SENIOR RUGBY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27093, 30 May 1949, Page 3

SENIOR RUGBY

Leading Teams Win Play in the North Otago Rugby Union’s Citizens’ Shield competition on Saturday commenced under wet conditions, and as the matches progressed conditions steadily deteriorated. Any prospects of bright 'football were ruled out from the start, and both games proved uninteresting from the spectators’ point of view. On the Oval Excelsior beat Maheno by 12 points to 3 and on the No. 2 ground Athletic beat Old Boys by 14 points to 3. In spite of the adverse conditions, there was a large crowd in attendance. The match between Excelsior and Maheno developed nto a forward tussle, with Maheno dominating in the early stages. Excelsior, however, turned to the attack, and, apart from one or two solo efforts by the Maheno forwards, held the game under control. The ball soon became greasy and almost impossible for the badrs to handle. Knock ons were frequent and play was interrupted on numeroits occasions through mishandling. K. Nuttall kicked a goal from a penalty, and A. Hopley scored for Excelsior in the first half to make the half-time score: Excelsior 6 Maheno nil. In the second half R. Willetts and A. Hopley each scored for Excelsior, and B. Gardiner scored for Maheno to make the final score: Excelsior 12, Maheno 3. Several alterations were made in both teams through injuries sustained in previous matches. Maheno called on several of its junior players, while Excelsior had to rely on its emergencies to field a full team. Similar to the match on the Oval, the game between Old Boys and Athletic was marred by the greaSy condition of the ground and ball. Both sets of forwards worked hard, and there was little between the packs. Athletic held a slight advantage in possession, and the backs made more use of the opportunities offering. The Old Boys back line did not function smoothly, and little ground was gained by passing movements. Shortly after play commenced E. Collins opened Athletic’s account with a try near the corner flag after the ball had travelled through the back line from a ruck near the Old Boys’ goal posts. ' Halvorsen missed with the kick. M. Collings evened the score with a goal from a penalty awarded in midfield. Towards the end of the spell R. Collett cut through to score between the posts for Halvorsen to convert making the score at half time: Athletic 8, Old Boys 3. In the second half J. Ingram scored for Athletic after a good passing rush by the backs, and S. Mosley scored from a ruck on the Old Boys line. The final score was: Athletic 14, Old Boys 3. Mr R. Hedges was the referee. Lower Grades Junior. —Old Boys 6, Enfield 3; Excelsior 14, Athletic nil. Third Grade.—Maheno 9, Excelsior nil: Old Boys 17, Athletic 12. Fourth Grade.—Athletic 3, Enfield 3. COUNTRY TEAMS The following teams have been selected to represent the Waitaki Sub-union in the Town v. Country matches at Oamaru next Saturday. Abbreviations used: Otekaike (O), Tokarahi (T), Duntroon fD), Kurow (K), Ngapara (N). and Georgetown (G): — Country A.—Full-back, D. Russell (0.1. three-quarters—R. Harris (O), B. Gardiner (O), A. Waddell (T); five-eighths, G. Johnston (D), F. Peterson (D); halfback, W. McAughtrie (K); front-row— W. Williams (D), J. Sheppard (O), O. Forbes (K); locks—M. Sutherland (T), J. McCone (T); sides, P. Sargeant (O), G. Sutherland (D): back-row, S. McCone (N). Country B.—Full-back, N. Simpson (T), three-quarters—Garland (K), R. Robinson (K), K. Robinson (K); five-eighths, G. Russell (O), D. Macauley (G); half-back, T Johnston (D); front-row—W. Rawcliffe (G), A. Hore (T), S. Card iO), locks, Linwood (O), Addison (N): sides, D. Wilson (T), J. Mann (O); back-row, R. Sheppard (O).

Emergencies.—Backs Mercer (K), Parker (O), A. Dobson (N), R. Blair (T); forwards—M. Hobbs (G), Tavendale (N), D. Tiddy (K), B. McCone (N). Practice will be held at Otekaike on Tuesday at 7.30 p.m.