SOUTHERN’S FLAG

Evening Star, Issue 23681, 14 September 1940, Page 4 (Supplement)

SOUTHERN’S FLAG

Pirates Beaten in Play-Off DOURLY CONTESTED FINAL Trevathan Registers All Winner’s Points Defeating Pirates by 10 points to 8 in a dourly-contested game at Carisbrook before a crowd of more than 6,000 spectators. Southern won the 1940 Rugby premiership, but as a spectacle the play-off was below expectations, resolving itself into a battle for supremacy between Southern’s solid pack and the speedy Pirates back line. Actually, possession from the scrums and rucks was fairly evenly divided, blit often after obtaining the ball the Blacks let the Southern forwards through on to their backs, and this, and the fact that the Southern backs stood up fairly close on the opposition crippled many of Pirates’ back movements.

In the first spell Pirates gained possession from 9 scrums, Southern from 8, and four were indecisive. Possession from the rucks was even, each side winning the ball 15 times, while 13 were indecisive. 'Pirates were awarded three penalties and Southern onei In the second spell Southern won 11 scrums to 8, seven being indecisive, while the ruckwere even, each gaining possession 17 times, with 13 indecisive. Pirates were awarded four penalties and Southern one.

I Robert made a smart burst from % scrum with the forwards in support after Perriam had fallen short with a long shot at goal from a penalty, but fumbling among the Southern backs let Lanauze through, Bolton forcing when a long kick by Perriam went over tbo line. There was not much between the teams so far, and the forwards were waging a strenuous battle. The scene shitted quickly. With Southern on the attack, the Pirates backs came away in passing from their own side of halfway and Perriam put in a beautifullyjudged cross-kick which found a gap, Duff racing up fast to gather in his stride. The winger passed infield to Mahony, who finished off splendidly with a try which Perriam converted. Pirates 5, "Southern 3. The Blacks had Southern defending again almost immediately, and misfielding by Bolton (who received a knock early in the game) nearly had Southern in trouble on a couple of occasions. On the other hand, Patterson was fielding surely and kicking with good judgment, but Southern made a raid on Pirates terrtiory following a break by Nieper and Trevathan. From a ruck on the twenty-five the ball was sent back to Trevathan who potted a fine goal from a position in front. Southern 7, Pirates 5. It had been dour football so far. with an occasional flash of back play, but for tho last 10 mimitps of the spell the Southern forwards hemmed the Blacks inside their twenty-five. Robert endeavoured to open up passing, but three times Trevathan just missed with pots; Tyrie and Hill led a rush to the line, Lanauze clearing, but Southern came back strongly, and they were attacking when half-time sounded with the score: Southern 7, Pirates 5. SECOND SPELL The second spell was not long under way when R. Edwards broke through to the Pirates’ twenty-five in a fine piece of dribbling, and passing reached A. Edwards, who was stopped by Perriam a few yards short. Perriam lifted the pressure by clearing to touch, but Tyrie led another sortie, and further passing was launched by Robert, Trevathan finding a gap with a long kick which shifted play inside the twentylive. Trevathan made another hid for tho line, with Tyrie in support, and from a scrum Robert whipped the ball to Trevathan, who slipped through on the blind side to score wide. His kick failed. Southern 10, Pirates 5. The run of play had favoured Southern since the resumption, but "Williams broke through from a ruck, and a further Southern attack was repelled by Patterson, who was playing very soundly. Parkhill endeavoured to rally his forwards, but when the Southern pack poured through Patterson again extricated his side from difficulty. Clnlee retired hurt and was replaced by •Morgan. A. Edwards made a sharp thrust, but Ongley eased the pressure by breaking through to the twenty-five. Combined back movements had been lacking, and when Ongley launched passing the Blacks looked like getting clear, but M’Lennan dropped his pass. The Blacks staged a lively rallv ana Smith came through in a splendid piece of dribbling, Lanauze carrying on. Duff had a chance a moment later, but ho overran his pass. Pirates had Southern hemmed on the lino, and from a scrum Ongley cleverly worked tho short side to Campbell, who broke out of a tackle and crossed wide. Perriam failed. Southern 10, Pirates 8. Play was now ranging up and down field at a good clip, and Quaid and Nieper were in the front of a sortie inside Pirates’ twenty-five, and A. Edwards made a run, Pirates forcing. Wallace broke through, Perriam saving in the nick of time. When Trevathan cut through on the blind side Tyrie was in support, but Ongley initiated passing, and Perriam kicked through to halfway. Lanauze and Smith broke through in dribbling, and I the Pirates backs again moved into action, Duff being stopped before he could get clear. But again Trevatban’s sure lino-find-ing forced the Blacks on to the defensive, and Perriam again got back to save. Play shifted to the other end, and when Bolton failed to clear Banalize threw a long pass out, the bounce favouring Quaid, who managed to clear In tho last two minutes of play first Morgan and then Perriam essayed pots at goal, and both were close though unsuccessful, the game ending: Southern 10 I’irates 8 Mr E. H. Dickey was the referee. RUGBY FINALE POSITIONS OF TEAMS. The following table shows tho positions of the teams in the senior competition after the day’s play-off:—

The all-round work of the Southern forwards showed more cohesion than that of Pirates, and their backing up was first rate. H. J. Tyrie played a splendid game in all departments, and he had good support from L. Hill in the tight, while R. Edwards was often noticeable in the loose rushes. Nieper was a source of trouble to the opposing back line, and did a good deal of spoiling work, D. Trevathan registered *ll Southern’s points—a field goal, a penalty goal, and an unconverted try—and, though perhaps a little inclined to overdo his penchant for potting, he was always steadiness personified, nursing his forwards admirably, and he also made several thrustful runs. His line-kicking was invaluable to the side. S. Robert played a most serviceable game at half-back, and of the others A. Edwards was sometimes dangerous, though prone to go a little too far.

