North Otago Side For Rugby Tour

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27151, 5 August 1949, Page 4

North Otago Side For Rugby Tour

The North Otago Rugby representative team to tour the Seddon Shield districts this month has now been announced. With only two alterations, it is the same side as that which defeated Ashburton in a Hanan Shield match at Oamaru and in a return match at Ashburton this season, the score in each of these matches being 9—6. North Otago also gained a decisive win over the Manawatu touring team at Oamaru last Saturday by 14 points to 9, thus maintaining its unbeaten record in representative matches for the whole of last season and the three games played so far in this. It should be noted, however, that the match in which the Otago Subunions defeated North Otago by 18 points to 8 was not recognised as a representative match. Since the war North Otago has fielded good teams, writes our North Otago Rugby correspondent, and the improvement has been marked during the last few seasons. The side has been moulded into a good combination. since Mr D. S. Loder, president of the North Otago Union and manager for the tour, in his capacity as selector three seasons ago, based his selection on youthful players who were likely to develop into good footballers. This is particularly noticeable in the forwards, where his foresight has resulted in a pack of vigorous, sturdy forwards, most of whom gained representative honours under nis selection. The backs are strong on defence, but they have speed, and handle well to make a fine attacking force also. Mr Harold Strachan, a former Southern player, who represented Otago in 1933, will accompany the tourists as coach.

The team is:—Backs (average weight 11.13): R. J. T. Halvorsen 12.0, A. Ross 12.6. G. Johnson 13.0, R. Aubrey 12.0, D. E. Collins 11.8, E. Sawers 11.12, F. Diver 11.11. Forwards (average weight 13.9): J. Buzan 13.8, I. McGregor 12.2, H. Meehan 13.10, S. Mosely 14.0, J. Gallagher 14.3, M. Sutherland 14.2, G. Sutherland 13.12, S. McCone 13.11. Collins is captain and Mosely vice-captain. The reserves are:—Backs: H. Kflgour 12.4, L. Tempero 11.0, and D. Johnson 11.3. Forwards: J. McCone 13.8, A. Clarkson 13.12, K. Nuttall 12.6, and G. Ovens 12.1. Halvorsen, the full-back, has been a prolific point-earner from goal kicking in both club and representative football for several years past, his totals being well over 100 points each season. He scored 11 out of the 14 points for. North Otago against Manawatu last Saturday.

Kilgour, the reserve wing threequarter, scored a fine try against Manawatu. Collins, a former Otago representative, who has captained the North Otago side since the war. and Diver, the half-back, are the other outstanding backs, and Buzan, Meehan, Mosely, and Gallagher are the mainstays of the pack. The itinerary is: v. Marlborough, at Blenheim. August 17; v. Golden Bay, at Motueka, August 20: v. Nelson, at Nelson, August 24; v. Buller, at Westport, August 27; v. West Coast, at Greymouth, August 31; and v. Canterbury Sub-unions, at Lancaster Park, September 3. Women’s Hockey Programme The Management Committee of the Otago Women’s Hockey Association has arranged the programme for the remainder of the season. Representative fixtures include the entry of an Otago team in the Dominion tournament, to be held at Masterton from August 27 to September 3. Prior to that date two representative teams will meet Maniototo on August 13. It is hoped to conclude the local competitions on August 20, but this will obviously depend on the weather on the next few Saturdays and on the results of the matches to be played before that date. B Grade representative matches will also be played on August 20. September 3 is set down for the junior seven-a-side tournament. It is unfortunate that no other date for this event is available, since most of the junior teams will then be on vacation The senior seven-a-side tournament will be held on September 10, and an innovation is to be introduced on September 17, when an Otago secondary schools’ representative fixture will be held. Promising Full-backs Playing at full-back in the Waitaki Boys’ High School third fifteen which was defeated by the Otago Boys’ High School third fifteen on Wednesday was Terence Perriam, a son of Jack Perriam (a one-time well-known West Otago player), arid nephew of the Otago' Ranfurly Shield player, Willis Perriam. The Jad took the eye as a full-back of much promise, and he fielded and kicked well with both feet. The Otago full-back, Brass, also played most impressively, and his fielding of the ball was excellent. Notable British Player

J. J. Gillies, of Invercargill, who won the South Island and South Canterbury Squash Rackets Championship at Timaru, when he beat the titleholder, W. E. Renton, of Timaru,, in a closely-contested final, produced the best squash which has been seen in the Dominion to date. Gillies, who recently came to New Zealand from England, was a finalist in the British Amateur Championship in 1946. His form throughout the tournament was an eye-opener to squash enthusiasts in the South Canterbury district, the majority of his shots being made with a perfection not seen there before, even in national championships. School Rugby in South Otago Quietly promoting the future welfare of Rugby in Otago are a number of primary school teachers and helpers who, after organising many trials, have selected a sub-unions’ schoolboys’ team to play Metropolitan at Balclutha to-morrow. The trials began several weeks ago, and the most promising boys from neighbouring schools were chosen to represent a group. In eacn of the sub-unions there were three or four groups, and all players were given a good opportunity of being selected to represent their sub-union. More recently a series of games between sub-umori teams was played and, finally, at Roxburgh, the Country team was chosen after a trial match, North v. South, had been played. One of the selectors of the. Country team was Mr A.' N. (Nicol) Macdonald, headmaster of the Balclutha School, who was well known in the twenties as an Otago and Southland representative and as a member of New Zealand University teams. After the game at Balclutha on Saturday the Otago Primary School fifteen to play Southland will be chosen.

Women’s Basketball Side With the announcement of the Otago team to play in the foi'thcoming New Zealand Basketball Tournament to be held in the Memorial Park Courts, St. Kilda, all conjectures about the 1 possible inclusion of players are receiving retrospective examination. The team chosen is a strong side and capable of playing brilliant basketball. The centre third is particularly outstanding and great things are expected of it. L. McTaggart, the throw-off centre, is well-known to local followers of the game as a player with a strong sense of position, speed of movement, and a graceful action over the court. In J. Colquhoun, S. Macancny, and N. Gosden she has side supports who are renowned for their speed and ability to- intercept. The defence third also contains players of outstanding ability. K. O’Connell has proved her' capabilities throughout the season by frustrating many attacking movements, as have both M. Barrett and B. Excell. L. Deacon, playing in the Reserve Section, has been prominent in all her work. Of the forwards, A. Hughes and N. Nicholls are particularly bright exponents of the game, their speed and handling being first-rate E. Armstrong and J. Hurst also possess qualities well above the average, the former as a line player and the latter as a back forward. It is expected that this combination will be welded into a team that will strongly challenge all other contestants for the New Zealand Cup.