Wresiling CANTERBURY AND SOUTHLAND DRAW IN SHIELD MATCH

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28963, 3 August 1959, Page 13

Wresiling CANTERBURY AND SOUTHLAND DRAW IN SHIELD MATCH

Canterbury amateur wrestlers failed in their attempt to win the Mclnnes Challenge Shield from Southland on Saturday night at the Linwood Toe H Gymnasium, each team winning five bouts Canterbury, without several of its leading amateurs, had a comparatively novice team, which nevertheless, fared well against more experienced opponents. R. Kavanagh, Canterbury champion, secured Canterbury's first win in his fly-weight bout against R Gopi after three rounds of rugged wrestling. The first minute of the match was quiet with neither taking any chances, but eventually Kavanagh took Gopi to the mat with a head chancery and with a leg scissors held him pinned lor a neai fall. Gopi extricated himself but al the end ot the round was held once more with a body hold.

In the second round Kavanagh took Gopi down again and tried with a lift turnover for a tall, changing swiftly to a leg grapevine Kavanagh was within a fraction ol an .rich of a lali. but Gopi lought him off. In i the final round Gopi. diving or Kavanagh's legs, was trapped into a cradle hold and nearly pinned, but good bridging kept him out ol danger to the final bell. Kavanagh won on points. Symes Impressive R. Symes, a first-ycar amateur, impressed against the strong Southland wrestler. R. White. White bustled Symes from the opening bell, but Symes cooly countered until he was brought to the mat with a leg. trip and Symes then surprised with his counter moves, switching out of i dangerous position and putting White on the defence. In the second round Symes threw White with a perfect headlock and cross buttock, just missing the fall White rolled out of the hold but on etting to his feet was trapped once more m a similar throw, lack ol balance once more denying Symes lhe fall.

Symes again in the third round nearly caught White napping, this time with a perfectly applied doublearm chancery, but lack of experience caused him to be trapped into a half nelson arm chancery hold, and from this White received enough point* to give him the win.

The only fall gained during the 10 bouts was taken by J. Stanley, lhe Southland welter-weight, who beat K. Aitken after Aitken had been on defence throughout. Stanley attacked all the time giving Aitken little rest and little time to settle down. Each time he was aken to the mat Aitken showec food defence with bridging and switching, but eventually he was trapped with a double-arm chancerychat resisted all attempts to break. Fast Bout The feather-weight bout between W. Reynish (Canterbury) and T Kinzett was the fastest of the night, with both wrestlers close to falls throughout, but each showed a good knowledge of thq, necessary counters. The bout opened with Kinzett bringing Reynish down with a neatly applied winglock, holding Reynish in an arm lock to the mat. Reynish countered with a double arm roll, and Kinzett was in trouble until Reynish overreached and Kinzett then look over the holding role Kinzett took the initiative early in the second round and switched vainly from hold to hold in an endeavour to pin the elusive Reynish. who although unable to fight clear still kept his shoulders off the canvas. The final round was fought at a fast pace, with Reynish eventually securing a cradle hold. Kinzett eventually broke clear, but was immediately trapped in an arm and leg lock, the final bell preventing an almost certain fall. Results of matches, with Canterbury names first were:— Feather-weight.—B. Tallot lost to E. Burgess on points: R. Symes lost o R. White, on points: W. Reynish oeat T. Kinzett on points. Fly-weight.—R Kavanagh beat R Gopi on points. Light-weight.—D. Crossen beat B Dromfield on pojnts; G. Wilson and E. Mitchell drew: B. Halligan losl to C. Phillips, on points. Welter-weight.—K. Aitken lost to I Stanley on a fall. Middle-weight.—F. Nicholls and L Diack drew’.

Light Heavy-weight.—C. Smith beat F. Barrow. on points. The referees w’ere Messrs J. Mclnnes. R. Moir, and D. Cowie; and the fudges were Messrs J. Pocock. M. Fearnley. B. Roberts. M. MeNam, B. Hadcroft and P. Moore.