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Rugby ...

The "Sick Man" Revives

Saturday's win has enabled Varsity to keep within striking distance of the Jubilee Cup. During the term holidays, Poneke defeated Varsity, using tactics which broke up the open play of the students and so causing their first defeat of the season.

Next time out against Petone, the genius of Bob Scott was the rock against which our hopes were dashed. Last Saturday, playing Wellington, one of the weaker teams of the competition, a depleted University side, contrary to the gloomy predictions of a local paper, gave an entertaining display and gained a well-merited win. The points difference could have been much greater, but two or three rulings by the referee whittled down Varsity's possible margin.

Forwards played a solid game and the big guns of the scrum. Nepis, Burden and Baran, formed the nucleus of a solid nicking unit. In the opinion of the writer, the Varsity scrum could unbend Just a little in their high standard of clean play. Without condoning dirty play, it was obvious in one of the games which University lost, that a little more lire and righteous anger in the forwards might have convinced certain "knuckle boys" in the opposing scrum that their tactics are not profitable nor in the best interests of the game—especially if they find themselves dealt with in like manner.

It was encouraging to see the promoted younger players performing so well, especially as the representative fixtures weakened the team considerably.

Any discussion of talent would be incomplete without the name of W. II. Clark. Sufficient to say that the superlatives lavished on him by many sports writers have been honestly deserved and most patrons at the Park are convinced that there are two Varsity players "wearing No. 9 and white headgear.

We are pleased to see I. H. Ka-wharu displaying some of the form ho revealed in last year's Maori team. Previously he has been relatively docile and inclined to [unclear: drit] across the paddock. With so many [unclear: ci] the regular back-line playing in [unclear: eincdin,] it fell to him to organise the backs and initiate movements. He did his job admirably and if his play remains at that standard, the Varsity back-line will again be as lethal as it was last season.

Many people are regarding Varsity "as the sick man" of Wellington Rug-by and delighting in the practice of metaphorically kicking a man when he is down. At the beginning of the [unclear: scason] we said that Varsity was the beat team in the competition. We still hold to that opinion. We have definitely got the talent and our two recent losses will be the spur to send Victoria again to the premier position.

—Sports Ed.