RANFURLY SHIELD PLAY

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 28 August 1933, Page 6

RANFURLY SHIELD PLAY

CANTERBURY WINS AGAIN

ONLY THREE POINTS TO SPARE.

OTAGO’S STRONG CHALLENGE.

fßy Teleferaph—Press association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 26. Five points down at half-time, Canterbury contrived by scoring two tries, one converted, in "the second half to repel by three points Otago’s challenge for the Ranfurly Shield, the final score being 8 points to 5. Lancaster Park was in perfect condition for pray, the turf having been softened by rain on Thursday night and to-day the weather was fine but overcast, with a cool easterly breeze.

It was a vastly different game from that of last Saturday, when Canterbury easily beat Southland. The Otago side was much faster and more resourceful, and fully tested the Canterbury team. The Otago forwards, playing a well combined game and all bring fast and keen, made the Canterbury pack play its best. Otago’s weakness was between the scrum and the three-quarter line. The result might easily have been different. The teams were:

Otago.—-Taylow, Allen, Smith, 11. McSkimming, R. McSkimming, Gillies, Simon, Abel, Chapman, Gibson, Macfaflane, Vorrath, Lucy, Hore, Service.

Canterbury.—Nolan, Hart, Oliver, Dunshea, Mortlock, Hazelhurst, Mullan, King, Andrews, Hartnell, Howell, Manchester, Bowes, Wade, Cottrell. Play was fast and open from the start. Both sides sought open play and Canterbury especially worked the hacks, whenever possible. Canterbury made the most of the play in the first half, the forwards showing great form and giving the backs excellent service from the scrums. Otago showed capacity for quickly developing coun-ter-attacks and profiting by mistakes. Otago’s first try was the most sensational of the match. Mullan passed to Mortlock, hut Mortlock sent a very low pass to Oliver, and Smith, dashing in, picked up the ball perfectly from the ground and dashed upfield. His pass to H. McSkimming let' the fast winger away well clear of the field. He ran behind the posts and his brother goaled. Neither side had much advantage for the remainder of the spell.

Canterbury scored within three minutes of the resumption of play. From a ruck the hall was heeled to Mullan, who passed on the short side to Mortlock. Hart received the hall when ho had little room, hut he made a splendid dash down the sideline past the full-hack and crossed the goal line at the corner. He then ran into a better position. Nolan’s kick, however, landed the hall on the cross-bar, from ■which it rebounded. In a few more minutes Canterbury took the lead. Play was on the Otago twentv-five line when Mullan passed to Hazelhurst. The hall went then to Mortlock, who made a swift swerving run to pierce the defence and scored 10 yards from the posts. Nolan goaled. The remainder of play was fairly oven, most often the territorial advanftago being with Otago, hut! there was no further score. The attendance was about 14.000.