EVENLY CONTESTED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27165, 22 August 1949, Page 6

EVENLY CONTESTED

SUB-UNIONS’ MATCH WIN FOR OTAGO INDIFFERENT DISPLAY Although holding a territorial advantage for most of the match, the touring West Coast Rugby team was unable to press home its many advantages, and went down to Otago Sub-unions by 6 points to 3 at Oarisbrook on Saturday. Both sets of forwards gave a rugged display, but the back play, considering the excellent conditions, was generally disappointing. The Coast team, which before Saturday’s game had six players on the injured list, suffered a further setback when the hooker, J. McKendry, was injured in the early stages and had to go off. The replacement, K. Fisher, gave a sound exhibition, nevertheless, and broke fairly even with the experienced Otago rake, A. Storer. The Sub-union forwards played more solidly in the tight, and their lineout work was also more polished. The lighter Coast pack offset its weight disadvantage, however, by quick breaking on the flanks and an occasional stirring foot rush. The backs started • off in promising fashion, but they did not maintain the high standard of handling reached in the first quarter of an hour, when they launched many likely movements. The Otago rearguard seldom looked dangerous, and it lacked, not unnaturally, the combination of the tourists. J. Lindbom, the West Coast full-back, took some time to settle down, but after initial lapses his line kicking was almost faultless. For the Sub-unfons, W. Wilson was sound, if unspectacular. Promising Start

Undismayed by the extensive rearrangement' of the team. West Coast opened up play from the first scrum, and M. Stoop, on the wing, made a strong but unsuccessful bid for the line. Otago retaliated, the three-quarters, Purvis and

O’Reilly, dribbling through like frontrow forwards. Lindbom and the second five-eighth. R. Breeze, defended solidly, although the full-back’s kicks were not finding touch. The visiting backs were trying to open up play, but C. H. Hunter was not combining well with his halfback, and play from the point of view of his outside men as well as the 2000 spectators suffered in consequence. J. Gillan, who was often to relieve the rather dull football with his strong running down the centre, brought play back to Otago territory, and from a penalty Lindbom kicked a good goal. Encouraged by his first success, Gillan made another break, but the sub-unions retaliated, V. Hughes and F. Williams, who played a particularly intelligent game at the back of the scrum, being in the van of the attack. From a scrum infringement Wilson kicked a penalty goal, to make the score 3—all. Shortly before half time Ge Turner made a sharp break from the base of the Otago scrum, but good covering work by Breeze lifted the pressure, and the spell ended without further score. Only Try J. Falloon, the sub-unions’ left wing, aroused the country supporters’ hopes with a 40-yard dash shortly after the resumption, but Lindbom proved equal to the occasion and grassed him 20 yards from the line on the grandstand touch Play swung to the opposite side, and when the ball came loose D. Kemp dribbled through cleverly to put Otago in the lead with a well-earned try. Wilson's attempt to goal failed. This stung the Coast forwards to greater effort, and after M. Wells had made a strong break he passed to J. R. Steel, on the wing. That bearer of a famous Rugby name had the misfortune, however, to knock the ball over the line and thus miss an almost certain try The visitors kept up the pressure and remained undaunted even after Lindbom had missed two easy penalties. Williams broke through from a line out, and the sub-union’s five-eighth, L. Murdoch, cleared with a good kick to the halfway mark Lindbom attempted a penalty goal from 46 yards out, but the ball fell a few yards short West Coast had a distinct territorial advantage at this stage, but could not finish off Much of this was due to mishandling and miskicking while the Otago defence was not doing much more than “ muddle" its way through. There was a marked improvement in both sides' play in the closing stages; however, and the game finished with Otago on the attack after O’Reilly had nearlv succeeded with a spirited dash for the line. The referee was Mr L. Giles.