GOOD STANDARD OF PLAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26749, 19 April 1948, Page 6

GOOD STANDARD OF PLAY

A season which promises to be the most eventful for many. years was ushered in on Saturday, when the first matches in the Otago Rugby Football Union’s senior competition were played. Twelve teams, the same number as last year, are taking part, and the standard of play generally was good. The interest already created was indicated by an attendance of nearly 4000 at Carisbrook where University A, which impressed as a team with considerable possibilities, won the main match against Pirates by 9 points to 3. University B met Zingari-Richmond in the Carisbrook curtainraiser, and the latter’s forwards were the deciding factor in Zingari’s win by 9 points to 3. Alhambra, showing improvement on last season’s form, beat Kaikorai by 13 points to nil to win the Murphy Memorial Trophy for the first time. Southern, last year’s champions, were well extended to beat Port Chalmers by 14 to 8 and Dunedin had a narrow win against Taieri. Training College defeated Union by 18 points to 6. The games were played in drizzling rain, but. the grounds were hard after the long spell of dry weather. The results were:—

University A 9, Pirates 3. Zingari-Richmond 9, University B 3. Alhambra 13, Kaikorai nil. Training College 18, Union 6. Southern 14, Port Chalmers 8. Dunedin 10, Taieri 8.