RANFURLY SHIELD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21605, 25 September 1933, Page 12

RANFURLY SHIELD

UNSUCCESSFUL CHALLENGE SOUTH CANTERBURY DEFEATED [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH. Sunday Although its strength was heavily reduced by the loss of seven of its best players, five of them in the South Island team, Canterbury was able" to withstand the challenge of South Canterbury for the Ranfurly Shield. The match was played in brilliant sunshine on a ground too hard for football. There were many stoppages for injuries to players and the standard of play was poor. The game wbs so even, however, that interest was kept alive until the final whistle. All the scoring was done in the first spell, Canterbury winning by six points (a try and a penalty goal) to three points (a try). The attendance wan less than 10,000. South Canterbury scored first with a flukey try. With play in Canterbury's twenty-five the home team was penalised and Provan had a shot at goal from an easy position. His kick: was a poor one, a low ball bouncing over the Canterbury goalline. A Canterbury player fumbled it but Mullan took it and tried to kick into touch. Tha ball bounced short of the touehline and Boys, the South Canterbury left-winger, took it at top speed and dashed over near the corner. Duke failed to convert. It was not until half-way through the first spell that Canterbury could equalise. At the end of a good back movement McPhail, pressed on the touehline, centrekicked, and Mortlock went up and touched down. French failed to goal. Canterbury tried very hard to add to its score but the back combination was never quite good onough. Just before half-time, Seaton, South Canterbury, wai <;aught offside and French kicked a penalty goal. The South Canterbury forwards showed up better in the second half, and once or twice the Canterbury line was in danger. The homo backs badly needed Oliver to straighten up the attacking movements, many of which proved ineffective. There wa* no score in the second spell, and the game ended:—Canterbury, 6; South Canterbury, 3.