball, took Hitting lustily at everything he 3 for 10.

\Continued at foot of preceding Col As for the centres, they are scummaging must always be dan- liable to

selec-gerous. cause the

Only the forward straining away tors the utmost perplexity. I hear that P. Cranmer is playing excel-down there can fully understand lently in the Midlands, and we the difficulties involved. Legisla- must not forget P. Candler, what- tion cannot be satisfactorily manu- ever his critics may say of him factured by spectators. It must Then there is W. H. Roden, of evolve directly from the actual ex- Cambridge, and B. E. Nicholson, of perience of players. The players, the Harlequins, will probably come then, should be consulted into the reckoning.

to be fit in time for the final trial devoted to much he does it Seaforth's batted pluckily but al-clared at 356 for 3. Baxter made 33

blem.

Discussing the England side at į random like this, the outlook does not seem particularly hopeful. I fancy, though, that pessimism is premature.

ན་

•

WOULD BE SIMPLE

The opinions of a representative committee of front row forwards and scrum-halves, with Mr. C. H. Gadney in the chair, let us say, would be most illuminating. I am England should at least have a convinced that the law they produced grand pack, and players behind the would be extremely simple.

wil emerge in due

scrimmage

Beyond question the present course. Our perspective will sharp-state of affairs is disastrous. I make en when we forget the amiable con- no apology for referring to it fusions of club football.”

PLEA FOR SHORTER SEASON

It was very welco

787.

to hear J. A Tallent

heath dinner pleading for

tailment of the Bugb

talked with feeling of

of starting in September, an

that wherever

he found

that players agreed with him.

again. Referees, scrum-halves and forwards are bewildered, and scrummaging in the meanwhile is going to bits. I am told, on the best uthority, that the intention of the rummage laws is simplification,

also an attempt to ensure that ball reaches the centre of an rderes serume,

NEAR FOOT HOOKING The theoretical intention may be

Apart from anything else, it was sound, but in practice - the object good to have the players point of of the revisions is more generally view. On this particular issue defeated

Tallent will

port,

that

1 I suggest it.

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