Parkhill worked hard in the tight in the Pirates pack, and J. Lanauze was usually seen at the head of the loose rushes, his backing up, too, being good. 0. B. Smith, the Pirates hooker, played well, and 1 his dribbling was quite a feature. In the loose, however, the Blacks did not work so well together as Southern, nor did they show the same understanding with their backs. When the opportunities offered, Pirates backs looked dangerous, and two of the brightest moves of the day led to tries by Mahony and Campbell, both of whom showed up in attack, with Perriam also noticeable for some clever attacking moves and good work in defence. P. A. Ongley tried to open up play, but his passing was a little erratic, while the full-back, J. Patterson, gave a very sound display, fielding well and kicking with judgment. SOUTHERN. Full-back: E. Bolton. Three-quarters: T. Milburn, A. E. Churchill, C. Irvine. Five-eighths: A. Edwards, D. Trevathan. Half-back; S. Robert. Forwards: T. Wallace, C. Quaid, D. Smith, L. Hill, H. Holley, R. Edwards, H. J. Tyrie, R. Nieper. PIRATES. Full-back: J. Patterson. Three-quarters: A. R. Duff, R. G. Mahony, I. M’Lennan. Five-eighths; W. I. Perriam, W. R. Campbell. Half-back: P. A. Ongley. Forwards: J. W. Clulee, O. B. Smith, O. Laidlaw, W. Kaler, A. A. Parkhill, A. Masliu, F. Williams, J. Lanauze. FIRST SPELL Southern took play into Pirates twenty-live from the kick-off, but Ongicy shifted play to halfway with a good clearance, and Lanauze carried on. Trevathan placed Southern on the attack when he cut through, but Patterson repelled the raid, and Lanauze and Muslin were in the van of a Pirates incursion which took play deep inside Southern territory. The forwards had opened out at a fast clip, and with the Blacks pressing hard the ball came to Trevathan from a ruck, and he cleared well beyond the twenty-five. The Pirate’s backs swung into action to bring play into the danger zone, and Clulee and Parkhill burst through from a ruck, Trcvathan’s accurate line-find-ing again bringing Southern relief. Possession from the scrums and rucks in the initial stages was fairly even, but with Ongley opening up when opportunity offered the Pirates backs threatened danger on a couple of occasions, Nieper loading a Southern counter-rush beyond half-way, Lanauze getting back to save. Back came the Pirates forwards in a loose rush, but once again Southern staged a counter-thrust witli Edwards, Hi IT, and Ty.ie at the head. Tyrie came through again a minute later, and Robert launched passing which was checked when Perriam tackled Edwards. From a penalty 18 yards out, and almost immediately in front, Trevathan landed a penalty goal 15 minutes from the start. Southern 3, Pirates 0.

PREMIER CLUBS LIST OF PREVIOUS WINNERS Tlie following table shows the list of previous winners of the Hug by premiership m Dunedin sineo 1885: — Year. Club. Year. Club. 1885 Dunedin 1915 Ziugari 1886 Pirates 191-1 Kaikorai 1887 Union 1915 Southern 1888 Kaikorai 1916 Union 1889 Kaikorai 1917 University A 1890 Union 1918 Pirates 1891 Alhambra 1919 University 1892 Alhambra 1920 Alhambra 1893 Kaikorai 1921 Kaikorai 1894 Kaikorai 1922 University A 1895 Kaikorai 1923 University A 1890 Kaikorai 1924 University A 1897 Kaikorai 1925 Pirates 1898 Kaikorai 1926 University A 1899 Kaikorai 1927 University A 1900 Alhambra 1928 University A 1901 Kaikorai 1929 University A 1902 Alhambra 1930 Alhambra 1903 Alhambra 1931 University A 1904 Southern 1932 University A 1905 Alhambra 1933 University A 1906 University 1934 University A 1907 University 1935 Southern 1908 Dunedin'" 1936 Southern 1909 Alhambra 1937 Southern 1910 Alhambra 1938 Southern 1911 University 1939 Union 1912 Southern

+3 .a to M C **' C5 o T3 a w to c. > a 43 a CJ to a o (fl o C3 o o C3 — — — Is* Southern ... If) 15 3 1 232 111 31 Pirates If) 1.4 4 1 276 152 29 Varsity A 18 13 3 2 291 169 28 Union 18 11 7 0 179 362 22 Dunedin ... 18 9 8 1 198 202 19 Kaikorai ... 18 7 10 1 161 178 .15 Taiori ... IS 6 12 U 159 214 12 Zinnari IS ,“) 12 1 164 159 11 Alhambra IS 4 12 2 16S 233 10 Varsity li JS 2 M 1 131 369 5