RANFURLY SHIELD

Hokitika Guardian, 29 August 1932, Page 2

RANFURLY SHIELD

RETAINED BY/ CANTERBURY

COASTS FINE EFFORT.

CHRISTCHURCH, August 27,

The ATe-st Coast challenge tor . the Ranfurly Shield was woir.’by CanterJbury by 5 to 3,.’after a. very fine •game,. id which the honors appeared to--rest with th©. West Coast. . The play ;;was fast and ’bjpen, "both; sides throwing the • hall .about, and ’ the Coast were busily attacking , when- piffle was called. • .. • - ’ The West Coast' forwards/ opened with a •strong'" dttack 'and bustled play onto the. Canterbury twenty-five;;; where’ the backs got going in a smart rush,' but Innes • and Oliver ■ combined in * a short run that 'took play to half-way. The West Cdast forwards were ok their-, toes and i;ight at- the’ start of the . game showed that they wer© going to give Canterbury . a -shard game. ■ Canterbury were in difficulties when Roberts, elected to run instead of kicking in face of 1 , an open. rush. ”• He was pulled down by ’ Scandrett and Schroder behind the goal line.; M scrum five yards out was. ruled, and Hughes dropped within a foot of . the line before he was pulled down. West Coast were keeping' up the attack, but when Freitas grit offside Roberts cleared with a good kick dnto touth. 1 1 '• '•7 •• .•;•

. The Canterbury, forwards and back*' combined in an open, passing rush .that took play inside-the Wwt Coait twehtyfiv© for the first time. ' Flewe’-lyn, (Pease, Cottrell and' Thompson figured in the movement, and a try seemed likely, but Thompson did not have, .enough speed to reach the , line before being pulled down in pbssjession.. Two minutes -later King burst 'iaway, from a ! rush from the West, Coast twenty-five line and made a good, run before sending on to Oottrpll; .. ;who scored under, the cross-bar. 'Roberts converted. ~ ’ / , ■ •'..

Canterbury 5, West Coast 0.

fl\ ■ , ■ J\f. »**•'•* V- ■ ' v/'V The Canterbury backs staged • some (bright pushes \ during th© ./ next . few)minutes, showing’plenty .of -speed ' arid; dash, but bo far/they had been'unable to- break through,! tae,-'defence. There •was a long intel'yal.of forward-'play, in niid-field. Then ■ ■Boutefey: : : got hfe; Ibficks away, in a .bright/rush, whenTtfielball travelled sjweet^y/out to/ Flewellyn/the winger making U/flying .trip down .'.tlj& line before beinlg pushed out well inside the .Coast ';'twehtyi_fiye. : Coae‘t/ WOn the' line'-out and’; got, 'the / b’aU aWay/to mid-field,' where rtbetre was./some./tnbre ■solid .work among/'th© forwards,,'with the West Coast/ mek/hdlding l their own; The Canterbury' backs then took a turfi and were seen jtti a • Series, of sparkling, rushes that ’ kept j th© • visitors" on the defensive. . •' '• .

TOSSING; THE' BAXjbkAßO,\*

■ HftnloUui'Btf, Ittnnea and Oliver/ wer» in gteat/fonn takidtg /part' iU *mioy ;thAt hady the ;Weiji Coasters competely .baffled. *' Canterbury were' thb ball 'about ' in .great style,; iaii-al the pace .and/the.. quick/ ■ change • of /the • jaittacft -seeinfea tp ; • have the challengerbf nonplussed., ' . /Canterbury' !lo,>k ! bd ’ : like' goring .again when Cottrell ’• broke" away/ from*;a ruck ah mid-fiei*dj anjf raced down, to;ithe goal before passing, out /o ' Manchester., who rwa® tackled.! There a/scrummage,, and Canterbury were penalised,,enabling West Coast. ■ to, ■ cleaV. Rush’ aifter: rush by the /Canterbury' Coast line consta-itly yih ydhngery; many infringements prevented the (home' side from', scoring. ,thb; West. Coast baiplr.; headed jbyyFong, [Hughes and Calhert, ;sta.rted a rush that carried play' inside the'Canterbury-rtwenty-five, where-A i?crum' was ;ruied for an infringement,. and/ Canterbury', ■quickly took play! back tof neutral/ter-' xitory. , . ... .■ ••,j .../ • ././; /•'

Fong was the outstanding figure of the Coast backs . and . was playing a great game both on defence and attack. He Showed a great sense of anticipation, and was always up with the piay. Although 'the Coast forwards had been called on to defend against strong Canterbury attacks .during the past twenty minutes, they still had plenty of sting. Freitas, Deere and Kelly headed a loose rush into the Canteri.iburv,. twenty-five,.- and;, things - looked dangerous when- Scandrett got the ball .but;-well to his backs. Fong, .however, over-ran-his pass and a great scoring cliince Was lost. Canterbury returned play to half-way, and were on attack again . when half-time was called with the score:; . .

