FOOTBALL.

Bruce Herald, Volume LV, Issue 66, 28 August 1919, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

(By Old! Un.

| V SOUTH OTAGO v. "DIGGERS."

r The conditions o£ Saturday must have 'Tc.mind'e.d'-the "Diggers" team) somewhat of rt.ho weather "over there." Rain' fell dn the morning, and this turned into;a disagreeably strong wind ■by tihe tihio the match started. The following tea nils lined 1 out:—' 1 Rfrturiled! iSoMdors'.—-Cuff; J. Edwards, (Heads,, J. Ilfelop; Matdiett, Buff j WheJaiT, McKay, ■ Dixon, Bryant, Gribben, Race, A. Tlislop, Duff.

South. Otago.-—Josephs; Shepherd; Prescott, Hand? 'Jackinan, 'Cowan;' Probble; Hansen, Smith, none Anderson, McCauley, Barron, Hewitt, Cos-, tello, McFeeters. The soldiers won the toss, and had; the advantage of the strong wind. They;: did wot-niake judicious; use of it,, how-' ;ira^clju, : 'Of i jithedr kicking toeing 1 too hajd. However,; they) drew ftist blood, a* : lug : h.So!uth .ptago kick feeing carried | over the ,'<jw>i« goal lii%.>a sol-;, idler pounding -oh'it' at the corner. A' fine passing rush toacks,? in which 1 Jackman! m'ade- a dashing, run, resulted) in a score. Immediately upon resumption another passing rush—-Preib-tole, Jackman, Cowan, Prescott, and Shepherd participating—terminated .in Shepherd' scoring after a strong/-Tun. Play was fairly even when the soldiers crossed 1 over three points- to tliei "bad. It was expeeteid that the'second spell would; be one-sided, tout for the first 20 minutes this wag not so, the soldiers' forwards quite holding their own against the 'Civilian! backs. The civvy" forwards participated ■ in< a piece of open work," and" Smith: got over. The soldiers retaliated, and from a free kick Head's landed a good' goal against the wind. '.Condition,, however, was 'beginginning to tell, amongst the soldier ■backs'particularly,/and the tackling became indifferent. Jackman forged through several opponents and scored, and Prescott also mad'e a fine l dodgy run and ran rouhd toehind- the posts. However, he should have been tackled early ini his journey. This try was converted, making the score 17 point's to six. The soldiers had toad luck in not scoring: oil -two other occasions, Heads leading a rush that just missed. The 'Civilian ibacks were altogether too good for their opponents. Josephs outclassed Cuff, who has toec.n the past two Saturdays. Josephs did not. make a mistake. 'Shepherd' showed fine pace, and Prescott played a good centre game. , Hand had few chances,"but- did what was asked of him. Jackman was responsible for imost of the open work on« his side. 'He put in one or two capital runs and worked well with Prebble, who, at half, showed that he caiv play ait at,tgck,iug./|ani'e. r as , well as d'efehsi-ve.-£pwan : in .." the passing rushes very effectively, his pace niak- : ing him a .source of danger. ; In the forwards, Hamseh was always in the loose rushes iir spite of- his' position in the front rank. McFeeters, an .emergency, was as prominent as, anybodyy his tackling toeing very sure. 31cCauley was also prominent.

Tlio "Digger" backs lacked 1 combination. 'Cuff was disposed to speculate 1 , aml Heads, probably on; account- of -being required to ''rove,"- did not give an exhibition up to .his usual fine displays." Matchett did effective tackling, but;. Falicy was amiss in this department. Duff, at half, did good saving work.

The fonvards put up ?> capital performance, and their dribbling rushes,with the ball well in command at- their toes, had the opposing 'backs bust-led! at times. Whelan' -and Dixon were prominent in this respect. •G-ribben also showed good form. . The game : waa the most attractive seeiii on the ground this, season from- a, spectator's point of view. The ball was thrown about with commendable freedom, andi the Tesult was l a passing display that spectators did not give the teams the credit of being capable of. There was a fair attendance of spectators, £9 odd being taken, at the gates.

Mr S. White controlle,d the game. In the evening the' soldier team was entertained 1 by the Sub-Union at a smoke social in the Dalton Hall, a pleasant'time being spent in speechifying,' singing, etc.

SOUTH OTAGO TEAM.

The following team has been selected to play the l Eastern District at Gore on (probably) AVedliesd'ay week (Sept-em-ber 3:— • Full-back—Cuff (Toko). • v 'Kiree;quai'ters'/-r' Shepherd (Toko), Prescott (Cresccnty, and: Jjoseplis* (Orescent). ■; ' JUye'-eighths—Cowan (Crescent) and Heads (Toko). . - • Half—Pre'bbto (Romahapa).

' rorwardS'—Baird 1 (Crescent), Hansen '(Orescent)', 5 "WJhelau >(Clutha), Hon© Anderson (Glut'ha), Barron (Crescent), Costello (Toko), Gribbeii'(Crescent), Hewitt (Toko), ' ' ; . seletetio'tt &>. has' made a good choice iiv. the forward's., The 'Crescent front-rankers could) not 'be 'passed, and! 'Gribben has played himself into the team by his displays in recent •matches. 'This one player is the only exception to thecombination "Old 'Un' > suggested l a fortnight ago, and, as stated), the, choice isi right. With Bar(rcm,i'H«Wdit-, H; Anderson, Whelan, and Costello in the open "the: combination will be hard! >to beat. s .~ • f \

In. the backs, however, surprise'" will! be' felt at the exclusion of Jack-man, whoso form on 'Sat,urdayi.was 'equal'to if not better thtfni'tliat of a'uyi back on the ground.' the king pin, .as an inner fivc'-'cigih'th® 'has' to> bo, , in the, passing : rusfe^ : his play> was consistently good. The.- sielection com'riiititeo had eatpeTimentedin putting' Josephs up to wing-t h reequar ter, ,Hp is. aa s>uro as a Taicrl flood at full-back,-but his style of play does not impre'99, 0110 as that of a threequartcr. Probably, Cuff's fine displays up tall recently xnado the committee loth to drop iiuQj

liertcc ft place! ,back'B. 'prescptit and)' Sheplier#. arc right, anil Heads' transfer to five-elighths we'll as, 'lie is a player 'that apt#' plenty to ' ct'Oy 'audi 'hei will 'dlo it ins any .position. Cowan's all-round' good; qualities anacle.liis exclusion! a difficult' ;piaC-= St6r, ..but -a" Wfing-threequarfer poaitioSi*' 1 wouldjprobably suit ,'liirti (batter thair hoi/had- to go in, wliicli would' -iiave. mad'ei rqoiii' fo.r .'Jack'hiaii; PrcjbblQ', at half, himself. right, into, tlioi team 1 0111 is a strong, oncy and '' 01(K'Un' f ; >vill 'bje. yj&ry 'much surprised) H not'hold ; ita. own, iii the southern town. ;

Thefunds, of the/S abortion amouiit •to aJbout £66 with .practically no liaibilities. Tho gates have 'been goocj, but p9)yim : ent of tlie 1 players' transit <hc'penses to matches .made a hole* in the proceeds. ~ . ' Tlie Sub-Union* isi iii •communication -with the Otago. Union relative to a 'match ■ in D.uhefLin' against - an Otagp ■team. Tho Su'b-Union has offered to pay half its iieam's expenses -and leave .thfc.. Otago Union the gattf," Tlio Otago teanii 'by motor .• tb r liivercargiir; "fo Southland! represen'takivG it earn; ' <