RUGBY

Evening Star, Issue 19662, 15 September 1927, Page 10

RUGBY

FAST, EXCITING GAME OTAGO BEATS MAHAWHEHBA BY ONE POiMT [Frou Ouh Owk Reporter.] IjEVIX, September M. Age inst Manawhenua nt Levin to clay "the Otago touring team secured a 'hard-fought and deserved win by 12 points to 11, the losers being the team which Canterbury recently beat lor the Kanlurly Shield. The ground was dry and the weather beautilully fine. Ifrom beginning to end the play was fast and exciting, with the issue aiways in doubt. The homo side had possession ol the ball, their lorwards invariably hooking from the set serums, but the* Otago lorwards, playing together magnificently, excelled in the loose, and their dribling was good to watch.

The homo backs threw the ball about freely, but their handling was not nearly so accurate or so well timed as that of the Otago backs. Till hallway through the second spell Otago led by !1 to 8, but when the home side put over a goal from a Ireo kick in the last three minutes the Otago hacks got a. chance and an eleventh hour try saved a loss. All the Otago backs handled well when they got a chance, and wore good in defence. Holden and Heazlcwood were the outstanding players of the rearguard, while among a hard-working pack Sonntag, Souter, Mnrslin, and Finlayson were the pick. The last named lias developed into a splendid wing forward. The veteran Jacob was a dangerous man on the Manawhenua side, and Brephy and Parata and Williamson were sound backs. About 2,000 people watched the game. FIRST SPELL. After the kick off by the homo side play was even till the Otago lorwards asserted themselves, hut the heavy wing M'Donald, kicked and found Otago out of position. Holden made a good save and kicked to clear, and when Otago had worked mo position Holden went away from a scrum and dodged half a dozen opponents cleverly before passing out, and a good chance was missed when the pass was dropped. The Manawhenua forwards broke away occasionaly, but a tackle from behind stopped Roberts when lie looked like scoring, and play shifted to the other end. Stewart missed a pass from Lindsay, but later made two valiant attempts to get over. Both times ho was caught right at the corner, and Sonntag, Stevens, and Dougherty indulged in passing, and the last named was tackled at the corner flag. Callender opened the score for Otago by putting over a free kick after twenty minutes’ play. Otago J, Manawlieium 0.

A minute later when Hie homo forwards pressed, Jacobs missed a free kick in an easy position. Otago again attacked strongly, and Lindsay wont half the field before passing to Stowarc, who was tackled from behind by Roberts. The Manawhenua forwards attacked and after some passing the veteran Jacobs was nearly over at the corner. Following a throw in Holden forced again. Maiiawiieuua launched a strong attack, but several passing bouts were brought up by good tackling. Parata, however, forced himself over after a scramble near the line, and Brophy converted, to give the home side the lead. Mn nawlieua 5, Otago J.

Souter was nfc tho head of a lorward rush which made a deep thrust, | but a free kick drove ihe Dark Blues ! out. Lindsay went just wide with a, free kick from about half way. The Manawhenua forwards, though not as good in the loose, were hooking the ball in the scrums, and from on\> of theso Parnta .sent his backs away ;\nd good tackling brought up the effort. Miles, Hcatley, and Crawford broko through the Otago defence, hut after some precarious minutes Heazlewood cleared in the nick of time. Lindsay made another at-1 tempt from halfway to goal, but again I went a little wide. More was slow in getting tiie ball out to Stewart, and the latter was caught at the corner by three opponents. Good passing by the home team’s backs had Otago in trouble Several times, but good tackling and smooth running by the visitors’ backs kept them out, and just before the spell ended the Otago forwards came away, and the hacks swung into action. Stewart was crowded and ran in-held, then sending the ball out again to Mitchell, who showed a. good torn of soeed, and went over at the corner. Lindsay’s kick went wide. Half-time: Otago G, Manawhenua. 5. SECOND SPELL. Jacobs broko through at the open-! ing of the second spell, and kicked I when Heazlewood threatened him. | Marslin and Collett broke away from 1 the line to repel a Manawhenua for- ! ward rush, but , a free kick slopped them. Brophy went wide with the kick. This player also showed up in a great run to the line, but threw out too late, and the chance was lost. Otago pressed strongly, and at the end of a rush Einlayson wont over tho line, but the referee ruled a syds scrum, ami again Otago attacked, AA ebb being sent away. After Einlayson had made a good run tho winger passed in to Holden, who ran over for a try. CallondeHs kick missed. Otago 9, Manawhenua o. Heazlewood saved brilliantly twice when the home side pressed. On the last occasion Stewart was in front when Heazlewood kicked, and the homo side gained a free kick. Manawhenua got within striking distance several times, but were driven hack by good defence. Sonntag, playing a good game, started passinig, hut it was mulled, lor the first time in the game Heazlewood failed to get tho hall away, and the opposing forwards rushing on him, Hcatley scored after a passing bout. Tho kick missed. Otago 9, Manawhenua 8. Stevens led the Otago forwards to the line, Manawhenua clearing. Again the Otago forwards broke away, and Einlayson started some _ passing, which was brought up just in time. The backs came into action, but AVehb was caught. Callander missed a free kick in an easy position. Stewart made a good run, and kicked, but Parata cleared well. McDonald broke away at halfway, and kicked over the line, Webb forcing. The home side had a turn at attack, and the crowd cheered when M'Donald put his side in the load by goaling a free kick. Manawhenua 11, Otago 9. Tho Blues rushed the other line, hut clover play by tho veteran Jacob reversed the order of things, and Brophy lost the ball on the line. Tho Otago forwards fought desperately, and Marslin led them to the line. From a scrum Holden fed his backs, ancl AA_ cob scored at tho corner. Lindsay’s kick failed. Otago 12, Manawhenua 11. A further assault by the Otago forwards went right to the Manawhenua line, where play was when tho final hell rang. Otago Manawhenua u

