RUGBY FOOTBALL Canterbury Beats Stuart’s Team In Care-Free Game

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27471, 4 October 1954, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL Canterbury Beats Stuart’s Team In Care-Free Game

rhe 1954 Rugby season in Canterbury J-pd at Lancaster Park on Saturday, SSi the Ranfurly Shield team played rare-free match against a fifteen ‘iL-ted by the All Elacks captain, R. rgtuart. The match was arranged the dependants of Colin Bailey, a Anular young member of the Lin-

Sd senior reserve team who died “Jn injuries suffered when playing Jrjjjs club in a competition game. A crowd of 9000 paid for admission n the match and with the proceeds Ilin tickets sold by football clubs be-2-Tthe game it is expected that beE 5> n £l2OO and £l3OO will be Zjjsed. The exact amount, however, announced in a day or two. Bob Stuart’s selection of a team was good one, and it scored 22 points to •miterbury's 23. The team included a e r veterans who had helped to make :ug by history in Canterbury, and some good players from other proLinwood club was represented v G. Argus, an outstanding wing J-ee-quarters a few years, who for usiness reasons, declined the offer of trip to South Africa with the All Hacks in 1949, after playing with the .gcessful Kiwis team, and by W. Mc[llgh a Canterbury representative rom 1940 to 1947. Linwood also had nother interest in the North Otago orward. E. R. Jones, whose father laved f° r club and Canterbury ) years ago. D. R- Herman, who has played senior ootball since 1935 and has captained gams from club football to the South was a popular. captain of part’s team and showed in the early art of this game that the years have his brilliance as a line-out Gerard, nor made less effective his bort sharp bursts down the field. Men who had played for other proinces in Ranfurly Shield matches gainst Canterbury this season included L Fairbrother, the South Canterbury ull-back. R. W. Gilson, the brilliant jouthland wing, who played centre jjeHluarters this time, and W. famm, the snowy-haired Buller frontanker, who is almost as well known t Lancaster Park as many Canterbury layers. D. Oliver, now of Wellington and,a lember of the 1953-54 AH Blacks, was late defection from the selected 15. ut the team lost little in strength hen his place was taken by L. A. lark, a speedy No. 8 and a brother ) the All Black, Bill Clark. W. Harreaves, who came from Dannevirke > take part in , the game was wellnown in Christchurch a few ears ago when a member of the Cantrbury University College club, and L A. Palmer, a prominent Merivale alwart, came on in the second spell B an emergency. G. Bond (Albion) nd C. Hardie (Sydenham), well known i the Canterbury colours, came out f retirement to help in the good cause, ndP. Kearney (Marist) and A. Cochine (Christchurch), who act as oacbes for their clubs’ senior teams, towed they had not lost aH form. L Brocklebank. a member of the Welngton touring team, took the place [ R. G. Bowers. P. Creedy (Marist) nd K. Fincham (Ellesmere), from the iarfurly Shield training squad, made p a team that helped to provide a plendid exhibition of carefree footalL Selector Plays Although the Canterbury representaves did not perform with the same our determination that has made them iew Zealand’s champion team, the opposition was strong enough to debar iem from taking too many risks. P. astgate and S. F. Hill, the star forwards. and D. D. Wilson, the mercurial ve-eighths, were feeling the need of spell after a hard season’s work, but nison was pressed into service as a ine-umpire. n the last 10 minutes, J. G. Rankin, u.c of the selectors and coach of the!

shield team, who was expected to take over the whistle from Bob Stuart anav3 ln \ h h e White and played on the side of the scrum in vptf e Hardle - He made several valiant but unsuccessful efforts to upset the wily five-eighths, P. B. Vincent who had bren replaced at half-back by

