NORTH OTAGO BEATEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26530, 4 August 1947, Page 6

NORTH OTAGO BEATEN

HANAN SHIELD MATCH SOUTH CANTERBURY RETAINS TROPHY Special to the Daily Times OAMARU. Aug. 2. South Canterbury retained the Hanan Shield by defeating North Otago by 8 points to 3 at Fraser Park, Timaru, today. The quality of the play was disappointing, and the result was disappointing to North Otago supporters, as the North Otago representative team has done well to date in its representative matches. South Canterbury received the ball from the majority of the scrums, and on the occasions when the North Otago forwards did get the ball to the backs the service from the back of the scrum was slow, and passing movements frequently broke down at the first five-eighths. The South Canterbury break-away forwards continually harried the inside North Otago backs, who were forced to kick through and lose possession, with the result that the three-quarter line rarely swung into action. South Canterbury's service from the scrum was also erratic, but the fiveeighths and three-quarters linked well. Defensive play by both teams was excellent. The most dangerous back on the field was the All Black. M. P. Goddard, who, although given few opportunities and well marked by E. Collins, scored a brilliant try initiated by his brother, J. Goddard, who was a tower of strength to his team in the full-back position. Halvorsen gave an excellent display as North Otago’s full-back. In the forwards, Mosely, Cameron, and Golder were in the thick of all North Otago’s forward play, while Grant, Patrick, and Bryce bore the brunt of South Canterbury’s hard pack work. In the first spell North Otago was on top, and held a 3-points lead at half time, but after changing over South Canterbury held the advantage, the final score, B—3, being a fair indication of the merits of the teams. The Play The teams were as follows, there being no replacements for injuries: South Canterbury.—J. Goddard, R. Prattley, M. Goddard, M. Comer, W. Pratt, A. Moore, D. Parsons, J. A. Patrick, G. O’Hara, I. Paterson, P. Fitzgerald C. Fitzgerald, J. Bryce, L. Grant, and P. Morgan. North Otago.—J. Halvorsen, M. Fountain, E. Collins, H. Kilgour, F. Arscott, D. Gillies, V. Wright J. Buzan, H’.' Golder, H. Meehan, S. Mosely, R. Mclntosh I* Cameron J. Gallagher, and R. Robertson. South Canterbury kicked off, Halvorsen retrieving the ball and placing the North Otago team on attack with a long line kick that found touch near the home team’s twenty-five. The North Otago forwards, with Mosely in the van,, carried play near the South Canterbury line, where Collins, who gathered in from a ruck, was pulled down just short of the goal mouth. J. Goddard cleared with a long kick, Fountain taking the ball at

the touch line and attempting a field goal Which missed narrowly. An attempt to goal from a penalty by Prattley went wide, followed by. an attempt by Halvorsen from well out#. With the home forwards putting in a strong challenge, the North Otago forwards heeled back to Wright from a ruck for Fountain, who came into the first five-eighth position to make a bright run to the twenty-five yard mark in South Canterbury territory. J. Goddard retrieved'the ball from the tackle and found touch at half-way. From the line out the home backs swung into action, Moore, the South Canterbury second five-eighths, attempting to crash through. Arscott blocked the movement A further penalty kick taken by Halvorsert from a difficult angle just missed the uprights. A period of hard forward play followed, Meehan. Golder and Buzan initiating a dribbling movement which took play under the home team’s posts, where a penalty was awarded to North Otago, enabling Halvorsen to open- the

visiting team’s scoring. North Otago 3, South Canterbury nil. A scrummage in midfield on North Otago’s twenty-five saw Prattley make a dangerous move on the blind side, but he failed to reach the line. A line out on the halfway mark sent Fountain away for a 30-yard dash before he was run into touch. From the line out the North Otago forwards and backs combined in a short passing movement which carried play to the South Canterbury line, but Kilgour failed to crash through the remaining few yards, the spell ending with the score unchanged. Second Spell The second spell opened with a series of attempted touch-finding kicks by both teams, until a penalty kick put the visitors on attack. Play remained in South Canterbury’s territory, but sound defensive play by the home team nullified the visitors' chances. Retrieving a long kick, J. Goddard, the home team’s guardian, broke through a tackle and made a fine 25-yard run, passing in to A. Moore who in turn passed to the All Black, M. P. Goddard, who scored brilliantly behind the North Otago posts after a 50-yard dash. Prdttlev converted South Canterbury 5, North Otago 3. Plav at this stage became very ragged, with the home team forcing the * fringement by the North Otago forwards enabled Prattley to goal from the penalty to add the final points, the game ending • South Canterbury 8 North Otago .. .. 3 Mr C. Wellman (Ashburton) was the referee.