SHIELD RUGBY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26822, 13 July 1948, Page 6

SHIELD RUGBY

SOUTHLAND PREPARES PROSPECTS FOR OTAGO MATCH Special to the Daily Times INVERCARGILL, July 12. Supporters of Rugby in Southland—their numbers are legion—ardently hope that the game between Otago and Southland on July 31 will be for the Ranfurly Shield. They are not over-optimistic about the chances of the 1948 Maroons, but they have become accustomed to the thrills associated with Shield games between the sister unions, so much so that a break at this stage would rob the match of much of its glamour. South Canterbury will supply the answer one way or the other on July 24. The makeup of the Southland team this year is very much in the conjectural stage at the moment. Not for years have the selectors been faced with such a problem. Both in the selection of the back division and in the forwards they are faced with some hard thinking—in the forwards because there is pack potential amounting to riches, and in the back division because the semblance of a combined unit worthy of the name is not in eight. The one ray of light so far as the backs. are concerned comes from the sub-unions, w'here, on present form, the selectors will have to go for men. Country Day (June 7) showed that the subunions had the hacks as well as the forwards, and since then they have continued to dominate the scene in comparison with the city payers. Point is given to this claim when it is noted that Alex Sutherland. vv r v) has been turning out as a substitute for his c’ub, is the best three-quarter in the Invercargill senior competition! No indication has yet been given by the selectors, Messrs R. J. McEwan, J. L. Oughton and M. P. Grace, what line they will take—whether they will stick to the “ die-hards ” or do some much-needed culling and introduce new blood. They have been combing the country districts in the last few weeks, and on July 17 they will field Town and Country teams in the final trial at Invercargill. Popular opinion demands that the sub-unions be asked to supply about two-thirds of the representative team. They should certainly be called upon to fill five of the pack positions and all but the centre three-quarter and half-back positions. Jack Mcßae will be the hooker once more, but beyond that position it is impossible to name any Town certainty for other positidns. Leo Connolly has played only two games this season; and Southland’s other All Black of last year, Tom Webster, cannot possibly be selected on form as full-back. E. Gorton, of Tuatapere, South Island Railways full-back, is a possibility. The half-back position is very open, and last year’s five-eighths, F. Stewart and N. J. Bennett, will need to outplay the Country five-eighths on July 17 to get back into favour. Les Ward should get the centre three-quarter’s job, but it is not so easy to name the wings. J. S. McDonald, •of Edendale, made the grade on tour last year; on Country Day this year he was in the team which Eastern fielded to beat Town onlv as a substitute. Although the personnel of the forwards is not easily named, there is one thing certain —the pack will be bigger and stronger than it was last year Three lock forwards of more than 15st each, and three others between 14st 71b and 15st are available. Some of the name names Carisbrook patrons may see this year are D. Smeaton (Western inside back), J. S. McDonald (Eastern), R. W. Woods (Central 15st 81b lock), H. McCulloch (16st 41b lock from the Pirates Club), E. Gorton (full-back), R. Gillespie (Northern forward), and G. Watson (Collegiate half-back). But, of course, the selectors may have different ideas. The team will be selected after, the trial on July 17. Whatever combination is announced by the selectors, it will be supported bv Southlanders in their thousands. They have commandeered everything on wheels to convey them to Carisbrook, and once again the “ invasion ” will be headed by the Boys’ Band.