Southland’s Easy Win

Evening Star, Issue 20556, 7 August 1930, Page 7

Southland’s Easy Win

Shield Stays in Southland

Never before in the history of the games which Otago and Southland have played for more than forty years has Southland defeated the team from the sister province so decisively and by so large a score as it did at Rugby Park, Invercargill, yesterday, the final score being 37 to 5 in favour of the home side.

It was true that Otago did not field its strongest side, but there were few who expected Southland to win so easily and so handsomely. From the outset there was only one team in it, and as the game progressed it was only a question of how many points Southland would score. The game was the second challenge which Southland has withstood this season for the Ranfurly Shield, which, on the showing of the home team yesterday, will not bo easily shifted from the southern province.

While the display of the Otago team was undoubtedly disappointing, it was, after all, only allowed to play as well as the opposition permitted. It was early apparent that Southland’s strength lay in its heavy, vigorous forwards, who were much too strong for the opposing pack. It is significant that Otago hooked the ball in nineteen set scrums, as compared with eight by Southland. Yet Otago was rarely able to make use of that advantage, for the heavy Southland pack often pushed Otago back over the ball, making it difficult for the Otago half-back to get it away. Even when Otago did attempt passing the handling was so poor behind the scrum that Southland forwards and backs, coming up fast, generally had little difficulty • in smothering the attack, and often gained advantage through Otago’s mistakes. Southland forwards were also much superior on tho_ line-outs. Though the ball was a trifle greasy, the Southland backs, fed excellently by Holden, who is playing at his best, handled the ball well and often some of the forwards came into the passing movements. While the Southland passing looked well, however, the Otago tackling was lamentably weak, the ball often coming infield again after it had gone to the wings. The handling of the Otago backs, when they did get a chance, was poor, and the movements often went straight across tho field without gaining much ground. The line-kicking of the Otago backs was also poor compared with that of tho opposition. Early in the game Southland, whose vigorous forwards are a big asset to the side, assumed a definite all-round superiority and never looked like losing. There was an attendance of over 5.000, who hailed Southland’s win with tho enthusiasm which is so marked in the southern province. There is no doubt Southland has a solid, sound team, and that it will take a particularly good side to wrest the shield from Southland’s possession. Tho gflmo was played in sunshine, but tho ground after recent rains was very heavy.. The gate takings amounted to £530, which represented an attendance of over 3,000. THE TEAMS. Southland. —Full-back, Norris 11.6 ; three-quarters, Diack 11.7, Porter 12.4, Geddes 12.4; five-eighths, Sharpe 11.4, and Niven 11.0; half-back, Holden 10.7; forwards—L. George 13.3, C. George 13.6, M’Konzio 13.7, Galt 11.7, Purdie 14.3, Metcalfe 13.3, Southern 13.8, and R. Bell 12.6. Otago.—Full-back, Faulks 12.5; three-quarters, Proctor 12.0, Lindsay 13.7, Stewart 9.7; five-eighths, Giles 12.0, Laing 12.6; half-back, Loder 11.4; forwards —Stichbury 13.0, Souter 12.8, Jackson 14.7, Sonntag 14.0, Collett 13.0, Allen 12.5, Carnegie 13.9, and Finlayson 13.9. FIRST SPELL. Otago, who kicked off, made a promising sally at the start, but it was soon checked, Loder being caught in possession by Bell. Tho ball went out to Geddes, who ran past Proctor and started passing, Diack being grassed before ho could get the ball away. Otago forwards came back to halfway, but when the ball was kicked to Norris he proved very safe. A further Otago attack was turned to advantage by Southland, Porter breaking through to easily beat the Otago inside men and send to Diack, who ran over for an easy try from the twenty-five. Diack converted. Southland ... 5 Otago 0 In several scrums Otago secured the ball, but tho handling was bad, Southland quickly breaking it up and turning defence into attack. Southland forwards began to dominate tho situation and Sharpe attempted a pot, which just missed, Otago clearing to the twenty-five. The ball was kicked to Sharpe, who was injured in a collision with Finlayson and wont off. Dick Webb came on as wing, Diack going to second five-eighth. For some minutes Otago forwards showed some dash, Sonntag loading a promising rush and Laing dribbled through, to bo hold up by Holden, Faulks sending a return kick to touch. Allan led the Otago forwards in another rush, Webb stopping the onset. The Southland full-back sent a lucky “ speculator ” to touch when another Otago rush came through. Southland, by a series of bustling forward rushes, quickly changed the scene of play, but Geddes failed to gather in the ball, Otago clearing to tho other end, where, when Bell tackled Giles without the ball, Lindsay missed a free kick in a good position. Southland continued to do the bulk of the attacking. Though Otago forwards hooked the ball in set scrums the weight of tho Southland pack was pushing them back, and Bell twice caught Loder with the ball. Diack just missed a free kick from 35yds out. The game was held up for two minutes while Finlayson received attention. A free kick to Otago gave relief from a Southland attack, the ball going out at half way. Loder sent a pass from the nest scrum, but Bell came up quickly to dribble through, Faulks stopping the attack. Southern for- 1

