SOUTH OTAGO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20782, 30 July 1929, Page 6

SOUTH OTAGO.

BALCUITHA DISTRICT NEWS. ( Fko.m Our Own Correspondent.) BALCLUTHA, July 29. RUGBY FOOTBALL. Tlie attendance at the Balclutha show ground yesterday was in keeping with the importance of the occasion, viz., tin; finals for First and Second Grade competitions—and the “ gate ’ amounted to over £2B.

Romahapa and Clutha Valley took the field for what proved to be the final of the Boyd Cup series of matches. Had Valley won, Waitahuna would still have beeii “in the picture,” but the Romahapa representatives played true to the form displayed throughout the season, and had no difficulty in winning by a substantial margin. The teams were evenly matched in weight, but Romahapa played with combination and the assurance that mean success, whereas Valley’s play indicated a lack of practice. In the first spell H. Jackman scored a try, which Caskie converted. s—nil.5 —nil. The second spell was more “ willing,” and the play was held up on a number of occasions through minor accidents. The most serious of these occurred to Caldwell (Valley half-back) shortly after play had recommenced, and he had to be carried off the field with a cut lip and head injury, which, fortunately, was not serious. Crawford took,his place. Romahapa were not to be denied, although at times Valley invaded enemy territory and looked like scoring. Russell scored for Romahapa after a good run, but Tomlin’s kick missed. B—nil. Bates scored a try and Tomlin kicked a penalty goal, bringing Roniahapa’s score to 14 points to nil before the whistle blew for “time.” Mr S. V. White was referee. Jackman, Russell, and Gill M'Laien stood out among the winning backs, and the forwards all played a good, hard game. For the losers Bellamy, Buttar, Gillespie (backs), and Duff and Pitt (forwards) wore conspicuous. TOKO WINS BANNER. The good football shown in the first match whetted the public’s appetite for more, and much enthusiasm was manifested ns the teams filed on to the ground to fight out the final for the senior banner. The line out was as follows■Toko: Turnbull, Murray, Miller, Robinson, Wilkinson, M. Coombc, Woodhead, Hansen. Heads, Sinclair, Murdoch. Cur-

rie, Rutherford, Lane, Jones. Clutha: Tinsley 'Wilson, Gallagher, Jolly, Elliot, Graham, Muir, Tom Wilson, Hislop, Michie, MTntosh, Harraway, MTverrow, Washington, Hurring, J. Pennycook. In the first spell play alternated a good deal, but it was soon evident that although Toko had the cleverer set of backs, who played with good combination, Clutha forwards were superior and were mostly getting the ball in the scrums. Lack of co-ordination among the backs discounted this advantage sadly, and the spell; though evenly contested, went to Toko with the score: Toko 4, Clutha nil. Turnbull, the Toko full-back, had the luck to pot a goal within a few minutes of play opening, and this cheered the Yellow and Blacks right from the start. In the second spell Clutha opened with a vigorous offensive, and Tinsley Wilson and Harraway executed a movement that all but let the latter in. Then Toko assumed the offensive, and Clutha were kept very busy defending. In stopping Robinson (a very vigorous three-quarter), Tinsley Wilson sustained a knock that compelled him to leave the field, and although he came back for a short time, Clutha may be said to have played most of the spell with 14 men. Wilson as full-back had been a tower of strength, never missing his man or fumbling the ball, and his absence (which did not entail replacement) was a great loss to his side. Toko continued to be aggressive, and Robinson scored a try, "which Murray failed to convert. 7 —nil. Unexpectedly, I. Hurring dropped a neat goal for Clutha,, 7—4. Play fluctuated considerably, and Toko backs put in some pretty passing movements, although at times the ball, in passing from player to player, had a tendency to travel straight across the field’ without gaining much ground. Still, the effect, as always, of passing movements is to disconcert the opposition," and openings resulted of which Toko made full use. Several certain tries were lost through over-eagerness, until Hansen scored from a forward rush, Turnbull’s kick was a miss. 10 —4. This was the last score, the game ending shortly after. Undoubtedly, the hotter team won. Clutha, though beaten; were by no means disgraced, and with a little hick might even have "won, hut the team as a whole was handicapped by the disposition of the backs, which was entirely different from that of previous teams, and suffered from the absence of previous “ try outs.” Pennycook was resuscitated to play wingforward, and although he showed traces of his old form at times, he was plainly out of form, and the same could be said of Gallagher, wing three-quarter. Graham and Muir did good work at live-eighth and Tom Wilson at half. Toko, had two ideal wing three-quarters in Murray and Robinson, who played with dash and determination throughout, and they were well seconded by the other backs. In any case, it was a good contest and provided a fitting finale to the senior banner games, which') unfortunately, this season have been somewhat below standard. Mr L. J. Edwards was the referee. Third Grade. South Otago High School journeyed to Kaitangata. where they were defeated by Crescent 111 to the tune of 31 points to 3 points. At Balclutha, Clutha 111 defeated Toko 111 by 23 points to nil. South Otago Union. A meeting of the management of the South Otago Sub-union was held on Saturday night, Sir E. Moore presiding. The president reported on the visit to Tapanui, and said a very enjoyable time had been spent. The trip had cost £l4 13s, compared with £63 18s on the previous trip. The president was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for the way in which he had managed the trip. t Regarding the visit of the winners of the Third Grade Otago team to play the Second Grade representatives, it was considered that, in view of the weight of the South Otago seconds this year, it would not be fair to ask thirds to play them, and it was decided to the Otago Union to send either the winners of the Second Grade competition or a representative Third Grade team. It was decided that Toko (the senior banner winners) would play the South Otago junior representatives at Milton on. Saturday next. It was left to the Milton delegates to arrange for the visit of the Otago team to Milton on August 17. It was also decided that, seeing the Second Grade competition was 1 finished, any Second Grade player could, providing his application was in by August 16, play for any senior team he so desired. The Representative Team. The following is the Second Oracle representative team to meet Toko on Saturtias’:~o. Allen (Union), Russell (Romahapa), Booth (Union), Middlemass (Star), Gillespie (Clutha Valley), Jackman (Komahapa), J. Ryan (Waitahuna). Barnett (Stark, Cunningham (Romahapa), Tomlin (Roniahapa), Wiglitnian (Waitahuna), MncFarlane (Clutha Valley), Menuell (Romhapa); emergencies— W. M’Laren (Roniahapa), Christie C!u;ilia Valley), Bolting (Star), Steele (Union), Crane I Waitahuna), Pitt (Clutha Valley). Senior Cup Fixtures. August 3.—Clutha v. Clinton, at Clinton (Mr Edwards); Crescent 111 v. Clutha 111, at Balclutha (Mr M‘Noe). August 10.—Roniahapa v. Crescent, at Balclutha (Mr White); Toko v. Clutha. at Milton (Mr Powley). August 17.—South Otago v. Otago, at. Milton. August 24.—Clinton v. Crescent, at Kuitungata (Mr Edwards); Clutha v. Romahapa, at Balclutha (Mr Lennox)i August 31,—Clutha v. Crescent, -at Balclutha (Mr Andrews), 1.30; Toko v. Clinton, at Balclutha (Mr White). . September 7.—Toko v.. Crescent, at Kai* langata (Mr -Andrews); Clinton v. Romabapa, at Clinton (Mr Edwards). THE WEATHER. The weather for the past few davs has been characterised by rain, then ‘ frost, with very low temperatures, and a recurrence last night of rain, with fine weather to-aay.