POVERTY BAY TRIERS OUTCLASSED BY BRILLIANT WET-WEATHER PLAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22735, 6 September 1948, Page 6

POVERTY BAY TRIERS OUTCLASSED BY BRILLIANT WET-WEATHER PLAY

SHIELD CHALLENGE FAILS

(S.R.) DUNEDIN, Sept. G. Playing magnificent Rugby under execrable conditions, Otago overwhelmed Poverty Bay by 40 points to nil in the fifth Ranfurly Shield challenge of the season at Carisbrook on Saturday before a crowd numbering about 9000. The game was played in almost continuous rain and on a ground which soon became a quagmire with many large sheets of water to make foothold precarious.

As in the Canterbury, game, which was played in somewhat similar conditions, the shield holders. back and forward, gave a brilliant display of wet-weather Rugby. The scores consisted of two goals from tries, nine unconverted tries, and a penalty goal to ml. This was Otago’s biggest winning margin in a shield game, the next highest being the 42-3 victory recorded against North Otago last year. Every member of the Otago backline was numbered among the scorers, including the full-back, G. ..J. Moore, who kicked the penalty goal. Poverty Bay were outclassed, but battled valiantly to the bitter end, evidence of their fighting spirit being afforded by a lastminute rally by the backs who combined in one of their best movements of the day. The Otago forwards gave one of their most impressive displays and many of their most dangerous attacks developed from line-out play in which .they showed a pronounced superiority, winning possession 37 times to 11 by Poverty Bay n , m In the set scrum, however, O ago ■won the ball by only 15 to 10, the challengers’ hooker, N. Summersby, making a particularly good showing against N Wilson, the Otago rake, especially in the second spell in which Poverty Bay won the ball seven times to Otago's' five. n , Loose rucks favoured Otago by 9 to 5, ! Heavier Pack in Loose The vigour and dash displayed by the weightier Otago pack in the loose, however, proved almost irresistible and their concerted rushes constantly had Poverty Bay defending, more particularly in the second spell, when the heavy battering to which the challengers had been subjected began to take toll of some of the forwards. Although Otago’s line was rarely in danger the Poverty Bay forwards never let up in their attempts to gain the upper hand. They worked with a will in the tight and against a pack which was more than half a stone a man heavier their scrummaging was effective.

They were no match for Otago in ihe loose, however, although there were always one or two wearers of the scarlet livery ready to make forays into Otago territory whenever the opportunity presented itself. The Bay captain, I. Shaw, and his fellow-lock, W. Carrington, both played very solid games and stayed the distance better than most. Shaw did good work in the line-out, but sometimes, after winning possession in this v'-.r.se of the play, the challengers lost it again to the sheer dash and vigour rhown by the Otago forwards as they went into the rucks. Shaw rallied his men spiritedly when _ the going was hardest and proved himself a capable leafier, but the odds were too great. Carrington was well supported in the tight by the North Island representative, G. F. King, who occasionally broke through in strong bursts from the line-out.

Lively Forward

R. B. Birrell was a lively forward and in' the early stages of the game succeeded in breaking up one or two Otago attacks by his keen anticipation. Birrell was the lightest forward on the field but one of the most tireless. Summersby, besides hooking well, also played a bustling game in the loose. J. Fergusson showed up for solid work in rucks and more than once came through from tight play at the head of vigorous loose rushesW. Brown, the other Poverty Bay front-ranker, received a hard knock late in the game and was being assisted from the field when he broke away from his helpers and, amid applause from the crowd, resumed his place ir the pack. The challengers’ back-line had neither the pace nor solidity of the Otago rearguard and the intensive backing up and covering of the home team’s backs and forwards allowed Poverty Bay few’ opportunities on the attack. E. S. Lee, the diminutive half-back did not' injure his reputation by hi: display under such gruelling con l ditions. He had the heavy task in cop ing with the powerful Otago pack, bu 'never wilted under the strain, w’hih he showed cleverness in his play awaj from the scrum. Strong Kicking

Neither R. Clay nor R. M. McKinley, the Bay five-eighths, were equal to the task of holding Haig and Kearney, who often swept between them. McKinley’s strong kicking, however, was a great asset to the challengers and several times when Clago was pressing hard he drove them tack with long raking kicks to touch. At centre, Kane was one of Poverty Bay's most reliable backs and against an ooponent of the highcalibre of Elvidge he acquitted himself well, his tackling being

very sound. The full-back, McGregor, who was replaced at half-time, was uncertain in his fielding of the wet ball, but I. James, who had played well on the wing in the first spell, shaped mucti more surely in the second half. G. Harris took James’ place on the wing on the resumption. A > in the Canterbury game the Otago forward, K J. O’Connor, excelled himself and in every phase of forward play revealed the form of All Black standard. His mighty bursts in the open were rewarded with two tries, the first being the result of quick thinking when he ranged himself alongside L. S. Woodhouse after the Otago half back had shot through on the short side of a scrum.

Every member of the Otago pack played grandly under the appalling conditions and C. W. Willocks again largely dominated the line-out play, although he had strong support from O'Connor, J. R. McNab and K. L. Skinner. It is doubtful if Woodhouse has ever given a better display behind the Otago sesum. The Otago half-back was everywhere gathering the sodden ball with remarkable precision to start passing, sometimes almost from under the feet of the Bay forwards making sharp break up the middle of the field or turning back forward rushes of the challengers which were more frequent than the scores might indicate. Woodhouse displayed remarkable anticipation in defence and his covering work, together with that of his captain, R. f R. Elvidge, was a feature of the game. Excellent Understanding The excellent understanding existing between Woodhouse and the dependable L. S. Haig at first five-eighth was exploited to the full and much of trie Otago attack developed from close to the scrum—tactics which paid dividends under the circumstances. Haig handled well and his clever footwork often troubled the Bay defenders. By judi-