RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 August 1933, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

SEDPON SHIELD

Buller; meet ‘ West Coast at Grey-mouth-on. Saturday in a challenge, for the Scddon' Shield, and the contest should prove a good one. Judging by the display of West Coast in their two recent games, and the result of the match between Buller and Nelson on Monday, there will not be a. great deal between the two teams. The West Coast, forwards can safely be left to carry on their good work, as shown in the last two matches, though the Buller forwards when the Coast played at, Westport earlier in the season had somewhat the advantage in ohe play : in the scrummages. The Coast forwards are now very fit and have a well-balanced scrum, as was well instanced last Saturday. The Coast backs did not come out- as well in last Saturday’s game as the forwards. They had a monopoly of the ball from the scrump practically for the whole game, but their handling at times was very weak, and there was an absence of any decided thrust by the centre backs, which assisted to crowd the wings on the line, and spoilt the letters .efforts after their first half hour of indecision. If more vim'is not put into the central attack, then there will be a. decided probability of the Shield going north.

The Buller team are coming down full of confidence, The pack is a fast and heavy one,; and they will give the i Goest-vanguard ia heavy shaking, even if they cannot beat them. The Buller backs are ..we11,,, spoken of. .In . the game against ; Nelson the .half and two fiveeighths were well on their game while their crack centre, Holder, has a decided strength in that position, that will have to be reckoned with, while both wiugs are fast, strong attackers and the full back is a worthy successor to last year’s custodian. Of course it must not be forgotten that L after their hard gruelling game against Const on Saturday, and with several notable absentees,. including their star, wing three-quarter, Busch, the Nelson team would not give of their best last Monday, when there was no trophy. to battle for, so that the'sUbsht tial win by Buller can be discounted to some extent. It must also be noted that in the account given of the game . in a, Westport paper, 'the' visitors took $ Ipng time to get going, but that when they had warmed up they more • than held .tlieir' own in the second spoil. , The game ' on' Saturday should therefore prove 1 a capital 1 contest, .and the . result should be -a Very close one, a little' in favour of the’ home 1 - : ‘ . I > : .■ 1 Learn. , "■ i . .1' ... I •. j > ; ..

TARANAKI BEAT WAIKATO

(Per Press Association- Copyright .J

• :'• ' . ■ IvLTHAM, August ,16. Perfect - conditions prevailed for the TaranakiV, Waikato match at Eltham, tbo former winning by the narrow mgr. gin of ono point. Both teams played good open football with bright snappy passing. Waikato ; were- particularly .smart "itu developing the. attacking movements and were;. lucky, to meet weak tackling. .The ; final, score was Taranaki-l ; 9Jo Waikato 18. : .

MARLBOROUGH BEAT ASHBURTON

ASHBURTON, August 16,

Marlborough beat Ashburton by 20 points to tsix in a fairly fast and open game, the teams being well matched in the first spell, but the visitors’ backs were superior in the second half. Ashburton forwards played pluckily in the second half, being unfortunate in not scoring once. or twice. The visitors’ backs improved in passing and the local men were unequal to th© demand upon •them.

SOUTHLAND BEAT S. CANTY

TIMARU, Alugust 16

En route to Christchurch to play Canterbury t’o r the Ranfurty .Shield, the Southland reps broke their journey at Timaru and to-day defeated South Canterbury by 24 to 11 The big Southland forwards shone in short passing, while the tackling of the side was la feature. Southland saw more of the ball in the lineoutg and scrums, and many Wrong loose washes that were very difficult to stop{lUxa visiting back line was minus four who are expected to participate in the Shield match, and was not so impressive as expected. Tries were scored for the visitors by Bruce (2), Brampton, Mitchell, Purdue and 'Southern; Porter converting two and Sharp one. Adkins secured three tries for South Canterbury, Duke converting one.