CANTERBURY'S 810 SCORE [Pa* UIfITBD PBESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, September 14. 'i uc South Canterbury Union had agitating strenuously since Canterbury \ton the Ranfurly Shield to have the match with Canterbury today declared a shield match. The union still pressed its claim after the New Zealand Union had ruled against it. The match was played to-day. and South Canterbury were completely overwhelmed, beng beaten by 47 points to 7 by the Canterbury team. The eronud was last On the last two occasions the teams have met South Cautebury has been victorious, but today after the first quarter of an hour the visitors never looked like winnng. In the forwards the superority of lie Canterbury side was not very marked, but the Canterbury backs “ baric* ” the oppostion, and had Robilliard and Lilburne been on the field the score might have been even larger. South Canterbury’s score included an excellent potted goal hy Fairbrother, kicked from near the sideline. The other score was a penalty goal kicked by Strang, so that Canterbury’s line was not crossed. Canterbury 47 South Canterbury 1 7 OTAGO V. CANTERBURY

The following team has been selected ■ to represent Canterbury against Otago at Lancaster Park on Saturday;—Full- ! back, Harris; three-quarters—Robil- : hard, Payne, Steel; five-eighths, Carleton and'Hay; half-back, Dailey; for- | wards—Scrimshaw (wing), Clark, BurI rows, Alley, Jackson, Jeffries, Pickerj ing, White. Reserves—Grey, Leahy, I Robinson, Mnllan, and Doreen. I . 1 COMBINED CANTERBURY TEAM The following team has been chosen to represent Canterbury, South Canterbury, and Ashburton combined gainst Otago, Southland, and North Liagc ; combined in the trial match at J)i nedin on September 28:—Full-back, J ; Harris (Canterbury); three-quarters—- ' A. C. Robilliard, S. R. Carlcton, and I J. Steel (all Canterbury) ; five-eighths I—II. Lilburne (Canterbury), A. Strang I (South Canterbury); half, W. C. Dal- ; ley (Canterbury) ; forwards—J. Scrimshaw (wing), J. T. Burrows, F. Clark. G. T. Alley, H. B. Godfrey, J. B. Jackson (all Canterbury), 1). Stewart and M. M‘Kenna (South Canterbury). Reserves: Back, J. R. Robilliard (Ashburton) ; forward, J. Mulhcrn (Ashburton). N. P. M'Gregor and R. T. Stewart were not available for the first trial match, and A. White is not available for the South African tom'. WHOLESALE AND RETAIL FRUITERERS The annual match between the whole- ! sale and retail fruiterers was played at Montccillo yesterday, a fast game resulting in the latter winning by 14 to !l. The margin would have been ■nnch greater, but for tho fine defence of Allen. Mr R. M'Kenzie, who controlled the game, gave a liberal interpretation of the rules. M'GREGOR INJURED [Special to the ' Stae.’J CHRISTCHURCH, September IS. N. P. M'Gregor, who has captained the Canterbury team in all its representative matches this season, and lias been in all the All Rlack teams since making the tour of England in 1924, will he off tho field for at least a fortnight through a. broken nose, suffered in tho match against South Canterbury nt Lancaster Park yesterday. The absence of M'Gregor from the Canterbury team will seriously affect the combination in tho game against Otago at Christchurch next Saturday. The accident happened towards the end of the .second spell, when, after M‘Grcgor had been thrown down in a. nick, lie had to leave flic field and bo treated in the nut patients’ department of the hospital. )

