Ranfurly Shield

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27150, 21 September 1953, Page 8

Ranfurly Shield

Canterbury’s success in the ? Ranfurly Shield match at Wellington on 1 Saturday will delight Rugby en- ‘ . thusiasts in this province; and it will j delight them more because there i was no doubt whatever that Can- , ’ terbury won by playing much better s ■ than its opponent. Since it won * ! the shield from Waikato earlier in , ■ the season, Wellington had survived I • challenges from five unions and, • except in the case of Otago, it had i very comfortable wins. Canter- J ; bury’s record and the performances ( ; of its players in the All Black trial i ■ matches suggested that Wellington - ; would, have its stiffest test on Satur- . . day from a union with form about i equal to its own. In the event it ■ • was not a "battle of giants”. One ■ i “giant" retained, and increased, its ; stature. The other fell sadly from 1 grace. The reasons will be debated ’ extensively by Rugby writers and ■ enthusiasts; they need not be r debated here, though it may be rej marked that sound Rugby principles i were the sinews of Canterbury’s ' handsome win. For the strength • shown by the Canterbury team on -■ Saturday, the Canterbury players, : coaches and selectors must be con- & gratulated heartily. This is not the e place for mentioning individual '• pldyers, but in unusual circumi, stances, an exception is proper. R. C. Stuart had a week of remarkable and satisfying experiences. He i played two very Wood games in the • final AR Black 'trial and in the > Ranfurly Shield match; he was ” appointed captain of the AU Black s. touring team; as captain of the Can- > terbury team he received the - Ranfurly Shield and brought it back i- to Canterbury. Special congratu- £ lations must be given to him. r- Since Canterbury won the Ranfurly Shield from Otago in August, ;e 1950—and lost it to Wairarapa 17 s, days afterwards—the shield has regained some of the lustre it lost >■ during its long stay in Otago; it has j; shone rather more brightly as a trophy in the game and not something to which the sparkle of Rugby needed be cubordinated. It is

satisfying that the present very good Canterbury team is one eminently suited to defending the shield in that tradition. Canterbury will hope to hold the shield for some time, though remembering its humbling experience with the not very highly regarded Wairarapa team three years ago, Canterbury should never be over-confident. But whether one challenge is met or many more, Canterbury players and spectators will follow an example in the best sporting tradition if defeat and disappointment are taken, when they come, as well as they were by the Wellington players and spectators at Athletic Park on Saturday.