Arnold hobbled off the field at Rugby Park after steering the Cantabrians to a shock, 11-9, win against the men who will defend the Ranfurly Shield this season.

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32362, 30 July 1970, Page 19

Arnold hobbled off the field at Rugby Park after steering the Cantabrians to a shock, 11-9, win against the men who will defend the Ranfurly Shield this season.

The game was supposed to be a solid workout for the shield team, but it turned into an Arnold benefit. The redheaded full-back scored all his side’s points—a try between the posts, the conversion and two dropped goals.

The second of his dropped goals will be talked about for years by those who were fortunate enough to see it Arnold was in considerable pain from a kick in the ankle, and at one stage he started to walk towards the chang-

ing rooms. But he changed his mind, and stayed on the field to win the game for his team.

Spectacular Finish

He caught a clearing kick by L. J. Davis high above his head, stood still for a few seconds, then side-stepped the first of the on-coming forwards and drop-kicked a magnificent goal from 45 yards. His effort came only a minute from the end of the game.

Canterbury looked likely to run up another half-century of points when some polished rucking by the forwards and hard running by the backs produced a try for the new player, H. Missen, in the second minute of the match. But the only other points the side obtained were from two penalty goals kicked by the full-back, S. C. M. Murray. The team went through its drills efficiently, but the passing lacked both crispness and purpose, and most of the thrusts for the line were smothered by the Cantabrians’ cover defence.

Possession Wasted

The loose forwards, L H. Penrose, A. Matheson and S. E. Cron, initiated several promising movements, and Matheson, shrugging off the effects of a sore shoulder, pressed deep into Cantabrians’ territory with his bullocking runs.

Davis, constantly harassed by R. Mahan, contrived to get his backs away smartly, and L. G. Legge, who ran into his passes confidently, and Missen, who showed sharpness at second five-eighths, displayed a willingness to set up attacks.