Otago Beaten by 37 to 5

Winning Team’s Strong Forwards

wards went to near the line, and from a throw-in Galt broke away. He threw to C. George, who sent to M'Kenzio, who threw himself oyer. Diack converted with a good kick. Southland 10 Otago 0 Otago had to force in the next few minutes, when a Southland forward attack went close. After Norris had attempted a pot, Otago again forced. The next incident was a breakaway by Laing to halfway, but he was caught. Norris, playing well, fielded an Otago kick and ran up to start passing, Webb knocking-on in a good position. Faulks fielded a kick but when attempting to run up too far was caught in possession. In a scramble following a scrum right under the posts Southland scored, Diack’s kick missing. Half-time score:— Southland IS Otago 0 SECOND SPELL. Two free kicks were awarded to Otago early in the second spell. Passing by Otago backs gamed little ground, it being across the ground, with no thrust. Porter made a good run when an Otago attack had broken down and sent to Geddes, who had on trouble in running over at the corner. Diack converted. Southland ... 18 Otago 0 The Otago defence was weakening, and half the Southland team camo into line for a passing bout which was stopped just in time. Holden got the ball away smartly from the next scrum and good handling saw Webb go over at the corner for a try, which Diack converted. Southland ... 23 Otago 0 Except for spasmodic break-aways by Otago, Southland did all the attacking in the next ten minutes, Faulks twice marking when the forwards were right on him. Holden was not far out with an attempted pot, and when Niven dribbled through well Otago forced. Otago broke through to halfway, and Laing ran up the touch line and centred. Holden, who ran back, failed to gather the ball, and Proctor went over for a try. Lindsay converted Southland 23 Otago 5 Holden was responsible with a clever kick for putting Southland in an attacking position, after several Otago attacks had broken down through lack of concerted effort._ Southland backs opened out in passing at the twentyfive, and the ball came out to Geddes, who, though failing to take the pass at first, recovered brilliantly and went over for a try. Diack’s kick hit the upright. Southland / 26 Otago 5 When Southland backs went away again Webb was pushed into touch by Faulks, but Bell led another Southland attack which went deep. More Southland passing, and Geddes went over at the corner, Faulks failing to stop him. Diack’s kick missed. Southland 29 Otago .. . Galt led a Southern rush which ended in Otago forcing. Otago passing went from the twenty-five to halfway, Stewart being forced into touch. Southland forwards, who were pushing those oi Otago about, came again, and at the end of loose dribbling C. George scored. Diack converted. Southland 34 Otago 5 Two Otago passing bouts gained no ground, the efforts going straight across the field, and ending at tho touch line. When more Otago passing broke down Giles kicked to Norris, who ran up to make a clean break through the Otago backs and send to Webb, who ran from halfway to score a spectacular try. Diack missed the kick, and time was called with the score;— Southland * 37 Otago 5 Mr R. J. G. Collins, of Christchurch, was the referee. PLAY AND PLAYERS. Even the most enthusiastic sup porters of Southland never expected such a clear-cut and decisive victory over Otago as 37 to 5. The previous biggest win by Southland was in 1907, when Otago was beaten by 26 to 5. According to the published weights on the programme, the total weight of the Southland pack was 95st 9!b,' and that of the Otago scrum 93st 41b. Thus there was little difference, and it does not say much for Otago forward play that in almost every scrum tho home vanguard broke through tho Otago scrum, whose members could not hold it together. Loder was tho best Otago back, and came through a gruelling afternoon with credit. When the ball did come out to him, however, the Otago scrum came back ou him, or Bell was round on him. Perhaps tho most disappointing feature of the game from the Otago point of view was the defence of tho backs, who failed badly to tackle the opposition, which was allowed to penetrate without much difficulty in the centre. Laing and Giles failed badly ns live-eighths, the handling of the former being very had. Lindsay did not show his true form, and, besides not tackling well, did not have much accuracy with his lino kicking. Neither of the Otago wings was nearly a match for his vis-a-vis, and both Geddes and Webb secured easy trios. Faulks stopped a number of rushes well by marking, but he also failed to tackle on many occasions.

