BRIGHT RUGBY

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 57, 5 September 1927, Page 14

BRIGHT RUGBY

OTAGO BEATEN

WELLINGTON'S FIFTH WIN

FAST AND OPEN GA3IE

Olago met Wellington at Athletic Park on batuiday afternoon in the first game of their northern tour, and they played a strong hand in making the occasion one of great delight to fully eleven thousand spectators. Fast and nippy backs and keen forwards, rather on the light side presented Wellington's toughest opposition of the season, but, put to the test, the local representatives gave an excellent account of themselves, recording ' their fifth win for as many g ame s this season. The conditions were almost perfect, and the players on both sides made the most of them. A. hot pare was set and niain.tamed, and sparkling play was the order, the backs of both sides showin- up i, many bright efforts. Hardly had the game been set under way than Otago brought off a somewhat sensational score but this effort was only the forerunner to many which made, up a plentiful supply of incident.. From half-back to centrethreequarter Otago's rearguard places were filled by University players, and these were well supported by the wings, notaoiy btuart, who has represented New /.ealand. lliere was any amount o£ fire in this combination, but it had nothiii" on Wellington's formidable back divfsion which played right up to form The local forwards showed an improvement on previous displays, and came through with credit, though still hampered in getting the ball through cleanly from the scrummages. Otago's forward's, thoiHi light, lacked nothing in dash, and' they had a capable leader in Sonntag, another well-known player of rank in New Zealand. Wellington, were well served in the matter of generalship, the experience of eight New Zealand representatives counting for a great deal. Throughout

the game the trend of piny fluctuated a good deal,-but. Wellington-deserved tho win, for-which they had to give their best performance to dat«. The teams were:— Otago.—-Hazelwood; Peterson, Lindsay, Stuart; Ross, Mitchell; Holdcn; Finlayson; Souter, Hindenach, Hore, Sonntag, Collett, Dougherty, Marslin. AVellington.—Malcolm; Elyy, South, Sveuson; Johnson, Nicholls; Kilby; Pqiter; O'Regan, Claridge, Pringlc, Emerson, Taylor, Shearer, Thomas. PLAY IN DETAIL. Otago won the toss ami played with the Bun at then.- backs, giving Wellington the advantage of a light southerly wind, l'rom the kick-off a good pace was set, the AVellington backs being quickly under way, only to bo stopped before getting far. The opposing rearguard then gained possession, Mitchell sending tho ball on to Ross, who made a brilliant cut-in to beat the Wellington backs and clear the way, for Stuart to score a great try near the posts. Lindsay converted. Otago !3 , Wellington 0 Tho brilliance of this unexpected opening effort on the part of tho visitors gave rise to much enthusiasm, and it served to stir tho homo team to vigorous action. The local forwards pressed solidly, but they wcro well held: Nicholls, however, placed Wellington in a likely position with a splendidly judged kick, and from this the backs made a bold.bid for a try, Elvy. being held up nerfr the lino. Other rushes followed, but Otago were not to be caught oft' their guard, although on one occasion Thomas dived across tho line' as the whistle went for an infringement. Several free-kicks assisted the visitors in beating t off Wellington's very determined advances. During ,this period Nicholls unsuccessfully attempted to goal from a free-kick. When Otago at length got clear, their backs innde two attempts to break through, but without success. Wellington had the same experience before Johnson, taking a long pass from Kilby, shook oil' several opponents in cutting through to score under tho posts. Nicholls converted. Otago i n Wellington 5 Play had been fast and interesting, and it continued so. Stuart and Holdcu placed Otago well up, and Wellington retaliated with a good movement, which broke down with a knock-on when the prospects of a try looked good. Each sido in turn made further attacks, mainly of open order, and Otago went close to scoring from a neat blind-side movement. When a kick by Johnson gave Wellington a big advantage territorially, tho local backs set up a Heries of attacks in which tho wings were, however, crowded. .Then Kilby made a neat dnsh, and when ho lost possession Thomas was on hand to gather in tho leather and made for tho line. His try was not converted by Nicholls, though the kick was a good one. Wellington 8 Otago 5

