Struggle For Shield

NZ Truth, Issue 1238, 22 August 1929, Page 17

Struggle For Shield

(From "N.Z;' 1 ' Truth's" Christchurch Rep.) . After defeating Wellington a few weks ago m. .the Challenge .Shield match, the Canterbury represents, - ' tives. successfully retained the Shield m their match against . Auckland at Hagley Park on Satur- • day* THE game was' fast and full of. .inter-: ■*■ est, and the issue was m doubt until the last minute. -yThe northern reps, were a strong side both m attack and defence. Their forwards were fast and clever with the stick, but the insides had a tendency ,to crowd the Avings. D. Reid, on the Auckland wing, showed wonderful accuracy m picking up the' ball on his stick. He was fast arid had a good command of the ball, but he made the fatal mistake of carrying it too far downfield. Anthony put m a few hot shots which the southern goalie, Rhind, had difficulty m stopping. On one occasion he was lucky m keeping his goal intact. Watts played a sterling game, keeping on the ball, and passing well to Grace, on the wing. The Auckland halves were inferior to the Christchurch set, and had not pace enough to deal with Getson and Gracie. The two backs, B. Williams and Gardiner, put up a good, defence, and sent the Canterbury forwards back m good style. Rankin was not a -great success m goal. He relies too much on his stick. . The pleasing feature of the, Canterbury team's play was the success of the colts. V. .Hahn, G.- Getson and .F. Fullwood. The two last-named, although not yet up to Shield standard, are of the right material, and require only a few. more games to give them the necessary confidence. W. Gracie, on the wing, rendered,useful service to Canterbury,, and his goal was a good shot from a difficult angle. S. Bell was not up to his usual form, and was the weakest forward m the Southern team. Canterbury's half-line was a- good' one; Hahn, picked originally as an emergency, was given a game because of the absence of C. Hore. Challenges for the Shield have been received ? from Otago and Waikato, but no definite date has been settled for the games. .-.•'.•