RANFURLY SHIELD CHANGES HANDS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25253, 4 August 1947, Page 5

RANFURLY SHIELD CHANGES HANDS

RUGBY FOOTBALL

Successful Challenge By Otago

SOUTHLAND BEATEN

17—11 ** The Press ’’ Special Service INVERCARGILL, August 3. Southlands long tenure of the Ranfurly Shield was ended by Otago in the first challenge match of 'the season, at Rugby Park, Invercargill, on Saturday. The game was played in brilliant weather. :nd on a fast turf, which enabled the fast Otago backs to get going ti many thrilling runs.

It was the speed of tne challengers’ tacks which gave Otago a victory by 17 points to 11. The Southland forwaids conceded seven stone in the scrums, but crce again proved their great strength and tenacity by winning a majority of the scrums and line-outs Without their good work. Southland would have been beaten more decisively. As it was Otago's y.in was much more clearly defined than the six points which separated the teams. Southland did not deserve to win. Its backs played disappointingly, particularly the inside backs, whose defence was not in keening with the traditional SouthIrnd solidity. R. R.»Elvidge scored two tries bv breaking the middle defence with apparent ease. He played a captain’s game, running stronglv and making openings. and defending resolutely when called unon to ch~ck the few breaks by the Southland backs, and the manv foot rushes of the Southland forwards A record crowd of 21.000 saw the game. Il included about 5000 visitors f-nm Ot 'go The gate reeeints totalled £2320. which was a rreo r d for inter-provincial Rugbv in New Zealand.

The pace of the Otago backs was displaved in the first five minutes of the game. I A Co’onhovn. a fo-mer WNJ ngton five-eiehths. short-punted and the suonorting we»*e un to A. Sutherland. thr- Southland full-back, in a flash. I J. Potting, the Otago wing-three-quar-ters kicked the ball over the line and outpaced the defenders, to score after four minutes of play

Southland retaliated, mainly by good forward work, and after M. P. Grace had kicked over the heads of the advancing Otago backs, three forwards carried on tr the line, where G. Kennedy snapped Up and scored at the corner.

Territorial Advantage In the first half. Southland, helped by a steady breeze, and the sun, kept up a decided territorial advantage, and at halftime led by 11 points to 6, G. Spittle scored and L. Ward converted, and Ward also kicked a penalty goal. For Otago, J. M. Tanner scored at thg end of a thrilling run from near halfwt y. Many breaks by the Otago backs in the Second half had visiting supporters wildly excited, but it was not until after 2J minutes that there was any change in the score. Cclquhoun used the sun to put Sutherland in trouble. He failed to sight the ball, the bounce beat him, ana he only partly got his hands to the bail. A. Chandler went back to help h m, and picked ,up in an offside position in front of the posts. R. Orr kicked the goal which gave Otago a one-point lead. Southland made determ.ned attempts to regain the lead, but they were unsuccessful, and Elvidge put the result beyond doubt by scoring a brilliant solo try’ aitei brushing off a tackle.

Remarkable enthusiasm marked the closing scenes, and when the whistle was blown, wildly-excited Otago suppoiters rushed on the field and carried off their team shoulder high.

O.ago will now defend the shield against North Auckland next Saturday, and if the challenge is withstood, Otago will play Auckland on Wednesday. August 20. Saturday’s game was Southland’s thirteenth in succession for the shield. Southland will probably challenge Otago this season, provided that Otago holds the shield on September 13, the date of the return match at Dunedin.

Otago has a strong, but not invincible turn. but cm its own ground it will be hard to beat. Otago has big and heavy forwards and speed among the backs much above the average.