SOUTH CANTERBURY'S BID FOR RANFURLY SHIELD

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21577, 13 September 1935, Page 18

SOUTH CANTERBURY'S BID FOR RANFURLY SHIELD

Impressive Form of Challenger

This Season

The West Coast invasion for the Ranfurly Shield match with Canterbury last Saturday was large but that from South Canterbury for to-mor-morrow's match between South Canterbury and Canterbury promises to eclipse it Thousands aire travelling to Christchurch in and trains and if the weather is reasonably fine Lancaster Park should attract easily the largest crowd of this season. This enthusiasm on the part of the South Canterbury supporters is built on the South Canterbury team's performances and displays this season.

The province has not been beaten and has beaten some very strong sides. Further, on paper it is obvious that if any team has a great chance of lifting the Ranfurly Shield from Canterbury this season it is South Canterbury. The team has been carefully selected and has a splendid blend of youth and experience. It must not be forgotten that in recent seasons several of the players in this year's South Canterbury team have been knocking at the door, for All Black honours and they have profited greatly from the big match experience gamed in the various trials. L. Morrison, G. Gaffaney and G. Giddings—to mention three—each figured very prominently in the final All Black trial matches this season. There are many other players in the team, too, who have had considerable representative experience.

The following South Canterbury players have been chosen to make the trip to Christchurch:— Backs: N. Ford, T. Morrison, L. Martyn, F. Blue, G. King (captain), C. Cartwright, E. Ryan, G. Gaffaney, R. Lundy; forwards; D. O'Sullivan, T. Gunn. H. Higinbottom, R. Gliddon, J. Strang, W. Robertson, F. Thomson, G. Giddings, R. Duncan and E. Lee. This is South Canterbury's record this season:— v. Buller, won 33-12. V. Southland, won 30-17. v. North Otago, won 19-6. v. Otago, won 18-12. v. Ashburton, won 55-13.

This season the selection of the representative side has been made only after a thorough trial of the players. On one Saturday the selectors saw no fewer than 60 players' in action, when two sides representing the South Canterbury Union played the Mackenzie Sub-Union and the Waimate SubUnion. The result of the games played since have shown that the selectors have carried out their task well and the opinion has been increasingly supported after a succession of victories against strong representative sides that

South Canterbury to-day has the best opportunity of winning the Ranfurly Shield that has yet come to it. Not only are the players good individually, but they play as a team and perform as well towards the end of the second half as at the beginning of the game. A. Strang's Brother Playinff The forwards are a well-balanced lot, headed by J. Strang, brother of Archie Strang, the well-known former AH Black. Weighing about 14 stone, J. Strang was the outstanding forward on the field in the match against Otago and is a fine leader. Of the other forwards the one best known outside South Canterbury is G. Giddings, who played so well in the recent All Black trials. Although some of the forwards are light, they are all honest toilers. The backs are a speedy combination, who play the passing game as it should be pjayed. Ford, the full-back, is safe and reliable and knows how to tackle. Morrison, one of the wing three-quarters, is the possessor of a disconcerting side-step which has gained him many tries, but when the occasion calls for it he can also run straight for the line. In a club match this season he scored seven tries and has been a consistent scorer throughout the season. On the other wing is E. Ryan, a different type of player, whose style is reminiscent of that of Jack Steel. Ryan weighs about 13 stone and is a strong runner with a fend. He is a dangerous man near the line. Martyn, a former West' Coast representative, and Blue are the other three-quarters. The former is a strong runner and Blue, who usually plays third grade, in the Thnaru Boys' High School team, did so well on Saturday that the selectors evidently decided that he deserved further encouragement George Gaffaney and C. Cartwright are a dependable pair of fiveeighths. Gaffaney, in the opinion of many, was rather unfortunate in missing the trip Home with the All Blacks. G. King, half-back, Is a very solid player, although one could wish that he was just a little smarter in throw-

ing the ball out from tus scrum. He knows how to score a solo try when the opportunity presents itself, as it did against Otago recently. The Canterbury team has been training systematically and is expected to take the field fit. The hint of staleness in Canterbury's play should have passed by to-morrow as many of the players have had a short spell. It is the opinion of very many good judges that the best of the Canterbury team has not been seen yet and in this match, with both teams partial to fast. open passing attacks, the standard of Rugby should reach great heights.