OTAGO RETAINS SHIELD

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25289, 15 September 1947, Page 5

OTAGO RETAINS SHIELD

fUGBY FOOTBALL

Southland Beaten In Hard Game CLOSE FORWARD STRUGGLE

••The Press” Special Service DUNEDIN, Sept. 13. ntaeo withstood sou Juana s cnallenge the Ramuny Shielu at Larisbrook on Kukwy, a dour ’ haid - tu usht ov 8 points to 0. utago s score cunged uf a goal from a try and a goal 'rarely reached the brilliant X hts reveaied in the first game, when won the shield, and the issue, to w p eat extent, was lought out by two tiTri hard-ruckmg pacKs of forwards, insiae backs proved inade.«Se m attack, so it waj not surprising -t Southland tiled to keep the game Had it not been tor Lhe Oriu iant by Southland's hooker, the iormex BlacK, J- Mcßae, whicn gave his side 're than its fair share of the ball from set scrums, Otago’s winning margin probably have been greater, rtaeo’s backs were faster and more rer—ceful- The defence of both sides was and neither side was given much L-tude in attack. The ground was in excellent order, al♦hnueh a little on the soft side. The npndance was officially estimated at and the gate takings were £2340, record for an interprovincial match. 1 The'first half ended with the score 3 minis to oin Otago's favour. The points «me from a penalty goal kicked from {te twenty-five by J. C. Kearney.

O’Connor Prominent In Otago Loose rushes, the country forwards, D. Hamilton, J. McNab, and L. R. Harvey were always prominent. The tu-n best all-round Otago lorwards, howpver were C. Willocks and K. J. O’Connor ’ Willocks made one or two powerful bursts and O’Connor did much valuable rushes topping. In the second half his supporting work was brilliant, his pace and anticipation leading to his being on hand when the Otago captain, R. R. Elvidge, went through on the blind side. O'Connor went across under the posts, and Kearney converted. The Otago inside backs were closely watched by the fast-breaking Southland flanking forwards, S. R. Pittaway and J. R Stuck. Elvidge, in particular, was well marked, but when he elected to go on his own he was a danger to the opposing nde Elvidge again shone in cover defence, and his tackling was deadly. Closer to the scrum, Woodhouse and Kearney had an excellent understanding, and Kearney was the best back on the ground. Time after time, when the Southland forwards had won hard-earned ground, he drove them back with well-judged kicks to the line, and while at first he was content to send the ball on in attacking movements, as the game progressed he diverted the attention of the challengers from Elvidge by his sharp thrusts up tae centre of the field. G. J. Moore, who was always looking for work, was the most impressive of the Otago three-quar-ter line. The full-backs, R. Orr (Otago) and T. R. D. Webster, were no| often under heavy pressure, but both ’played welL It was Webster’s first representative game since the All Black tour, and his positional play was superior to that of the Otago man. His fielding was also surer, and there was greater length in his kicking. Orr, however, showed considerable improvement in the second half, when he played with more confidence. Sutherland Plays Well D. M. Brown and T. A. Budd held the Southland forwards together admirably, and were prominent for the all-round excellence of their play. Southland packed a short but solid front row, and Mcßae, whose brilliant hooking was a feature of the game, was well supoorted by G. H. Cameron and the All Black, L. S. Connolly. Behind the Southland pack, the 18-year-old half-back, J. T. McKenzie, gave a plucky display, but found difficulty in maintaining touch with- his supports, F. H. Stewart and N. J. Bennett, who were uncertain in handling and showed little thrust. The defence of all three, however, was beyond reproach, and Bennett’s marking of Elvidge had a good deal to do with keeping the Otago captain under restraint. The Southland threequarters had to make the most of the play for themselves, because of the number of ■mvements which broke down close to he scrum. A. G. Sutherland, a former South .sland representative, showed speed off the mark, and his strong running, powerful fend, and resourceful play stamped him as the most impressive wing three-quarters-in the match. L. F. Ward, at was thoroughly workmanlike, and “he would have been a danger in attack with more opportunities. He was rpcklike in defence, and kept a tight rein on J. M. Tanner. Mr J. Fitzpatrick, Wellington, was the referee. The final shield challenge, against North Otago, will be played on September 27.