SOUTH AFRICAN TOUR 1 i THE FIRST TRIAL MATCH \ i [Pan United Press Association.] 1 i NAIM KB, September Hi. ; The fir-sfc of the All Black trials was ; t played at M‘Leau Bark tins afternoon, ; f when the combined Wairarapa-Bush \ Districts’ team mot tho East Coast com- j i bination (Hawke’s Bay, Poverty Bay,; 1 ami East Coast), tho latter winning by , c ■j;j points to 8. 'The weather was ; idorious, but tho alleiulaucc was very s poor. There were present Messrs A. t liny and E. and N. Mackciizio, tho t North Island selectors. There was only ; ono alteration in the learns, Alurland < (Poverty Bay) replacing Grenside 1; (Hawke’s Bay). M Right from tlic kick-oil tho Coast i team took tho offensive, and pinned the , opposition in its twenty-nve, waeio penalties gave Wairarapa relief. _ A running drop-kick by Tates just missed its mark, and immediately after Coast were seen in three back movements, i which broke down through faulty hand- : lin> T Bramweli, Corkill, and Mnrland 1 figured prominently. Despite all efforts ' Wairarapa failed to keep Coast out, Braimvcll lotting the ball out for Corkill lo make a opening, AC > Brownlie capping tho effort under the posts. Caulton missed an easy kick. Two minutes later C. Brownlie followed a high kick through Horn ai nick and paved tho way for Bennett and Caulton, the last named crossing well out. Yates failed fco convert. Plav for the most part lacked sting and life. The Coast forwards, with Swain, M. and C. Brownlie, and Reeves in the van, quite overshadowed the opposing pack. Braimvcll again distinguished himself when he heat tie defence badly in a tricky run and allowed Swain to score. Caulton again failed with the kick. Coast 9, AVairarapa 0. , , , Wairarapa opened its account when Hart secured from a. scramble and crossed the line. Cundy’s effort at goal failed. ~ Coast wasted no time in retaliating, first Al. Brownlie and then Caulton crosshm. but both kicks went astray. Coast 16, Wairarapa 3. . Just before half-time Uairaiapa backs sprang into action, Gundy, TJuy, Stringfellow, and Tait participating, but Langlands brought off a great save. Coast forwards were superior m all denartments, while tho backs quite outpaced the opposition rearguard. 1 In the second spell Murland was replaced by Huxtabfe (Hawke’s Bay) at wing three-quarter for Coast. Coast, again assumed the upper hand, three , successive determined efforts being I stopped just short of the line. Bennett i had hard luck in not getting across, 1 and ho was well supported by Lang- 1 lands and Corkill. Roche and Fairbrother were staunch defenders, while J. Donald and Harvey were playing much-improved games, Conrad and AI Brownlie were associated in a passing bout, which ended in the latter notching his third try, Yates missed the goal kick. Coast 18, Wairarapa 3. Towards the third quarter Coast began to slacken in pace somewhat, and the Wairarapa players exerted themselves and secured more of the ball. They made several fruitless attempts to improve their score, the tackling of,: the

Coast being exceptionally good. Tho goal kicking on both sides was deplorable up to this stage, eight penalties having met with no success, besides seven tries having been unconverted. Coast increased its lead through M. Brownlie’s initiative, Corkill finishing off with a fine sprint which ended under the posts. M. Brownlie succeeded in converting. , , , . Throe minutes later Cuiidy put in a fine run following, an interception which took play near Const s line. Jn ensuing play Tait dived over, and Candy converted from an awkward position. Coast 23, Wairarapa S. . The pace slackened up in the dying stages, the heat telling on the players, ami time was called with the score unaltered. . , . , On the whole the play was not a very good exposition of the code. Final: — Coast Wairarapa ®