HARD-FOUGHT GAME

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 289, 19 September 1949, Page 5

HARD-FOUGHT GAME

FOOTBALL

South Canterbury Beats Ashburton MARGIN OF SEVEN POINTS In the last representative match of the season, South Canterbury defeated Ashburton at Timaru on Saturday by 12 points to five. South Canterbury’s scores were the result of clever play and many of the back rushes were executed with great dash. In the last 20 minutes . South Canterbury hammered the Ashburton line, both Grant and Taylor, who were a strong-running pair of wingers, making determined efforts to score only to see their transfers mishandled. In this respect South Canterbury offended throughout, the spell, promising attacks ending with parses knocked on, the ball over-run or thrown forward. The Ashburton forwards led by Copland, Maw and Small, toiled hard all the time, and their efforts deserved more success. McCrea was an excellent worker with the übiquitous Small in the tight, and their defence was never found wanting. The best of the visiting backs was Bradley, the fullback. His handling was sound and his. positional play good. The manner in which he edged the speedy winger, Taylor toward the touchline earned applause. Within three minutes or the start South Canterbury were in the Ashburton 25 where Moore kicked high under the goal posts. Comer was through to take the ball on the bounce and score. Twenty minutes of hard play in midfield followed with the Ashburton backs trying rush after rush without finding a gap in the defence. Meade, the centre, went to pass to Collard and Taylor took the ball instead. The South Canterbury winger ran 30 yards with Bradley edging him to the corner, but Moore came up on the inside to take a pass and score. Ashburton scored early in the second spell when Collard centre-kicked under the goal posts. There were five Ashburton forwards waiting for the bounce, and although a home player took the ball it rolled clear and Maw dived on it. Meade converted. >

Straight away Taylor finished off a South Canterbury back rush with a run down the line, his pass infield being ruled forward. Comer burst from a ruck on the 25 line and passed to Doherty to Grant, the winger, side-step-ping three defenders to score. Leary scored the last try of the Reason after another South Canterbury back rush had ended at the corner flag, where Grant went into touch. The ball came back to Grant to Leary who cut through to score by the posts. For the remainder of the spell South Canterbury were attacking without being able to increase their score, the match ending: South Canterbury 12, Ashburton 5. Mr I. L. Armishaw was referee.

TARANAKI’S BID FOR SHIELD FAILS (P.A.) DUNEDIN, September IS. ' Making a gallant last-minute bid Taranaki nearly succeeded in taking the Ranfurly Shield from Otago. Otago held a 6-0 lead until the last 10 minutes, and on the general run of play this appeared to be sufficient to ensure the retention of the Shield. A brilliant Taranaki back movement, irt. which the full-back, M. Cockerill, took a prominent part, changed the whole complexion of the game. After taking the ball from the second five-eighths, Cockerill drew the defence and handed on to the All Black, R. Roper, who finished off a 40-yard run with a try between the posts to the accompaniment of the applause of a large crowd. Cockerill converted and, although the Taranaki forwards and backs threw the ball about with abandon, the defence held and the match ended 6-5

REPRESENTATIVE matches Representative matches resulted: Hawke’s Bay 10, Poverty Bay 8. Australia 15, Southland 10. North Auckland 25, Auckland 8. Wellington 23, Wairarapa 11. Canterbury 13, Buller 3.

INTER-ISLAND MATCH SIDES ANNOUNCED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 17. The following is the North Island Rugby team to play South Island, at Christchurch on October 1: Full-back— T. W. Kelly (Auckland). Three-quarters—R. A. Roper (Taranaki), J. B. Smith (Northland), J. K. McLean (Auckland). Five-eighths —■ T. R. O’Callaghan (Wellington), G. E. Beatty (Taranaki). Half-back—V. D. Bevan (Wellington). Back of scrum—D. E. Grant (Wanganui). Side of Scrum H. C. B. Rewley (Wanganui), R. A. White (Poverty Bay). Locks—D. A. Cutler (Auckland), D. D. Beard (Wanganui). Front row—A. E. Rowan (Waikato), A. M. Hughes (Auckland), D. H. O’Donnell (Wellington). Reserves—Forwards: M. S. Ingpen (Wellington), A. W. Blake (Wairarapa). Backs: R. Keenan (Manawatu) and one to be selected. South Island Full-back—R. W. Orr (Otago). Three-auarters —G. .1. Moore (Otago), D. Reeves (Canterbury), J. Taylor (South Canterbury). Five-eighths D. R. Wightman (Otago); second, P. Kearney (Canterbury) and W. Dickson (Buller) first (one to be omitted). Half-back—J. T. McKenzie (Southland). Back of scrum and side-row forwards (ode to be omitted) W. A. Lunn (Otago), R. C. Stuart (Canterbury), J. R. Stuck (Southland) and G. Anderson (Buller). Locks—T. A. Budd (Southland), S. W. Woolley (Marlborough); Front row—H. Wilson (Otago). D. Max (Nelson), W. Mumm (Buller). Reserves—Backs ; Omitted player

and P. Vincent (Canterbury). Forwards : Omitted player and C. Todd (Otago). \

POWER BOARD WIN In a friendly match at the Domain on Saturday, Power Board defeated Burnetts Motors by 11 points to S in a game which produced a good variety of Rugby tactics. There were many smart individual efforts, but the majority of the game was spent in set scrums. Points for Power Board came from classic tries by J. Smallbone and B. Dynes while W. Slaven converted one and kicked a penalty. L. Tilson scored a spectacular try for Burnetts, with D. Evans converting and kicking a penalty. Mr J. Edmonds was the referee.