Shield Changes Hands

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 213, 22 August 1931, Page 3 (Supplement)

Shield Changes Hands

Canterbury Beat Wellington

15,000 WATCH CONTEST ON ATHLETIC PARK.

SCORES: CANTERBURY, 8; WELLINGTON, 6.

Wellington, August 22.

Fifteen thousand people were present at Athletic Park to-day, when Wellington defended the Ranfurly Shield against a challenge from Canterbury. The teams were as selected.

Wellington won the toes and played with the assistance of a slight southerly breeze. After a free kick by Roberts had fallen short, Wellington attacked, but although the backs had a regular feast of the ball for a time they could not penetrate the defence. With Wellington pressing Oliver got possession from a scramble and put in a great run of over fifty yards down the line, only to be hauled down by Lilburne. After some even exchanges Brown broke away and short-punted over Fuller’s head. Andrews got the ball and ran to the line, where he was held up, and Wellington forced. Canterbury were taking every advantage of Wellington’s mistakes, and Hart carried the ball well into Wellington territory. Play swung infield, where the Canterbury backs found Wellington out of position, Innes dashing across. Roberts’s kick wm wide. Canterbury 3 Wellington 0 Wellington were having the better of things territorially, but the Canterbury forwards were giving them plenty to think about in the loose. Oliver set Canterbury going again, and a certain try was lost when he attempted to beat Jessep on his own instead of sending out to his supporting man, who was unmarked. Wellington returned to the attack, Lilburne joining in. The Blacks looked dangerous several times, but something always went wrong at the critical moment. Lilburne now came up to second five-eighth, Fuller going to full-back. . , . xs. Half-time came with play in the middle of the field. Changes wore made in both teams in the second spell. Fuller, who had damaged an eye, was replaced at fullback by Cormaek, and the Canterbury wing-forward was Croekett in the place of Andrews who was also injured.

Territorially, Wellington had had slightly the better of the first spell but play had undoubtedly been afiocted by the sun. Canterbury had had many more scoring opportunities than Wellington but were unable to make full use of them. With the exception of a few incidents play had not been very bright. THE SECOND SPELL. Early in the second spell a fine breakaway by Diedriek had Roberts bustled on the Canterbury line. A scrum was ordered and after some hard play at close quarters, Huxtable scored for Wellington. Taking the kick from the twenty-five flag, Nicholls, with a fine effort, just failed to convert. Wellington 3 Canterbury 3 When Wellington gained a free kick through a Canterbury player being off.side, Nicholls used his boot to good purpose, gaining considerable ground. There was an anxious moment for Wellington when Innes, fielding the ball from a clearing kick by Cormack, made an effort to pot a goal. He sent the ball soaring high into air and it just failed to cross the bar. . The final score was:— Canterbury 8 Wellington 6 Apart from the match against Australia next Saturday, the only other representative game on the Canterbury programme is that with Otago, at Christchurch, on September 12. Otago were to have met Wellington next Saturday for the Shield. THE CURTAIN-RAISER. ST. PAT’S BEAT ST. BEDE’S. Wellington, Aug. 22. In a curtain-raiser to the Welling- » .u—Canterbury match, St. Pat’s College, Wellington, beat St. Bede’s, Christchurch, by 14 points to 9.