RUGBY FOOTBALL

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22435, 23 June 1938, Page 14

RUGBY FOOTBALL

UNIVERSITY TEAMS’ MATCH CANTERBURY AND OTAGO DRAW GOOD PLAY IN BAD CONDITIONS Making a gallant attempt to play open football in the appallingly bad conditions, Otago University and Canterbury University College fought to a rousing draw in the annual match, played at Lancaster Park yesterday. The handful of spectators who braved the bitterly cold weather and south-west rain were rewarded by as good an exhibition of the game as could be imagined in the circumstances. Water was lying on'parts of the field when play began and soon the turf was churned into liquid mud. Both teams, especially Otago, sacrificed effectiveness in their efforts to throw the ball about. The handling of the backs was surprisingly good and it was the difficulty of maintaining a foothold rather than the difficulty of holding passes that prevented each team scoring more than one try. Otago University played with the assistance of the wind and the rain in the first spell, which was dominated by the visiting team, but Canterbury had an even more marked advantage in the second half, when it failed very narrowly in a spirited final 10 minutes to score the try that would have meant victory. Neither side .had its best team in the field, but there were some notable performances by players of both sides. Otago University’s handling in the first spell was remarkable, and only a most determined defence by the home backs, well supported by the forwards, prevented more than one try being scored. Canterbury College also scored its try in the first spell, soon after Otago’s success, so that the scores were level almost throughout the game. Outstanding Backs An outstanding game was played at fullback for Otago by J. Egan, who is in the running for the position of full-back in the Otago representative side, shortly to be vacated by J. M. Taylor, the All Black. Egan fielded the greasy ball faultlessly, either on the full or off the ground, his kicking was extremely accurate, and he showed a fine sense of position. L. Simpson also played brilliantly for Otago. He sent out splendid passes from the base of the scrum and Rave his backs every opportunity to attack. Just as remarkable as the accuracy of Simpson’s long, dive passes, was the certainty with which I. Skelley, at first five-eighths, a former Christ’s College player, received the ball. Every back move, therefore, was given a valuable initial impetus, and it was only because of the extremely sound tackling of the Canterbury back line that the Otago men further out failed to press home the attacks. It was rot a day for back play and the teams were brave to attempt open plav at all. The Otago three-quarters. H. Steele. B. Fyffe, and M. Watt, showed speed and enterprise that must have made them a potent attacking force in better conditions. J. Mee. second five-eighths, made some good openings but handled the ball less certainly than Skelley. The Canterbury backs were given little of the ball in the first spell, and. indeed, they had few chances until the last 10 minutes of the game. Otago University so dominated the scrums that the visitors took scrums instead of line-outs throughout. Still, W. Baillie played a very serviceable game at half-back, and M. P. Donnelly, who had surrendered the halfback position to Baillie, was neat and skilful at first five-eighths. He used the short kick very effectively—a profitable method of attack in the conditions. M. D. Fountain, chosen as a winger, took the place at second five-eighths of P. B. Overton, and played a sound game in spite of his lack of experience. C. V. Dickenson ran very well at centre, and he was unlucky that some of his thrusts in the final stages failed to bring scores. W. V. Hadfield made a good job of marking Steele. W. K. Dougall. on the other wing, and E. M. Hay, full-back, played soundly considering the conditions.

Evenly-Matched Packs The packs were very evenly matched, the Canterbury College forwards showing more fire in the loose than they have done in many recent club games. A. Lake G S. Walter, and L. A. Martin played an effective roving game, with P. ,G. Roberts and R. G. Hogg also often joining in the loose rushes, G. T. J. Wilson had little success with his hooking, but ne was a hard-working leader of the pack in the tight. , , . Otago University had some excellent forwards. They were well led by the captain. C. Mack, a tall lock, and T. Trott, who has gained representative honours for Otago this year. P. Foote, formerly of St. Andrew’s College, and E. Vosailagi, were lively in the loose, and with P. Thodev ‘proved effective in the line-outs-C. McKee, a sound utility man. played a good game in the front row. He has played as a winger in Dunedin matches. Like Foote. McKee learnt his football in Christchurch, where he was captain ot the Boys’ High School. The Teams The teams were as follows: — OTAGO UNIVERSITY Full-back: J. Egan. „ „ „ Three-quarters; H. Steele, B. Fyffe, M. Watt. Five-eighths: J. Mee, L Skelley. Half-back. L. Simpson. Forwards—Back-ranker: P. Thodey. Middle row: E. Vosailagi, C. Mack, T. Trott. P. Foote. Front row: C. F. McKee, M. Wall, L. Sprague. CANTERBURY COLLEGE Full-back: E. M. Hay. Three-quarters; W. V. Hadfield, C. V. Dickenson. W. K. Dougall. Five-eighths: M. D. Fountain, M. P. Donnelly. Half-back: W. Baillie. Forwards —Back-ranker: L. A. Martin. Middle row: A. Lake, R. G. Hogg, P. G. Roberts. G. S. Walter. Front row: J. N. Murphy, G. T. J. Wilson, M. Gomez. Otago Scores First Otago made good use of the wind to set up hot attacks in the first few minutes of the game. Dougall brought Watt down with a dive tackle when the Otago man was nearly over at the corner. From a short scrum, however, Skelley received and dived over, Egan missed the kick. Otago 3, Canterbury 0. Egan made a save worthy of J. M. Taylor when Dougall and Dickenson chased hard after a long kick by Donnelly. The Canterbury forwards were irresistible, and when the ball was kicked across field Lake anticipated well, kicked over the line, and scored. The spell ended: Otago 3, Canterbury 3. The Otago line was soon threatened when the- second spell began. The home forwards were unlucky when the ball rolled into touch a yard from the corner, eluding the fast-following Canterbury forwards. Otago cleared, but Canterbury was soon back. Donnelly caught the defence on the wrong foot with a clever kick and Roberts and Martin kicked through. Again Canterbury was unlucky, the ball going into touch-ln-goal just before Roberts dived for it—head-first into a puddle of water at the corner. In the closing stages the Canterbury backs threw the ball about enterprisingly. Once Dickenson cut through, but Dougall, inches from the line, failed to hold a difficult pass. Again Dickenson’s pass to Dougall was cut off after Baillie had made a good run from a scrum to set his backs going. The final score was: Otago University 3, Canterbury College 3. Referee: Mr R. W. Blazey.