RUGBY FOOTBALL

Southland Times, Issue 21770, 27 July 1932, Page 8

RUGBY FOOTBALL

TO-DAY’S GAME SOUTHLAND MEET CANTERBURY PROSPECTS DISCUSSED I — The first interprovincial game of the season as far as Southland is concerned will be played at Rugby Park this afternoon between Southland and Canterbury. Games between these provinces have always been productive of bright, open football, and should Rugby Park be only in fair order, there is every reason to expect a fast exhibition of Rugby. Both sides possess several fast and enterprising backs, while the forwards are reported to be fast and dashing. The last two games between Canterbury and Southland have furnished excellent examples of open and spectacular football, and in each case big scoring has resulted. At Invercargill in 1930, the Maroons who had just previously lost the Ranfurly Shield to Wellington, played one of their brightest games of the season and vanquished Canterbury by 24 points to 12. In that Canterbury team several All Blacks were seen in action, including George Hart, Herb. Lilburne, Sid Carleton and “Beau” Cottrell, and in the forwards was Jack Manchester who gained his All Black cap this year. Last year Southland met Canterbury at Christchurch in the final game of the northern tour, and after - one of the most thrilling and exciting games witnessed on Lancaster Park for some years, the home team prevailed by 24 points to 21. Southland led by 21 points to 10 at half-time and looked like increasing their lead when the Canterbury backs came with a sustained run and swamped the southerners just as easily as they had outplayed the Red and Blacks in the first spell.

The team which will line out for Canterbury to-day will not be as strong as either of the last two teams, however, and although the wealth of new blood introduced is probably quite capable of extending the Maroons, the chances, on paper, of the Southlanders are favoured. The only names that stand out in the visiting team are those of Charlie Oliver, a brilliant centre three-quarter, who represented New Zealand first in 1929 and was selected to play in the only test against the Wallabies last year, but was prevented from doing so owing to an arm injury; Rex King, a dashing forward formerly of Timaru, who was hailed as a coming New Zealand representative a couple of seasons ago; R. Hazelhurst, a youngster who played here two season’s ago; and W. Sweeney,- a hardworking forward. Nevertheless, although more or less of an unknown quantity, the visitors might be a better combination than they appear to be, and whatever their strength they may be relied upon to put up good opposition to Southland in the first game of the tour. They will have a number of Ranfurly Shield challenges to play off later in the season and all of the present side will be keen to get places in the shield team. With the exception of Hart, Manchester, Cottrell and Gordon Innes (absent in Australia), the team is reported to be up to its fullest available strength. Southland will be favoured by the ground conditions, but they will endeavour to make the game an open one and show the Southland public that their backs compare favourably with more-boosted brilliant ones of the north. The Maroon forwards, a good set, should be capable of supplying Holden with plenty of ball. Southland will pack a 3-4-1 scrum and Canterbury 3-2-3.

To date 34 games have been played between the two provinces, Canterbury having won 25 and Southland 8, while one was drawn. Mr J. R. Bell will referee the game which will commence sharp at 2.30 p.m. There will be no curtain-raiser. The Teams. The teams will line out as follows:— SOUTHLAND. (Maroon.) Full-back—G. Porter. Three-quarters—J. H. Geddes, A. McKay, N. Mitchell. Five-eighths—D. G. Grant (captain), R. Sharp. Half-back—A. W. Holden. Front Row—R. S. Donnelly, J. Mattingly, C. George. Second Row—R. Berry, L. George, J. Murphy, W. Southern. Back Row—E. E. Fowle. CANTERBURY. (Red and Black.) Full-back—-A. Bullivant. Three-quarters—A. Rowe, C. J, Oliver, N. Dunshea. / Five-eighths—L. Hollow, R. Hazelhurst. Half-back—W. H. Vincent. Front Row—K. Brown, R. K. King, A. Bowes. Middle Row—C. H. Perkins, G. W. Thompson. Back Row—D. G. Simpson, W. Sweeney, G. J. Howell. THE ALL BLACKS TEAM FOR TO-DAY’S MATCH. (United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright.) Sydney, July 26. The All Black team against Western Districts at Wellington (New South Wales) on Wednesday is as follows:— Full-back—Collins. Three-quarters — Hart, Caughey, Procter or Holder. Five-eighths—Page, Lilburne. Half-back—Kilby. Forwards—Palmer, Jecsep, Cottrell, Barry, Clarke, Metcalfe, Manchester, and Solomon. SECOND TEST INCIDENT ATTEMPTED BOYCOTT FAILS. Brisbane, July 16. A remarkable attempt to turn public opinion against the All Blacks and stifle interest in the second Test match against Australia at the Exhibition ground was perpetrated to-day. In prominent positions round the city posters were displayed requesting the public to boycott the match. On the notices it was declared that certain members of the New Zealand team had acted as special constables in opposition to the unemployed of Auckland and the tramway strikers in Christchurch during the recent riots. The attack on the All Blacks will not be so successful as its authors would hope. When the gates at the Exhibition Ground were opened at 11.30 a big crowd was waiting for admission. The All Blacks manager, “Billy” Wallace, was sorry that such a thing should occur on the morning of the tour’s most vital game. The All Blacks are more interested in a novel message from W. Mackenzie ("Offside Mac”), who was Mr Wallace’s captain in his first provincial game for Wellington in 1897. It came this morning, and read: “Young players of All Black fame—a voice from the past salutes thee. Remember to-day the glowing deeds of

mighty All Black legions, won on a thousand fields the World over, then nerve thy souls, stiffen thy sinews, play fairly, but hard; pass surely and mix thy game; follow fast and down hard thine enemy who essays to pass thee a dummy; let victory or Valhalla be thy battle cry and glorious inspiration. Ake, ake, kia kaha.”—Sydney Sun. RANFURLY SHIELD CHALLENGE FROM WELLINGTON. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, July 26. Subject to the consent of the New Zealand Union, the management committee of the Wellington Rugby Football Union has decided to issue a challenge to Canterbury for the Ranfurly Shield. LEAVING THE FIELD ANOTHER REQUISITION. (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, July 26. As the New Zealand Rugby Union has ruled that the matter of leaving the field at half-time cannot be discussed at the special meeting of delegates from Rugby unions being called to discuss the no-replacements rule, the management committee of the Canterbury Union to-night decided to circulate another requisition, in order that this question of leaving the field at half-time may also be considered by the delegates when assembled.