CAN'PRBtRY WEST COAST I

Coast hid the wind behind them in the! second .spell, and the backs broke away on the right wing, in a rush that swept Canterbury off their feet, and Schroder was nearly over in the corner. Then almost immediately afterwards Sfartyn made a smart, interception,; taking : the ball from Blown, and making a fine dash to score a great try. Gilbert’s kick was just wide of the goal. -, v :’ ; : -v." -; v-.

Canterbury 6, West Coast 3,

. Canterbury aver© quick to, retaliate, and Oliver afld - FlrtVOllyfi chiefly got in some good work that saw the Coast line threatened. Gilbert, however, kicked down field,. easing th© presjure.l Roberts fielded the kick, but he was tackled in possesion by a pack of the challengers’ forwards who j- were charging dojvnfield in a dangerous rush. They looked; like scoring,; ,bUt a scrum was ruled* for a knock-on. . j

A BATTLE ROYAL

Both- sets of forwards were engaged in -a bat'-le royal just- inside the Canterbury territory: The' ball was .Whipped rout to Innes, who got in a short run before being pulled down, and 'when " .Coast infringed Roberts shad an ’unsuccessful shot :nt goal. ■Freitas 'fielded the ball well and found jallhpSt , on. the Canterbury, ' t}vqhity-fiv«lSoandfieti, got his . backs •away.' and the -Coast had. an excellent • cKaricp of sepring, but play enabled Canterbury to /roleari/The situation. 'looked dangerous for . tjm Coast ‘ When Oliver' got ’ in - a great ‘/40yds-. run before passing out to Flewellyh.' F Jewel, lyn had' only, a few yards .to'go when j. /King brought .him• -down’ '.with a grqat tackle. It '-.whs a- fine pipe© of .-defensive '.play on the part of the 'vikitprs’ full-back. 1

Canterbury continued on the attack, exploiting the blind side, and the open held- in' a desperate effort to. increase their ' lead.. There wa© . great lexcite’ment ; : .as they -pressed, hear to the line.

BQtJTEREY TRIES HARD fc (

Bouteray went on hi* own, but the iiitlfa' JiiAlLbfaok ©ricOnntofea trouble when fa pack of the burly Coast. 'for-, got round him. Cottroll and Peas© headed a loose rush ,by the Cap* terbqry forwards that - took, play to within fiv© .yards of the Coast ilinp.before the’ball-went into touch.

The-lifie/out w,as .followed by some terfific.iscrqriimaging by the forwards, -and it was touch and go for the Coast for f some lpinutea until Freitas and Kelly put; their heads down and went jthrough with the ball to half-way.

Canterbury got ! going, hut the Coast swarmed down on v them bice : a of .tigers an'd/hiad therm smothered before the/attack., had. time to deveTdp. The •Coast, had another chfince of scoring whem Gilbert got away and jcaught the whole of the Canterbury backs out of position. ' Instead of parsing to his ■yving. be held on too long. This, enabled’.Canterbury tp recover, Gilbert finally ' being pulled down in posses- . sioitii..

A desperate five minutes

Another great rush by the Canter, bury backs and the ball travailed out to Flewellyn. The rush, however, -was br-okam up by .solid tackling, the. Coasters showing defence that was as solid as a /rock. Both sides were play-, ing the open game, forwards and backs tossing the ball about a great deal, and Schroder, the Coast right winger, warseen in another fine run a'ong the line. He got to within five yards of the corner .Rag before being pulled down/ He, got the ball in to Freitas; and the great forward was almost over when he was pushed into touch. For five ‘ minutes the Coa-st camped hotly on the Canterbury line, but>eventual]y Canterbury cleared from a penalty kick. 1 ■/

Canterbury then attacked strongly arid Brown was pushed out at the cor ner Rag. Cottrell appeared to get over, but the referee ruled; a force-down.

SPECTATORS EXCITED

The game was being played at a furious pace-, both aides keeping the ball in the open, and, as play surged up and down the field, with the advantage first to Canterbury and then to the Coast, tht spectators were in 'f, high state of excitement. A great by Hughes forced play dangerously close to the Canterbury twenty-five, Aild for a period the Coast forwards had Canterbury hemmed in/ iSdAiidrett had two .attempts to go' ltjtiftd on the blind side, and with a bit of. luck the attackers would have soured,. It was Bouteroy who finally came to the rescue of Canterbury, nipping round the scrum and finding the line, Corst were attacking strongly when time was called. The final" score , was : CAMTEHBXHtY ... ... ; B.f ■WEST COAST

{Referee: Mr.E. A. Empson. rt Play had been in progress thirtyseven minutes in the second spell when time was called,. r' ! ‘ V: .

There was some dispute about the length , of- the second spell with the referee appeared to call time too early.. 1 Several watches showed - that. the. spell had : been in progress for ;37 minutes only when the final whistle, was blown. There liad also been several short stoppages in the p'ay. The call of time <hme as a/surprise : to' the majority‘ot tW-7peo(jat-ors, who ‘believed there., were at least another eight minutes /-to ■go ' before /the .- game would be bv.eh T[bere was a good deal of comment on all 'sides over the incident. -.id

WELLINGTON WINS

(Per Press Association— Copyright.)