Wellington were playing up better than in previous games, and further passing bouts by the backs gave trouble to Otago. Fortunately for the visitors, a torward pass prevented Elvy from placing another try to Wellington's account. It was not long, however, before the score was increased. Kilby sent the backs away, and Johnson, Nicholls, South, and Svenson all did what was required of them. South came round to take Svensou's pass, and then when the ball was sent infield Porter was on hand to finish off a particularly bright and nippy bout. Nicholls converted. Wellington ]3 Otago '.. '_ 5 There was almost a furthor reverse for the visitors when a relieving kick was charged dc-wi and Nicholls broke through to provide a great opening. The Wellington captain's pass, however, went astray. Otago made headway from a free-kick, and then worked farther ahead on the blind side. In a scramble the ball was kicked through, and Peterson followed up smartly to gain a try. Lindsay's kick failed. j Wellington • 13 Otago 8 The spell was well advanced, but there were more scores to follow before the interval. Malcolm placed Wellington up Z-, ?, ,c , kiek > and i"st afterwards IsichoUs landed a splendid goal from a free-kick. • ■ ' Wellington jq Otago ....; '* 8 The local backs, served by. Porter as I well as lMlby, continued to show up in nippy bouts until Dougherty made a I break-away for the visitors. His pass however, was delayed, and Wellington were able to avert troxible. The relief was but momentary. From half-way the Otago backs'set off in a bright movement, and Stuart, on the wing, carried play well into Wellington's twenty-five. Here there was a scramble, from which Souter. sent the ball out to Stuart, and the: wingthreequarter dashed across and ran round behind the posts for a try which was. easily converted by Lindsay. A splendid first spell ended: — Wellington ]q Otago 13 . THE SECOND HALF. Everything pointed.to the second spell being equally as interesting as the first,

and by the manner in -which tho visitors opened out directly after the interval it was apparent that Wellington were up against it. Otngo's pressure was solid and ere long a fine forward rush ended in llorc scoring in a good position. Lindsay s kick missed. Wellington k; Otago ...■..'........".'" 16 A rally by Wellington was quickly turned, and Otago were again moving in businesslike fashion. During onp advance Mitchell had a "pot" without success. In another case tho ball travelled out to one wing and then right across to the other, much to the delight of spectators. Otago, however, could not get tlirougU. and a free-kick to Wellington sent the visitors back. Other kicks by Nicholls placed the homo team in a good attacking positon, and the backs wore quickly into action. A great opening was created, only to be. lost through a pass too wide for Elvy. Alter this Otago set to work again, tho forwards and backs all going well. lor. a little time they held the upper hand, .but Wellington were not to be denied, and ere long they' were making further advances, getting into Otngo's twenty-five, where Kilby was supported by Porter, who m turn transferred to Johnson. Once again tho last-named was too slippery for the opposition, • and ho scored under the posts, Nicholls converting. Wellington '„.; ny Otago .......!.!'.!] lv Proceedings were as interesting as over' and still the game- was anybody's' though Wellington's all-round form was a distinct improvement on fliat in previous games. Elvy, Pringle, Taylor, Johnson, and Sveuson figured in another bright bout, and a little later SVenson made a great dnsh. Soon afterwards Nicholls made a short kick, and' South and Thomas followed through, pnly to'bo beaten by the bounce. Svenson; however, was in attendance, and he gathered up the leather and dashed across for a try. Nicholls's kick missed.' Wellington 24 Otago 16 Olago were by no means dismayed, and during subsequent play they strived very determinedly to wipb off the deficiency. The backs at times figured in dashing bouts, and tho forwards were conspicuous in good loose rushes. A good chance to score was ottered in a free-kick, but tho attempt failed. Otago did not have tho concluding stages of the game all their own way. Wellington did quite a share of the attacking, and provided Rome of the bright features of play, which was entertaining all the way. Neither sido let up until tho thial whistle.. There was no further scoring, in spile of good play on both sides, Wellington running out winners by a margin of eight points over a team which also performed to the liking of the spectators. The final score was: Wellington 24 Otapo ig ■ Mr. H. S. Lcith controlled the, game,