REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY

Evening Star, Issue 26117, 3 June 1947, Page 7

REPRESENTATIVE RUGBY

TOWN PLAYERS ON TRIAL It is rarely that trial matches • produce first-class Rugby, particularly in the matter of combination, and yesterday’s game at Carisbrook, in which teams of metropolitan players were pitted against each other, was of a patchy description, and the impression gained was that the selectors’ task will not be an easy one when the time comes to choose an Otago side. .Yesterday, however, several players —notably Botting, Aloore, and Aitken, arLo may be regarded as near-certain-ties—;were absent. Indeed, there, were quite a number of those originally chosen who did not take the field, while some others who did play were evidently having an , “off day.” Changes were made in the-teams at half-time, some of the players being oh the field for one spell only.. It was the side wearing the dark blue jerseys' which won the match by 23 points to 12 after leading by 12-6 at the interval. In the second half particularly it was definitely on top, find only frequent infringements by its players—mainly for off-side—saved the Light Blues from heavier. defeat. The play all round improved in the second ■pell, the passing being much more crisp and certain.. , There were obvious weaknesses, particularly in the back positions, and the half-back was one of these. Four ccrum halves were tried, and Woodhouse, on the day, was the best of the quartet. The passing from the ■crum, on the whole, was poor. The wing three-quarters were nothing to boast about either, though McDonald, in an unaccustomed position, was at times impressive. Colquhoun, . with few opportunities at first five-eighth, Was sound, and Elvidge, at second five-eighth, was in top form and carried a good deal of the Light Blue load. Howley, at centre, was busy all the time,. and was one of the i useful players throughout. He scored three tries and converted one. Incidentally, the attempts at goal kicking -were yery poor indeed, even allowing for * fairly strong cross-wind. Several players were given opportunities to steer the hall over the bar, but only four of the 14 shots were successful. Of the full-backs, Perriam shaped best, though Skinner was sound enough. The changes in the composition of the packs gave four hookers a chance, and of these Foster appeared to he the most effective. Other forwards who impressed were K. Skinner, Hellyer, T. Wallace, Thompson, Johnstone, and O’Connor. THE SCORERS. In the first spell the Dark Blues •cored twice within 10 minutes of the kick-off. First, Hellyer started a forward move, and McPherson and Cody took si hand, after which Colquhoun received it and passed to Howley, who #ent over well out on the left wing. Sapsford’e kick missed'. A couple of minutes later the Dark Blue back line came nicely into action, and McDonald, on the wing, where Moore would have been had he been playing, scored. Howley’s kick was short. After Skinner had missed from a penalty, Sutherland intercepted a poor pass by Haig and squirmed across the line to toUoh down for the Light Blues. The next score came when, from some loose play, Elvidge (Light Blue) came through very nicely from beyond the twenty-fivp with the ball at his feet, and his pace enabled him to beat the full-back and go over for a try. Skinner missed r with: the kicky and.- the ■cores were now even, 6-6. A penalty for off-side gave Perriam a chance to put the Darks ahead again, and he took it, and just before half-time Colquhoun,'drawing the full-back nicely, gave to- Howley, who scored his second try for the Darks. It was McDonald this time who missed.

The. Light Blues were first to score in the second spell, when Paterson’s kick just skimmed over the bar from it penalty. The Darks soon recovered their 6-point lead, a passing bout in ■which McCormick, Colquhoun, and Tanner figured enabling the lastnamed to add a try. McPherson’s attempt at goal, failed. Perriam made the next try by coming through from behind, the halfway mark and enabling Howley to race along the Press box Wing and go over. He failed to add the points. Almost immediately, on the other wmg, (McCormick started off a rush, at the end of which McDonald went across unopposed to . ground the ball behind the posts. This time Howley converted. These last three tries brought the Dark Blues’ lead to 23-9, but just on time Inder scored for the other side, Paterson failing to convert. Final: Dark Blues 23, Light Blues 12. Mr J. Frood controlled the game.