The veteran of the Otago pack, Charlie Sonntag, was its outstanding performer, though he should not have thrown the ball from lineonts to his nacks when they were unable lo de anything with it. Stichbury and Caruegio wert hard workers, but most of the others did not show tho van ex pected from representative forwards. Finlayson, who received a nasty knock early in the game, did useful work as wing-forward. Tho Southland pack was a wellbalanced one, every man doing his share, and at times they showed up m good passing. The pack is a strong one, and it win take a real good set of forwards to master it. Holden, at showed he is still one of the best in New Zealand in that position, both in attack and defence. His passes were well directed. Niven, Diack, and Porter handled well, and weak defence allowed them to make many penetrating runs and give the wings excellent chances of scoring, both Geddes and Webb making the most of these. Norris was a particularly safe full-back, his fielding and kicking being excellent, though on two occasions he was lucky with “ speculators,”

Tho game yesterday was the seventieth between Otago and Southland. Southland has twice this season successfully defended the Ranfurly Shield —against Wanganui and Otago. Matches have vet to be played against Hawke’s Bay, 'Wellington, and Canterbury. The statistics of tho match yesterday show that Otago was awarded ten penalty kicks as compared with one to Southland. Of the set scrums Otago won 19 and Southland 8, five being indecisive. Southland possession from lineouts on 46 occasions, compared with 27 by Otago, seven throwins being indecisive. Otago marked five times and Southland twice.

SOUTHLAND COMMENT

BACKS AND FORWARDS SUPERIOR The * Southland Times ’ of this morning says:— “ Playing much improved football compared with their showing against Wanganui, the Ranfurly Shield holders • (Southland) were full value for their 32 points’ victory over Otago at Rugby Park yesterday afternoon. Back and forward the Maroons were much superior to their opponents, and by winning so decisively showed, that their form against Wanganui in the first challenge game of the season was very much below par. The final result was 37 points to 6, made up of nine tries, five converted, to one converted try. “ The undoubted feature of the play, from Southland’s viewpoint, was the cohesion between tho home forwards and backs. In past games it has been a rarity to witness the winning of a game by Southland by the joint efforts of the two depr tments. Only partial success has hitherto been gained, but now it has been shown the team can play as a team more of this work will be looked for. The forwards without exception vindicated themselves, and it is a matter of much conjecture as to who will ’be excluded from the next Southland team to make room for Hazlett. Rarely have the forwards shown to such advantage. In only one department were they overshadowed. This was in hooking from set scrums. Stichbury and Souter, the Otago pair, were clearly superior to the George brothers, but in fairness to the Southland hookers it must he said that they justified their inclusion by their grand play in the open. Actual figures show that from thirty-two set scrums the visitors won possession from nineteen, five were indecisive, and Southland won eight. In a game where ball possession means so much it is surprising that Southland wero able to perform so grandly, but, as previously stated, Otago’s mistakes gave Southland the possession necessary to open up the attack. Added to this was Southland’s definite superioritj' in line-outs, from which they obtained possession on fortysix occasion to Otago’s twenty-seven. Always good in this department of play, the Maroon forwards excelled themselves yesterday, and by this means were able to give Holden a liberal supply of ball to make play with. “ That they were a fit set of backs to support a worthy set of forwards was shown by the number of tries scored by the backs. Geddes scored three, Webb two, and Diack one. The Maroon rearguard was not one whit behind their forwards and demonstrated that properly served they can shape as well as any average set of provincial backs. Holden was the king pin in the matter of opening up the play, and by dint of fairly accurate handling Diack, Niven, and Porter were able to give the wings plenty of chances. Diack showed a return to his top form, especially at second five-eighth when ho replaced Sharpe, who retired injured. Diack had a veritable field day, and accounted for no fewer than 13 of the points scored by the side. His goal kicking was very good. Porter displayed improved form, and made a good link between the inside backs and the wings. His defence was, as usual, of a high standard. An outstanding feature of Niven’s play was his _ ground work. Niven’s handling is always good, but yesterday ho showed that he could control the ball with his feet as well as any forward. Geddes has improved out of sight, and again impressed. His second try was brilliant. _ Webb made tho most of his opportunities, and showed that given the ball in a fair position he can score tries with the best of wings. Metcalfe, Purdue, Galt, and M‘Kenzio were outstanding in a pack ■of hard-working forwards. All worked well and together. It would be hard to criticise harshly the Otago team, whio hwas more or less disorganised and outclassed by a better all-round team, but it cannot bo gainsaid that the Dark Blues of 1930 fielded the weakest side that has visited Southland in recent years. Lindsay disappointed, and the five-eighths wore very ordinary. Loder, at half-back, had a gruelling time, but shaped the best of the backs. His saving work was good. Of the forwards, Stichbury, Finlayson, Carnegie, and Sonntag worked the hardest.”