RUGBY FOOTBALL Canterbury Beaten, 16-6, In Dull Game With Otago

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27444, 2 September 1954, Page 14

RUGBY FOOTBALL Canterbury Beaten, 16-6, In Dull Game With Otago

"The PreM" Special Service

DUNEDIN, September 1. Canterbury was beaten by Otago by 16 points to ,6 in an uninspiring game at Carisbrook today. The match was spoiled by the tactics of the inside backs of both teams, who continually kicked for touch. A blustery wind did not help. Neither team was at full strength. A crowd of 4000 to 5000 saw the game.

With nothing at stake and the ground in ideal condition for open football, the match could have been one of the brightest of the season, but few attempts were made to give any life or colour to the play. Otago had the edge for most of the game, showing more fire in the forwards and finish in the backs. Canterbury was more spasmodic, and threw away several scoring opportunities by fumbling and dropping passes. Otago’s play also was not without flaws. The three-quarters, with D. B. Leadbetter the chief offender, often had handling lapses and allowed reasonable opportunities to slip away.

Although shaded by Otago, the Canterbury forwards were far from a beaten pack at the end. S. F. Hill and L. Davies played excellently in the line-outs, with Hill impressive in other phases of the game. K. F. Meates was one of the most formidable players in the open. On three occasions he burst through, and it was from one of these that Canterbury scored a try. The front-row prop, J. D. Stewart, played well In the tight, and at the back of the scrum J. J. Small covered his backs efficiently. The Canterbury backs were not aseffective a combination as Otago’s, but were good in individual breaks. The best were C. A. McDonald, on the

wing, and D. Taylor, at centre. Both had plenty of speed and might have proved formidable had the ball come to them in more favourable positions. D. D. Wilson, at first ■five-eighths, was patchy, and spent much of the game trying to catch Archer. At full-back, D. Mayo was safe at most times. He fielded high kicks neatly, and also made a few ventures into the backline. Tries were scored for Otago by D. Gillespie, G. Nicholson, and L. T. Kovaleski. W. C. Wilson converted two tries and kicked a goal from a penalty. For Canterbury, McDonald scored two tries.

SECOND GRADE MATCH

CANTERBURY NARROWLY BEATEN

•The Press’* Special Service DUNEDIN, Sept. L A strong second-half effort by Canterbury nearly succeeded when Canterbury met Otago in a second-grade game at Carisbrook today. Otago won by 19 points to 17. It was a bright game, with the backs making every endeavour to keep play open. Otago had the game well in hand up to half-time, but a determined bid in the second spell by Canterbury had the home team hard pressed. Otago’s points came from tries by Porter (2), A. McMillan, and I. McKenzie (2). Brosnan converted two tries. For Canterbury, B. Logan (2), Kermode, and B. Kelly scored tries. M. Inglis dropped a goal, and D. Anderson converted a try.