RANFURLY SHIELD

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 281, 22 August 1921, Page 6

RANFURLY SHIELD

RETAINED BY SOUTHLAND CHALLENGERS DEFEATED BY 10 TO 8 By Telegraph—Press Association. Invercargill, August 20 After a keen and exciting struggle. Southland retained the Itaufurly Shield in the face of Otago’s challenge by 10 points to 8. The match was played bet'oro an. attendance of about 7000. The teams were: — Otago—Backs: Watson, Stewart, 8011, Ward, Owles, Harley, M’Naughton; forwards, Bain (captain), Boreham, Coonibes, Sontag, Harty,. Knox, Turnbull, Wilson (wing). Southland.—Backs: Brown, Diack, Gilmour (captain), Lopdell, O’Kane, Hazlett, Bell; forwards, Rico, Agnew, Cockroft, Brett, Strang, White, Morrow, Baird (wing). The ground was holding, but the ball remained dry. The sun broke through in tho second half, but did not trouble either side. Otago kicked off against a light wind. Tho Otago forwards showed up in tight work at once, and play stayed about midfield for some time, but it was evident that Southland wero’relying on an attacking gaqie, their backs handling well. O’Kane made several openings, ono of which Owles pulled up by obstructing. Diack’s shot at goal was a little wide. Otago forced. After fifteen minutes’ play, O’Kane secured from the ruck in Otago’s twentyfire, and, beating two men, passed to Diack, who beat the opposing backs easily, scored, and converted. Southland, 5; Otago, nil. Southland were being penalised for offside play on line-outs, from which Otago were getting most of the ball as well as taking most of the scrums. Southland kept up the pressure, Watson saving several times in the face of forward rushes from the Southland twenty-five. Southland got the ball from the line-out, and the backs set off. The ball went to Lopdell and to Gilmour, who was tackled, but Baird secured in tho loose, and potted. The ball hit the bar, and Gilmour, securing, dived across near tho posts. Agnew cou- , verted. Southland, 10; Otago, nil. Otago attacked with tight forward rushes and kicking by tho backs. Baird was caught offside in his own twenty-five, and Bell kicked a fine goal from a penalty. Southland, 10; Otago, 3. The game was very fast, play travelling rapidly up and down, but the Southland backs had tho better of it, though Ward narrowly missed a score, being tackled close in by O’Kane. Play was in the centre when tho first spell ended.

In the second half, Brown went to the wing for Southland, and Lopdell to fullback. There was a lot of tight forward play, in which Otago had all the advantage, and kept pressure on tho holders’ line for a long time, but could not get through. Loose forward rushes cleared temporarily, but the Otago forwards, aided by Owlos, worked back, and renewed the siege on the line till Brown beat Ward, and cleared with a long kick. Immediately Southland swept down, but an over-hard kick by Gilmour allowed Watson to force. Otago broke away down the centre. Owles was pulled down at tho posts, and from a scrum Southland cleared. Otago attacked again, and the ball camo from the side of the scrum, passing through the backs to Stewart, who passed in to Bell, and secured again, to score a fino try. Bell converted. Southland, 10; Otago, 8. Southland adopted loose play again, and did much better. Bell had a kick from a penalty in tho Southland twenty-five, but White stopped the ball, and a loose rush carried play io the Otago line, where Watson saved. Brown had a shot from a penalty for an infringement in the scrum, the ball missing the post bv inches. Otago was put on the attack by Owles, and Southland were again penned on the line, but a-cross-kick by M’Naughton saw Brown beat Ward for pace, and clear. Otago camo again, and a long kick saw Southland forced. From the kick the Southland forwards’ open rushes broke up the challengers’ defence, and one movement from the centre took play right down the field, bowling over back after back. Diack secured and dashed over, but was brought back, O’Kane having knocked on. Southland kept hammering away, and were attacking when time sounded. The Otago forwards wero superior in close work and line-outs, but Southland were better in the loose, and their backs showed tho better combination, both in attack and in defence. Mr. J. P. Peake was referee.