RANFURLY SHIELD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21859, 23 July 1934, Page 11

RANFURLY SHIELD

CANTERBURY DEFEATED

HAWKE'S BAY WINS TROPHY MARGIN OF NINE POINTS WINNER'S FINE FORWARDS fBY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION 1 CHEISTCHURC'H, Saturday Canterbury lost the Hanfurly Shield, which it has held since 1931, being defeated to-day by Hawke's Bay by the convincing margin of 9 points (three tries) to 0. The heavy, fast and determined Hawke's Bay forwards, who kept their dash and lire from beginning to end of a hard game, were the deciding factor. The Hawke's Bay backs were very sound. At no time did a back make a mistake which let Canterbury away dangerously. Clothier, Bradley, Le Quesne and Evans tackled and went down to rushes safely and surely, and kicked with rare judgment. Apsey and Smith, wing-threequarters, were both safe, and Smith proved a strong attacking runner. The play of both fullbacks was almost faultless. Hawke's Bay won the toss and Canterbury played against a strong breeze. The Hawke's Bay forwards began to assert their superiority, and it was ten minutes .before a swerving run by Oliver put Canterbury on attack for the first time in the-match. Andrews was smothered with the ball ten yards from the line. Is ear the end of the first spell Oliver made an opening for Mann, who ran and then passed to Oliver, who went over the line tackled by two defenders. It looked like a' try, but a scrum was ordered five yards out.

At the end of the spell Hawke's Bay, which had been defending, broke away in a passing rush. Smith shook off determined tackles by- light backs and ran 25 yards. He passed infield to Reid and Steere, who were tackled by Oliver and Nolan, but Collins, backing up, took a pass and scored at the corner. The kick failed. The half-time score was:— Hawke's Bay 3 Canterbury 0 The visiting '"forwards attacked more strongly in the second half. A _ poor pass by Mortlock tc Oliver let Smith away. He ran down the wing and passed infield to the forwards. Smith came in again, picked up ; and scored a great try. Evans failed tc goal. Hawke's Bay, 6; Canterbury, 0. Some Canterbury back movements looked hopeful, but safe tackling by the Hawke's Bay backs stopped them all. The final try was scored by Apsey, who snapped up from a scramble on the line and scored wide out. The kick failed. The final score was:— Hawke's Bay 9 Canterbury . .., . . ... 0 SURPRISE RESULT HEAVY FORWARD TEAM OUTSTANDING THREEQUARTER [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday Three factors helped Hawke's Bay to wrest tho Ranfurlv Shield from Canterbury—fit forwards who were 101b. a man heavier, the slippery' ground on which the fast rearguard of the holders could not dodge or manoeuvre, and generally the better all-round play'of the visitors under the conditions. Nevertheless, the result was a surprise, because the Canterbury team was . regarded as the best fielded by the province for ten years. Half-way through the first spell, Canterbury seemed to have the game well in hand. By this time the fierce onslaughts of the'burly Hawke's Bay forwards were losing most of their sting. Tho forwards had started off at a tremendous pace, but by this time one or two were noticeably lagging, and Canterbury was making menacing thrusts into opposition territory. An indication of Canterbury's dangei came, however, just before half-time, when C. Smith, the 13st. Hawke's Bay winger, at last evaded a ■ tackle bj Tweedie. Ho broke through to the line and gave a supporting forward an easj try. Smith previously had been well marked and bottled up. This success infused him with a Nepia-like elan. Ho began tho second spell keyed up. to big things, swerved, dodged, fended and kicked like a champion, and completely squashed any chance Canterbury had of saving the game. Thousands of spectators left th< ground asking why Smith failed to wir a place in tho New Zealand team tc tour Australia. The try he secured ir the second spell the posts was a magnificent effort. It is probable the Hawke's Bay men listened to some very sound advice at half-time. In the second spell their quick breaking-up and spoiling tactics bewildered Canterbury, who hooked the ball three times out of four, but could do nothing with it. The Hawke's Bay five-eighths were on to Hazelhurst, Mortlock and Oliver as soon as they had the ball and sometimes before. Tha visiting forwards showed no sign of earlier sluggishness, but turned every chance of a dribbling rush to profit, and gave Canterbury no rest. Even the thick mud could not slow them up. So the shield deservedly went to Hawke's Bay—a fino team, well led by the veteran of many a hard-fought match, E. R. Steere. Every man in the Hawko's Bay team played siiperbly, in the second spell particularly. Canterbury had some weaknesses, especially at the halfback, W. Oliver, and the first five-eighths, Hazelhurst, and tho backing up was* poorly done. It was the battering rushes of the visiting forwards that turned the scale in their team's favour. Hart was not available for Canterbury, and was replaced by Mann. OTAGO TEAM CHOSEN [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION 1 DUNEDIN, Sunday The Otago selectors have chosen th following team to-meet Hawke's Bay next Wednesday > —Nicholson, Dunne, Uttle.y, H. McSkimmine, Fookes, D. Trevathan, H. Simon, McDonald, Lucy, Campbell, Niven, Hamilton, Chapman, Green..