The Ranfurly Shield Otago Played Brilliant Rugby In Wet Season Of 1948

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28314, 27 June 1957, Page 15

The Ranfurly Shield Otago Played Brilliant Rugby In Wet Season Of 1948

tSpeeially written for "The Press"

by

J. K. MOLONEY]

1948, the Otago side was fully deserving of the title “champion.” Under Mr V G Cavanagh’s guidance, the team functioned like a precision maA’L seven sh ield matches In the 1948 season, Otago scored 175 points, including 41 tries. Its line was crossed only twice, and It conceded only three penalty goals. This record compared favourably with that of the champion Hawke’s Bay team of 1926. A win over Southland was the first match of the season in defence of the shield, played on a very muddy ground. Canterbury was overwhelmed. 31-0, with Otago playing brilliant wetweather football The way was paved by the home forwards, and their backs handled the greasy ball exceptionally well. Wanganui. which was having one of its most successful seasons, was beaten.

Hawke’s Bay made a bold effort to take the shield in the next challenge. The score was 12-6 in favour of Otago, with only one try being scored, and that by Otago. Poverty Bay was beaten, 40-0. in a match in which the winners gave an excellent display of aquatic Rugby. The ground was almost a swamp, with the forwards splashing their way through, and the Otago backs once more handling faultlessly. Players Away With 11 of its regular players touring South Africa with the All Blacks, Otago did well to hold the shield throughout 1949. The first challenge, from Buller, resulted in a draw, 6-6. The new forwards were not particularly impressive. but they improved greatly in the next match, against Manawatu. The final score was 22-3. Southland challenged again and was beaten, 6-3. In drizzling rain the forwards were well matched, and the defending side’s backs showed more speed and penetra-r tion. Waikato was well beaten, 27-5, in a special challenge. Taranaki, thought to be. the strongest union in the North Island, made a gallant last-minute bid in its match to take the shield, but Otago won by 6 points to 5. Each side scored one try.

The year 1950 was an incredible one in the history of the Ranfurly Shield, with five unions

holding the shield in turn. Canterbury provided the first surprise of the season, as it had not been a well-performed side, apart from a good showing against the touring Australians the season before. The Otago forwards were beaten in rucking, which was usually their strong point. The visiting forwards were more mobile, and the score could have easily been greater in their favour. The winning team was:— Stuart; Smith, Lynch, Simpson; Houghton, Kearney; Vincent; Stuart. Hardie, Dalzell, Duff, Herman, Bond, Young, Couling. The score was 8-0. 16 Days Canterbury beta the trophy for only 16 days, before losing it to Wairarapa. A field goal by Mahupuka was the only score, although Wairarapa fully deserved its win. The Canterbury forwards seemed upset on the only hard turf which they had that season. South Canterbury restored the shield to the South Island by beating Wairarapa in its first defence. The score was 17-14. This was South Canterbury’s first shield victory, and its team was:—J. Goddard; Stoddart, M. P.

Goddard, Taylor; Moore, Doherty; Green; Grant, Eathorne, Bryce, Comer, Cormack, Hobbs, Casey, Smith. Grant and M. P. Goddard were mainly responsible for their team’s victory. The winning try was scored a few minutes before full time, after the defenders had looked certain to retain the shield half-way through the second half. This match demonstrated the tremendous value to a team of having a few players of class. When Grant and Goddard were playing at their best, the whole South Canterbury side seemed to be. transformed from an average side to a very formidable one. South Canterbury’s tenure of the shield was the same length as that of Wairarapa—l4 days. North Auckland travelled down on September 30 for a challenge, and the shield changed hands for the fourth time in two months. The final score was 20-9, but kicking decided the issue for North Auckland, as each side scored two tries. The North Auckland backs threatened all through the match, and the challengers fully deserved their win. The visiting back line of Dunn; Cherrington, Smith, Beazley; Smith, Perrin,' and Paewai was exceptionally fast, and it always played entertaining Rugby. This ended the 1950 season, in which the shield travelled all over New Zealand.