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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 4, No. 9. July 30, 1941
Sport
Sport
A Well-Built House.
The Football Club has had a difficult year. But it has been beyond all doubt a successful one.
In reviewing the past four or five seasons we are compelled to admit that the selection of the First Fifteen has not always been a happy choice. Promising youngsters—Rose, MacGowan, H. MacVeagh and Fitzpatrick are names that spring to mind—were compelled to look elsewhere for promotion. Those who stayed on had their enthusiasm blunted by being pointedly overlooked when a "reputation" man from another centre made claim to a vacant position.
All this has now been changed. The Senior Fifteen has come "up through the grades" and shown that it can deliver the goods. Webb, Rowell, Cuming, Innes and MacLennan have proved their ability against the very best opposition. Men have made the Seniors this year solely on their merits, and the promotions of Murphy, Swinburne and Kilpatrick have been more than justified by results.
This policy has paid us a handsome dividend; not so much in champion points—they will arrive later on as a matter of course—but in a remarkably enthusiastic team spirit right throughout the grades. This is the most valuable asset the Club can ever possess.
Rugby
First XV.
The Seniors were somewhat unlucky in losing to Wellington. The forwards, as usual, completely dominated their opponents, and Burke once again gave ample proof that he is second only to E. H. Catley as New Zealand's premier hooker. The backs, thanks largely to Stuckey's unshakable determination to barge right through Ag. Hunter, were ineffective, and the game was thrown away as a result. Brute strength and ignorance have no place in a Senior backline, Gordon. Play to your wingers more.
A good win by 6 points to nil against Johnsonville on Saturday put Meads and Co. in fine fettle. Sam himself played splendidly, and secured another of his famous "scrum tries"—a valuable move learned by Parsons's team on the Japanese tour. Pat Murphy went an outstanding game, and was well supported by Rowell. Swinburne and Shaw combined well, and Stuckey proved a good full-back with his tigerish tacking and steady kicking.
Junior "A."
A much-improved side, the Junior "A's" gave the competition leaders, Upper Hutt, a big fight, and were somewhat unlucky to go down 8—10. It was a great game, fast, exciting, and hard. The forwards were right on the job, with Stacey, K. Smith and Grayburn well to the fore. The backs tackled determinedly, Kempthorne, in particular, giving his man a torrid time. A. Mason played an outstanding game behind the scrum, and kicked two excellent goals.
Next week the team broke Hutt Army's run of seven consecutive wins by a 3—0 victory in a mud scramble. Stacey, Millar and Archibald revelled in the heavy going, while MacCool and Fowler nursed their, forwards, with judicious kicking. Nice work, men!
Third "A."
With five of their players out with injuries, the Colts were unlucky to lose to Seatoun by a penalty goal to nil. This virtually cost them their Competition, but they put up a great fight under the circumstances. A win by default from Wellington on Saturday brought them two more championship points.
Third "B."
Vance Henderson's men, like the Germans in Crete, found the Porirua Maori Battalion a wee bit too tough for them, and the least said about the game the better. The Porirua team is undoubtedly too strong for this grade, Mr. Moore!
In spite of this setback they gave Oriental a great tussle on Saturday, and were rather unfortunate to go down 3—0. A scoreless draw would have been a better indication of the game.
Congratulations: To skipper Sam Meads and Ray Shannon on gaining places in the Wellington Representative Second XV. If the 'Varsity-Army game was any criterion, Meads could quite easily have locked for the Rep. "A" team without weakening the scrum at all.
Harriers
Club Championships.
The course was still a bit soft when Mr. G. F. Dixon sent some fifteen runners on the start of the 61/3- mile championship at Silverstream. The leaders were bunched for half of the first lap, with Gif. Rowberry making the pace, but along the [unclear: river] the field began to string out, and by the end of the lap it was clear that Frank O'Flynn and Myles O'Connor would fight out first place. They ran together tor the whole of the second lap, and it was not until the last two hundred yards that Myles O'Connor took the lead to win by 5 seconds in 39.28. Ted Dorman ran an excellent race to finish third in 40.9, while Dick Daniell (40.45), rather off form, just managed to stave off a strong challenge from Peter de la Mare (40.46). Gif. Rowberry finished sixth in 40.12.
