LEAGUE AT DUNEDIN

Press, Volume C, Issue 29602, 26 August 1961, Page 9

LEAGUE AT DUNEDIN

Although the Canterbury Rugby League team which will play Otago at the Caledonian Ground, Dunedin, today, is not of the same strength of previous sides this season, it is capable of running up a big score, and it is hoped that it turns on an impressive exhibition, to give the code a much-needed boost in Dunedin. It is difficult to ascertain the possibilities of the Otago side, as this season Otago has played no representative fixtures. But if the team is to be compared with its sole representative at the national coaching school, R. Lonergan, Otago will field a team of only a similar standard to ; that of a Canterbury club side. Lonergan, who is the New Zealand Universities judo champion, appeared a little out of his depth at the coaching school, mainly through lack of experience. Otago, too, will be without two of its leading lights of former years—R. Billington is now in Christchurch, and J Constable is playing in Auckland. Last year at the Show Grounds a Canterbury XIII beat < tago, 27-18, but today Canterbury will be fielding for the first time against Otago the best team that is available. The selectors have once more kept to their policy of retaining the same players for representative games throughout the season, although with the long club season several of the players are showing signs of staleness. Much will depend on the service the new half-back, K. Harding, gives to his outsides.