WELLINGTON, August 27;

The young 1 Wellington -combination which Rill go on tour next week, meeting . Canterbury on Saturday, had a hard try-out to-day, meeting Taranaki at Athletic Park. The conditions were 1 excellent. Wellington won by 18 points to 17, ’ ' SEDDON SHIELD' MATCH. f w ' BULLER DEFEATS NELSON. • WESTPORT, August 28. On •’ Saturday at Victoria Square Buller. successfully defended the third challenge this season for the Seddon Shield by defeating Nelson representatives by 13 points to 3. The weather conditions were wretched and rain literally swept - the playing area tbrough- , out’ the' game./ The seddon underfoot conditions militated against open play and mariy stoppages were occasioned ; to allow players to remove, the mud from their -eyes. Everything ;was : against good football, but the home side adapted themselves better . to : tHe awful conditions', " and at no stage seemed to lose grip of the game.; ' Despite the adverse weather there was a very large attendance, and apart from the fifty motor cars which

parked in the vicinity of Victoria Square, the playing area- was completey encompassed with motor ve-. hicles of all makes. The. grandstand was fully occupied an hour before the advertised time of starting. Buller played splendidly ,every member of the side acquitting himself creditably Graham at full-back was at the top ot his form, his perfect line kicking and sure .handling on many occasions getting his side out of trouble. Loder and Higgins were also resourceful and in no small measure contributed to Buller’s victory. Holder played well and was not seen to better advantage since his return from Australia. His two tries were indeed great efforts. The. wings, Jones and Hill, did not get many chances, but . were -responsible for good './-defensive ,v oik/ 1 In players experienced much difficulty in handling the greasy ball and rarely was a passing completed. The Buller fcnvhrds both in the sat scrums arid lcose play always seemed to be the best, although Nelson s c rummagers were a great! eight. , c., Watson at-full-back was outclassed by his vis-a-vis, Graham. Snodgrass, Newman and Beard, under the :conditions, played exceptionally well, and, with -Stemart and Alexander, especially the latter, their work suggested that had the weather been deferent. some sparkling football would have . been witnessed. Fowler at half shirked iiothing anti Was; equally fas gobd as Reid. V • ,'Bettei* forward Work afid ability On the patt of the Bhllfer side to take advantage of scoring opportunities caused the defeat Uf . the visitors. The forwards ou both sides' indulged in mariy attacking movements, but Buller showed the more direct methods, and on many occasions penetrated the defence, The first score came from the failure of the visitors to stem a raid on their line, and Holder,, following up smartly, werit over for Graham to add the necessary points.

The Ruller side continued to attack and no great time elapsed before they were again in Nelson territory, and McNeight got over for Etuller’s second try, Graham again converting. The next incident which led to Nekon scoring a try, was when Fowler secured from a scrum arid transferred to ■Alexander, who made a nice opening ; for,Snodgrass to race over for .the best try of the game,. The same player failed" with the; kick. ; The teams crossed Over with the, score 10—3 .in Buller’s favour. After about twenty minutes’ play a characteristic forward rush by Buller gained considerable ground, and Holder, following, up a speculator, ■scored his second try. Graham’s effort to convert stuck the upright. The try sealed’Nelson’s fate. Buller .was the better all round side, and fully deserved to Win. . Mr Collins , gave. .every satisfaction with the whistle. ~

DITTHAN./SHIELD

• August 27. '* A' riighy'gime for ‘rthe Dittihan Shield played at Rugby Park; resulted jn a ivin i'od the (Grey repreienfatiyea, the holders, who defeated the Lake Brunner Sub-division representatives, the challengers,. by eight points to nil. Garing and Lindbom scored tries, Bell (,-onverting one. The’ game was playe-J urder the worst conditions, heavy rail 1 , falling practically throi/h ul t <.

COAST JUNIORS BEATEN. ' •; ■ CHRISTCHURCH, August 27. Canterbury B senior representatives bald An easy victory in the curtain •! raiser.'.too .the Ranfurly Sh'eld game, ■defeating West Coast 'juniors by 24 to A..'.' /L.; ■ i" '■■■• '!' ■ ’■■■; ■ : u . ./WESTLAND JUNIOR MATCH. In showery . weather, and on a. ground -sodden with 'heavy rain, Excelsior; jand Kiwi met in a junior grade match, the only game in the Westland rSub-Union’s competitions to be played on Saturday. The. greasy ball made good bapk play impossible and the game resolved .-into a- forward sbruggle. /Excelsior .bad the advantage in weight, but Kiwi .-.held their own in the other departments and were in Excelsior territory for the better part of the second spell. .■ An infringement enabled Kiwi to open the , score after the game had been .progress a few minutes, Hamilton piloting the ball between the sticks. Excelsior equalised before the interval, Richards going over for an unconverted try. In the .second spell, a loose forward rush saw Excelsior on the Kiwi .line, where Rees© picked up the; ball and scored. \ E. M. Best was referee.