CAN CANTERBURY?

Evening Star, Issue 19351, 10 September 1926, Page 8

CAN CANTERBURY?

OTAGO'S RECORD OF THREE WINS PROSPECTS FOR TO-MORROW'S CAME Can Canterbury break Otago’s unbeaten record so far this season? That is the question which all enthusiasts are asking to-day, and which will bo answered at Cansbrook to-morrow afternoon, when Otago and Canterbury meet in the annual match. Next to the matches with Southland, Otago’s annual game with Canterbury probably arouses more interest than any other interprovincial fixture in which the local representative team takes part. Since 1878, when the first match was played, Otago and Canterbury have met on forty-six occasions, Otago having twenty-on© wins to its credit, Canterbury seventeen, and eight having been drawn. This year, for a number of reasons, the match is awaited and will be watched with even greater interest than in former years. In the first place, the Otago team has proved victorious in the three games in which it [has taken part, twice against South- ! land and against South Canterbury. Then there is the fact that on Saturday w r eek the Canterbury team is to meet tho redoubtable Hawke’s Bay fifteen that has so effectually defended its title this season as the holder of the Rnnfurly Shield. The results of the Otago-Cantcrbury and the Hawke’s Bay-Canterbury games should give some indication of how Otago may be expected to shape against Hawke’s Bay. Otago has not won a match against Canterbury since 1922, Hie year Otago was tho champion provincial team and boat all-comers. Incidentally, Otago should have had the shield, but local players and enthusiasts were satisfied to have the honor of an unbeaten record. This season Otago has a better chance of beating Canterbury than it lias had since 1922. The team is the youngest the province had had for some years, its members are full of enthusiasm, having confidence, impart plenty of vim and dash into their play, and, most important of all, are well-trained. The Canterbury team is not the best which the province could put into tae field, but still 'it is a very sound combination. On Wednesday it defeated Southland by 8 to 0, but not much can | bo adduced from that result, as the game was played on a ground that was a quagmire, under conditions which did not allow any team to chow its strength. Both teams are young ana ' keen, and a very close match should be | 56 The Otago team all round is an i improvement on the team which deI feated South Canterbury last week, I principally because of the inclusion or Hindenach and Dunne, two forwards j who stood down last Saturday for a I spell. The backs are the same as | before, except that Morgan is not available. Townsend is being played as centre. His usual position is that of five-eighth, but he is a versatile player, and should do equally well as centre. Roy Callender is being played as wing three-quarter, and will probably be found to do better there than in any of the other positions in which he has played. The forwards will be about equall in weight, and there will pro- : bably be a strenuous struggle for I supremacy. As far as those of Otago fire concerned, they have now played three together, and, if they impart the vim which they have shown in previous games, they will take a lot of beating. The backs of both sides are fast, and a great deal, if the weather conditions remain fine, may depend on the supply of the ball to. the .rearguards. Hitmennch and More have so far shown themselves to be excellent hookers. The Canterbury team to take tho field to-morrow wag this morning picked as follows: —hnil back. H. Ldburne; three-quarters—Kobilliarcl. b. Carlton, L. Loveridgoj five-eighths,.

M'Grogor and Harris; Halt back, Brodie; forwards —M'Cormack, Gray, Leahy, Waghorn, Godfrey, Ward, Jeffries, and Scrimshaw (wing forward). The players are all fit and well, and should give a good account of themselves. This team is an improvoment on the team which beat Southland at Invercargill, it being strengthened by tho inclusion of tho All Black five-eighth M'Gregor, who is a. brilliant man in attack. Another member of tho 1924-215 All Blacks is Bobilliard, the winger, who is a good scoring man. It will he interesting to see how lie compares with our speedy Webb, who has recently shown great form. Tho only difference from the forward pack that turned out at Invercargill is that Godfrey replaces Bickering. The hookers arc M'Gormack and Gray, the former having represented New Zealand.