AUCKLAND'S CHALLENGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26544, 20 August 1947, Page 6

AUCKLAND'S CHALLENGE

Possession of Ranfurly Shield \ CLOSE CONTEST EXPECTED R. W. Orr will not play for Otago in the Ranfurly Shield match against Auckland at Carisbrook to-day. The shoulder injury received while playing for Training College against University B last Saturday has not yielded to treatment sufficiently for the selectors to take the risk of playing him to-day, and his place at full-back will be taken by L. Haig of the Crescent Club-in the South Otago Sub-union. Two or three years ago Haig was one of the outstanding five-eighths in Otago Rugby, winning representative honours in 1944-45 and playing for a New Zealand team against the Combined Services at Wellington in 1945. A knee injury kept him out of the game last year, but he has appeared in sub-union Rugby this season and he played a sound game for the Otago Sub-unions against the Southland Sub-unions last month. According to reports, he was in excellent form for Crescent against Owaka.in a club game in the sub-union competition last Saturday, and if in form Haig will not weaken the Otago side. He has a sure pail of hands, is a resolute tackier, and a powerful kick. He should also be a good substitute for Orr as a goal kicker. Some years ago he scored well over 100 points in one season, mainly as the result of his kicking.

The only other defection from the list of players originally chosen is that of R. F. Waldron, the ex-Southland five-eighth, .who was a reserve in the first two shield games. He is nursing an injured shoulder, but both he and Orr will be fit to travel with the Otago team which leaves on the northern tour to-morrow.

no doubt be as big a factor in the showing of the Otago team as it was against North Auckland. P. L. Tetzlaff. who did not play against Southland last Saturday, will be behind the Auckland scrum, and this will be the All Black half-back’s first appearance at Carisbrook. High-class wing three-quarter play should be seen if the flank men get the opportunities. Auckland’s wings. J. M. Dunn and E. G. Boggs, were All Blacks last year while the Otago pair, I. J. Botting and G. J. Moore, have proved themselves in the first flight in representative games during the past two years. Botting was regarded as unlucky last season to miss selection in the South Island team. The teams are as follows: AUCKLAND (Challengers) Full-back: R. W. H. Scott 12.8. Three-quarters: J. M. Dunn 13.11, L. W. Deas 12.4, R. L. Dobson 11.4, E. G. Boggs 13.2 (one to be omitted). Five-eighths: F. R.. Allen 12.6 (captain), D. J. Ewert 12.6. Half-back: P. L. Tetzlaff 10.10. Front-row: D. Christian 14.1, A. Hughes 13.0, J. G. Simpson 14.12. Middle-row: A. West 14.0, M. J. McHugh 15.2, R. Storey 14.11, P. Crowley 15.7. Back-row: G. Macdonald 14.0. OTAGO (Holders) Full-back: L. Haig 12.0. Three-quarters: G. J. Moore 13.2, J. M. Tanner 12.7, I. J. Botting 12.4. Five-eighths: R. R. ElVidge 13.2 (captain), J. C. Kearney 11.10. Half-back: L. W. Woodhouse 12.12. Front-row: P. Johnstone 13.9, A. Foster 13.7, K. Skinner 14.6. Middle-row: D. Hamilton 14.2, C. W. Willocks 14.12, L. R. Harvey 14.0, J. McNab 14.0. Back-row: K. J. O'Connor 14.10.

The team to represent Otago was finally announced yesterday by the selectors—Messrs •B. Collie, V. G. Cavanagh, jun., and W. Duncan —and is almost identical with that which scored such a convincing win against. North Auckland on August 9. I. A. Colquhoun, of course, is still unable to play, but the backline will be the same as that fielded after Colquhoun’s retirement, except that Haig replaces Orr. Woodhouse has been given preference at half-back over A. L. McIndoe, who played in the shield challenge against Southland. Provided that he does not overdo the break from the scrum Woodhouse should fill the position capably. He is a strong and robust half-back, and should be fully equal to the task of coping with the rushes of the heavy Auckland pack. Indications are that the ground will be dry and fast, and if the weather continues fine conditions should be conducive to the bright and attractive Rugby, expected from teams of the calibre of that engaged to-day. Auckland’s Prospects No team with the talent fielded by Auckland can be taken lightly, and keen observers are not placing too much reliance on the poor showing made by the challengers when they defeated Southland in an uninspiring game at Invercargill last Saturday. It is often found that in the atmosphere that surrounds Ranfurly Shield Rugby an ordinary team will rise, to the occasion, and with seven All Blacks and several • other outstanding players in the side Auckland is certainly far above the ordinary, class. From the point of view of Otago supporters, the holders’ greatest menace will probably be R. W. H. Scott, the full-back, whose game against Waikato on August 9 was his first since he returned from the All Blacks’ tour of Australia. Scott took some time to settle down, but northern critics stated that he was , able to reproduce his best form in the second half. He did not play against Southland, and his presence to-day will undoubtedly give the men in front added confidence. After the Australian tour, Scott was compared with the famous 1924 All Black full-back, George Nepia. He is the type of full-back who is adept at coming up to make play for his backs, and this is an aspect which may have a distinct bearing on to-day’s result. The last time he was on Carisbrook he converted five tries for New Zealand against Australia in the first test in 1946. For the Kiwis against Otago, a month or two earlier he had a day

off in his place kicking, and of the five tres scored none was converted. Such occasions a're rare, indeed with Scott, however, and Otago cannot afford to give away penalties while he is on the field. In the six games in which he played in Australia on the recent tour he converted 21 tries and ~ kicked 11 goals from penalties, a total ’ of 75 points. His feat of scoring 18 points for New Zealand against" New South Wales was a record for an international player against that State, and . in the second test at Sydney Scott’s 15 points constituted a record for any player so far in matches between Australia and New Zealand. Two Vigorous Packs In the, two shield games this season the results have hinged primarily on the battle between the opposing packs, and there is nothing to suggest that the same thing will not apply to-day. In regard to weight the forwards will i be well matched, witlr Auckland holding perhaps an advantage of two or three pounds a man. The Auckland forwards are described as a strong and vigorous pack which cari- be depended on to play with plenty of venom, but it remains to be seen whether they will be as mobile as the Otago forwards. If Otago reproduces the same tpye of scrummaging and rucking shown against North Auckland . ' and the players arc said to be at the peak of their form then supporters of the home side will have few qualms about the ability of the Dark Blue forwards to break at least even with the Auckland pack, strong as the latter may be. Possession will be all important, and if Otago can keep the big Auckland forwards on the move, the holders will be hard to beat, for in spite of the All Black material in the Auckland backline, Otago should be capable of holding the opposition in this branch of the game. - Auckland’s three-quarter line has to be finally decided upon, but should L. W. Deas, the ex-Otago player, be preferred to the former Kiwi, R. L. Dobson, a keen duel may be expected in the ceptre between Deas and the former Aucklander, J. M. Tanner, who is one of the most promising threequarter backs to represent Otago in recent years. ■ , Closer to the scrum, the All Black captain, F. R. Allen, will be marking the 1946 All Black, R. R. Elvidge, at second five-eighths, and neither of these brilliant players is likely to give rpuch away. The All Black first fiveeighth. J. C. Kearney, will be opposed by D. J. Ewert, and here again another keen battle of wits may be expected. Kearney's handling ability and his sound generalship will