FORWARDS ON TOP

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 263, 3 August 1936, Page 11

FORWARDS ON TOP

Otago Pack Plays Great Game PACE ON ALL THE WAY Dominion Spectai Service Dunedin, Augimt 1. The game was played at a remarkable pace throughout, both teams showing evidence of intensive training. The visitors started exceptionally well, but once the defending forwards .settled down to their job they played far better together ano showed more finish and cleverness lhe first half was fairly evenly contested, and at half-time the match was far from won. In the second half, however, the home players were largely in the ascendancy, though the heavy going kept the score down. The Southland forwards had the better of the earlier scrums, but once the Otago pack settled down it secured more than -a fair share of possession. . In a pack which in the end held the mastery every man pulled his weight. Parkhill. Hore, and Green were three who excelled, especially in the loose, for all battled in the tight. Watt, the Sensational. Behind the serum the home side was more impressive than the challenging one. Simon gave a wonderful display at half-back, in both attack and defence, and his anticipation was remarkable. Trevathan, the first five-eighth, was on the slow’ side, but again proved the value of his boot by potting a goal and drop-kick ing a penalty goal, and kicking a penalty from a place. Gillies, the second nvceighth, was the most penetrating baek on the ground, and at times chopped the defence in two. Smith, at centre, was the weakest link in the chain, his passing being weak Watt, Otago’s flying wing-thi'eequar-ter, gave one of the most brilliant displays ever seen on a wet surface at Carisbrook. His sure handling and pace on attack were remarkable. He early gave his opponents a taste of his quality when he sprinted three parts of the field before being pushed out at the corner nag, and he capped a wonderful afternoon s work when he beat three men in a great sprint down the sideline and completed the effort by crossing in the arms of two defenders, to score a sensational try. Mitchell. Southland’s All Black, thoroughly justified the high opinion helo of him. Playing on the wing in the first half he was easily the most impressive of

the visiting rearguard, and in the second half he gave a fine exhibition at centrethreequarter.

RECORD SHIELD CROWD But Vacant Seats in the Stand! By Telegraph—l’ress Association Dunedin, August 1. A record for an attendance at Carisbrook and also for a Ranfuriy Shield match was achieved yesterday. The official estimate of the attendance is between 26,000 and 27,000, and the gate receipts, so far as the figures can be compiled, give a total of over £l5OO. For the game between New Zealand and the British team at Dunedin in 1930 the attendance was about 24,00.0, and at the New Zealand v. South Africa match in Dunedin in 1921 it was about 22,000. It was reported on Saturday morning that many seats for the stand could be bought at cheap prices, so cheaply, indeed. that a rumour got about that they were forgeries. The oflicials of the Otago Rugby Union say that there is no truth in such an allegation and that the cheapness was brought about by desperate last-minute efforts by speculators, to get rid of their holdings at any price. There appears to be a doubt whether speculators were successful in their efforts. as many unoccupied seats were noticeable in the grandstand.