The Club will have to put its best foot forward to win the Dixon Trophy in the inter-'varsity race next August. Myles O'Connor is ineligible, but Ralph Fenton, who, unfortunately, took a wrong turning in the Club Champinsohips, should be a strong competitor for the additional place. Gif. Rowberry will improve his place over the provincial course, and the rest of the team seems fairly clear.
Men's Hockey
Big "Doings" Rumoured.
The Victoria College Men's Hockey Club, the biggest individual hockey club in Australasia in its heyday, is campaigning.
Campaigning? Yes, for more members and still more, is the Club weak that it needs all these members? No, it is stronger than last year, despite the war. Under the capable leadership of Dave Beresford (who has a very long record as a Club stalwart) and a vigorous set of officers and committee, the Club is gaining strength apace.
Last week we entered a new team (our fifth) in the Competition. This week we enter our sixth! Many are new players to the game, go straight on to the field—to enjoy as rapidly improving amateurs a game that requires more training, more technical skill, than any other field sport.
Why these new teams? Why these new players?
Because of the amazing keenness, the exhilarating Club spirit and cooperation.
Because we have an effective, efficient coach-training scheme. New players learn the game easily and enjoyable under the scientific methods of Norman R. Jacobsen, sometime N.Z. Hockey Captain, assisted by Harry Scott and George Shaw.
Contact with the Hockey Association has facilitated the interchange of Training College and 'Varsity playem—so everyone has a [unclear: game], every Saturday.
The new teams [unclear: aren't] left to battle along by themselves on Saturday either. Far from it.
Ralph Kean (ex-Senior "A" half), back into hockey again after a serious motor accident several seasons ago, has taken the Third II team under his wing as Captain and Coach.
C. T. Bollard, sometime New Zealand and Victoria Hockey Blue, ex-All Black, and one-time Club Captain at Victoria, has grown a little tired of the whistle (and a mighty good man with it too). He is bringing back some old Club spirit, and voluntarily captaining and coaching the Third I team.
Arch Ives (Senior "A" and "B") will go down to coach and captain the Third III, and Frank Caughley (veteran of many Senior "A" battles) is looking after the Juniors.
So link up with this Club. Don't stay out in the cold, but take advantage of the opportunity of learning to play and enjoy this finest of all winter sports.
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Women's Hockey
In their last three games our girls have had a 5—1 win over Y.W.C.A. at Newtown in very bad conditions, a 2—0 defeat by T.O.G., one of the hardest teams in the grade, and a 6—2 defeat by Hutt Valley at Newtown. This game was very disappointing. On a firm ground against opponents in no way superior, Varsity failed to use its opportunity in the first spell, and in the second spell after leading 2—1 could not rouse sufficient vigour to keep out Hutt Valley's desperate last-minute attack. Their forwards broke through repeatedly, scoring five easy goals in the last ten minutes. Irene appeared to be suffering from a hangover, and later confessed that she had only focussed on the ball three times during the game; several times she saw two balls simultaneously but invariably played the wrong one. Keep it till Saturday night, Irene. The backs, were outplayed every time during this critical few minutes, and the forwards wasted what chances they had. Result: a bad defeat where a win or at least a draw should have been gained.
The team however is improving its combination and attack, and with hard work and luck may yet finish halfway up its grade.
The junior team has played two games so far and, though inexperienced, shows considerable keenness and the ability learn. Don't be discouraged by initial defeats, Juniors.
Arete
In spite of bad weather, a successful winter ascent of Mt. Arete, Northern Tararuas, was last made last week-end. As the river was high it was Saturday night before the party reached Te Matawai. Arete was climbed early on Sunday morning. The snow conditions were not difficult.
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As this is the last "Salient" until September 17th, we extend to all College Sports Clubs our best wishes for a successful and victorious season.
Printed by the Press, Wellington, for the Publisher, Victoria University College Students' Association, Salamanca Road.