, h P ot ; h t j an \ s t°.be commended on th K- s * andar< i °t their play in a game which gave much pleasure to a big crowd. Members of both sides would a so , £ter ground than Lancaster Park oval presented, but even the hard surface did not dampen their enthusiasm in a game that was meant to provide bright football and good entertainment. Some of the credit dVoS g ? od game provided goes to Bob Stuart, who exercised a wise control of the play, and used the advantage rule to good effect. Wearing sandnh<L eS c. lns . tead of sprigged boots. was P r °t>ably more comfortable than some of the players It x. a i *l? p P y - well-contended crowd which left Lancaster Park at the end or the last game of the season. Following were the teams:— Canterbury: D. Mayo; M. Dixon, R. Smith, A. E. G. Elsom; D. Tavlor; J. Waine; P. Vincent; N. Roberts, K. Meates X Mauger, N. Teague, J. Small, E. Bullmore, D. Young E Hern In the second spell, Smith and Elsoni were replaced by R. Blick and C. McDonald, and J. Mauger by L. Davies Bob Stuart’s Fifteen: H. Fairbrother (South Canterbury); W. Argus, R. W. Gilson (Southland). A. Cochrane- P Kearney, R. Brocklebank (Wellington); P. Creedy; D. Herman, W. Hargreaves «? a « ke ’ s Bay) ’ G - Bond ’ K - Fincham, VV. Mumm (Buller), E. R. Jones (North Otago), A. L. Clark (Wellington). W. McHugh, A. Palmer, and J. Rankin replaced Argus, Mumm, and Hardie during the second sn*»ii. The flay The game had no sooner started than Herman put the crowd in a good humour with one of his short-striding dashes and bumped 'x>ff would-be tacklers in a manner which he had made familiar years ago. Jones took the pass from Herman and kicked to the centre, and when Mayo stemmed the attack. Creedy returned the play to the Canterbury twenty-five with a long line-finder. There was a burst of sympathetic applause when Fairbrother was awarded a penalty kick. A combined passing rush in which Clark and Gilson were associated, just missed a try. The Stuart’s Fifteen forwards continued the effort, and Mumm was the scorer in a rush that took the ball over the line. Stuart’s XV 3, Canterbury 0. Vincent’s kick-off was taken by Herman. who again bumped off would-be tacklers and sent to Brocklebank, who carried on play until Dixon worked a clever feint scissors-pass and took the play to the Stuart quarters. A few minutes later when Canterbury was pinned on its own line and Mayo had cleverly got his side out of difficulties. there were good-humoured cries of “Windy.” The sympathies of the crowd were with Stuart’s team. Waine broke through with an electric burst but Elsom dropped a pass from Dixon when the line was in sight. Dixon, who' had damaged one of his boots, retired to the pavilion with the boot in his hand, and a loud voice demanded, ‘’Call the blacksmith.” His place in the meantime was taken by the utility forward, N. Roberts. Smith muffed a cross-kick from Waine and Creedy opened up play which was carried on by Herman and transferred to Clark, who showed the speed of a Ron Jarden in racing away for an excellent try. Fairbrother’s kick hit a post and rebounded. Stuart’s XV 6, Canterbury 0. Receiving a quick pass from Vincent, Waine, who attempted a cut-in, found there was no easy way to the I goal-line when he was unceremoni-!

ously up-ended by Hargreaves, who was playing particularly well. Passing between Hargreaves, Argus, and Clark ended in Clark scoring a second try, which earned applause. Fairbrother converted and Stuart’s XV led by 11 points to 0. Cochrane just missed a try when a cross-kick by Brocklebank bounced awkwardly. Vincent and Taylor, by good combined work, took play back, and Meates scored a try between the posts after Hern arid Waine had handled. From a standing kick, Meates converted his own try in the manner of a Frank Fryer. Stuart’s XV 11, Canterbury 5 Smith, Waine, and Dixon carried on a run started by Vincent, but a penalty for offside play stopped a promising movement. The opportunity was taken full advantage of by Fairbrother, who kicked a penalty goal from a difficult position.

At half-time Stuart’s XV led by 14 points to 5.

In the second spell, C. McDonald and R. Blick replaced Elsom and Smith. Meates. Dixon, and Bullmore were well stopped by Kearney, and when Argus and Gilson broke through the opening was there for Hargreaves to score a try which Fairbrother converted, Stuhrt’s XV 19, Canterbury 5. With a deficit of 14 points to make up, the Canterbury backs and forwards. well served by Vincent; went into action with some thrilling passing, the ball being thrown about with delightful freedom. Blick was, well tackled by Gilson when a try seemed likely, but McDonald restarted the movement with Taylor and Roberts to give Hern a try under the posts. Hern converted his try. Stuart’s XV 19. Canterbury 10. A penalty to Canterbury was shortkicked to Dixon, who made a weaving run before passing forward. A long run by McDonald and Dixon sent the ball to Waine, who scored a try which he could not convert. Stuart’s XV 19. Canterbury 13

Canterbury was playing in its best form and after some jvhirlwind passing by backs and forwards. Dixon scored and converted a try. Stuart’s XV 19. Canterbury 18. Mumm left the field and Palmer went on, and Davies replaced Mauger. Stuart’s XV went further ahead with a penalty try, but Fairbrother took things too casually and kicked a poster. Stuart’s XV 22, Canterbury 18. Vincent had a pot at goal and though the elevation was bad the ball bounded off the ground and over the bar, showing plainly the hardness of the ground. Canterbury took the lead for the first time in the game when Blick scored after a long run, which McHugh made a gallant effort to stop. Davies took the kick and converted. Canterbury won by 23 points (four goals from tries and a try) to 22 points (two goals from tries. 3 tries, and a penalty goal). Mr R. C. Stuart was referee.