SATURDAY’S RUGBY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26848, 12 August 1948, Page 3

SATURDAY’S RUGBY

Representative Teams Weakened The return representative match between Ashburton and North Otago will be played at Oamaru on Saturday. In the game earlier this season North Otago beat Ashburton by 8 points to 6, and although the. teams will not be as strong on Saturday as in the previous game, a good match should be seen. D. E. Collins. North Otago captain, has been ■ selected for the All Black trial at Dunedin, and the Waitaki Sub-union’s four North Otago representatives—G. Sutherland, R. Shepherd, P. Sergeant, and G. Johnson—are not available because of the Laddie-Heath Shield match against the Mackenzie County, Ashburton has not the services of J. N. McCrea. K. Smith and J. J. Small in the forwards, as they have also been picked for the All Black trials. Vacancies caused by the trial and subunion match have been filled by J. Young, centre (Old Boys): H. Pittaway, second five-eighth (Excelsior): F. Nightingale (Athlete); I. McGregor (Excelsior): and J. Buzan (Athletic) in the forwards. A. Hopley (Excelsior) replaces S. Turner (Maheno) on the wing. . In last Saturday’s All Black trial and return Otago-Southland match at Invercargill, St. Kevin’s College was well represented in the 30 players who took the field. No fewer than six of them had played for St. Kevin’s, where they learnt their football. Both sides were equally represented. Otago's three players being J. C. Kearney, K. J. O’Connor and K. Skinner, while J. Boyle. L. Moynihan and J. Prendiville play for Southland. Four of the six—Kearney. Skinner, O’Connor and Moynihan—were selected to piny in a further trial in Dunedin on Saturday.