NOTES ON SATURDAY'S PLAY

Otago Witness, Issue 2571, 24 June 1903, Page 52

NOTES ON SATURDAY'S PLAY

Thu fine peiformaii(.e of the- University on Saturday afternoon mv.st have been •jiatitjuiir to their supporters, and the way tncy caught I'ic Southerr. napping will probably bo taken to heart by the other dub- who may lia\e to meet them during the lemaindor of the season. In view of their sterling exhibition against the Kaikoiai on the previous Saturday, it is difficult to imagine how any club could look on a match with tho University as a " >=oft " thing, and the Southern found to their cost that tli" rcverso was tho ca->c\ Tho fact is that when the Light Blues make, a unanimous resolve to plant their best foot fore-mc-t they arc a very hard team to beat; and just now they have a particularly strong and swifl r-ut of for ware 1 "., who play with their hc-.icK as well as their feet. Behind the 'ovum thry have also a very smart set of back-, au j the way they handled the ball on Saturday was worth yeeiiig. Wi Ttopa pliycd n particularly good game ; while M'l'l'tasoii, on the other wing, alro ran and k'eked with great judgment. If any of the forwards arc singled out, Gilray '•hould be mentioned. The Southern, on the other band, lacked the daah and combination they displayed against tlie Alhambra. and in the first spell did not make thp mii-t of the advantage of ha.ing the wind with them. Tho backs al«o m<"tle t'io fatal mistake m tho second spell of keeping too clo r> up. with the result that the high nnd hard kicking by the University repeatedly (arried t/he ball beyond them, and the fleetfooted 'Vareity forward ■( were generally up to it aa soou as the defenders Only oncein tho second spell were tiie Southern danjyorous, and on this occasion thc-y cucc/>pcipd ill working the play riplit up to the 'Varsity lino, but the Light Blues got the ball from the scrum, and a timely ptuit shifted operations down the field. In the first spell of the Alliambra-Pirr.t« contest the wind assisted the Pirates, especia?\y in their kicking, which was verygood. On the Blacks' side Hislop stood out conspicuously, and saved Vis side time after time. Fairclough, the full bank, played n reliable panv. and put in good work for hip side. The other backs lacked and collaTed well. Among the forwards Fenwick and KirkcuMy played well, and Logan was no tie" abV in the loose. The PnatPs' line out p!a> was sui,wior to that of the Alhambra. They repcatcd'y (rained ground in that way. Among the Alhambra backs M'Kay did what little was required of him. Bennet at timfifc s-hovved some of hie real form, but on the whole was not up to hU Uo-ual standard, failing to take the ball on several occasions. Johnston played a (rood game, boih at attack amd defence. Knowles played an excellent defensive game, but on the attack was in error in holding the ball too long, thereby spoiling tho other backs. Among the forwards M'Donald and Oorbett, in the tight, did good service, and in the loose Given and Hobsan -were prominent. If Mitchell -were to pay more attention to the rules his eide would not suffer so much by infringements. Mr W. Beadle gave every satisfaction a,? refcre-e.