SOUTHLAND'S SHIELD GAMES

Southland Times, Issue 22948, 22 July 1936, Page 14

SOUTHLAND'S SHIELD GAMES

The Record of J. R. Bell

(By

“Onlooker.”)

Mr J. R. Bell, who is coaching the Southland team for the Ranfurly Shield challenge game, played in eight shield games for Southland. He was a member of the 1921 team which successfully defended the trophy against Otago, winning by 10 points to 8, and lost it in the next match, against Wellington at Wellington. In 1925 he was one of the Southland team which challenged Hawke’s Bay, and in 1929 captained the victorious Maroons against Wairarapa. The following year he played in all four - shield games played by the Southland team. Up to that time Southland had taken part in 10 challenge matches and Mr Bell had played in eight of them. He scored two tries. T. Metcalfe, the Pirates forward, is the only other Southlander to have played in eight shield games, and as there is every possibility of his being selected for the game at Dunedin next week, he should establish a record for the number of individual appearances. Metcalfe has scored one try. In the 14 games played by Southland teams “outside” referees have controlled no fewer than 11 of them. It is probable that a Canterbury or South Canterbury referee will have charge of the game ,at Dunedin next week. Mr A. Fleury, of Dunedin, refereed three consecutive games in which Southland teams were engaged, two at Invercargill and one at Wellington. He had charge of the Hawke’s Bay-South-land match in which N. Wanoa (Hawke’s Bay) was ordered off. Diack’s Record. E. H. Diack (1921-30) heads the list of Southland scorers in shield games. He scored 32 points, made up as follows:—Three tries, seven conversions, and three penalty goals. G. L. Porter (1929-33) scored 20 points, 13 of which were scored in the Wairarapa game at Carterton. Next on the list is J. H. Geddes who scored five tries (15 points). Southland has played Otago twice in defence of the shield. The Maroons won both games, by 10 to 8 and by 37 to 5. Southland was the first South Island Union to win the shield, and the second union to take the trophy on tour. Wellington established the precedent when its team took the trophy on tour in 1920 and lost it to Southland. Results To Date. Results of Southland’s Ranfurly Shield games are as follows:— 1906 v. Auckland lost 48 —12 1914 v. Taranaki lost 6— 0 1920 v. Wellington won 17— 6 1921 v. Otago won 10— 8 1921 v. Wellington lost 28 —13 1925 v. Hawke’s Bay lost 31—12 1929 v. Wairarapa won 19—16 1930 v._Wanganui won 19— 0 1930 v. Otago won 37— 5 1930 v. Hawke’s Bay won 9 — 6 1930 v. Wellington lost 12— 3 1931 v. Wellington lost 36—13 1933 v. Canterbury lost 21— 3 1935 v. Canterbury lost 8— 3 Played 14, won 6, lost 8; points for, 158; against, 200. G. Baird’s Play. G. Baird (Invercargill wing threequarter), who toured the North Island last year with the Southland team, but did not play a game because of an injury received in the Timaru game, just about played his way back into the Southland team with his game for Invercargill against Old Boys (says a Sporting Life writer). He did not score a try, but he made the one which gave Invercargill the premiership. He is a strong runner, has good hands and is a resolute tackler. His form has been consistent since he came into the citj competition several weeks ago, and the strange part of it all is that the selectors did not sort him out with others for special training. It must have been an oversight. Baird stands out as the best wing playing in the Invercargill competition. D. G. Bruce, 1933 Southland representative, is now playing in Timaru and is regarded as a possibility for selection in the South Canterbury team this season.

The Otago Sub-Union’s team to meet Southland Sub-Unions at Invercargill on Saturday will have had two games together before the inter-provincial match. Last Saturday the Otago team was beaten by North Otago (really a minor union side) by 14 points to 9. To-day the team will be matched

against the probable Otago representative team at Dunedin.

The Otago and Southland Sub-Union teams have met four times since the annual games were begun in 1932. In that year Southland won by 6 points to 5; in 1933 Southland won by 12 to 9; in 1934 Otago succeeded by 11 points to nil, and last year (at Dunedin) Otago won by 8 points to 3. Second Trial Game.

The decision of the Southland selectors to play a further trial game on Saturday as a curtain-raiser to the subunions’ game is a step in the right direction. It means that several players who did not play in last Saturday’s trial will be provided with an opportunity to prove themselves, and it may result in a “discovery” being uncovered. According to reports J. McKay, the Western District wing three-quarter, is showing form above the average. The selectors are looking for three-quarters, and McKay is said to be the type that might well make the grade. It is good to note that G. Baird is to be given his chance. On his form in recent club games he appeals as the man likely to fill one of the wing positions. It is understood that the Southland team to meet Otago in the shield challenge game will be selected after the sub-unions’ game on Saturday. The forwards would appear to be the selectors’ most difficult problem. There are so many “eligibles” that the final sorting out will take full consideration. A. Spittle (Eastern) is a front row forward who might force his claims on the selectors on Saturday. He is one of the vigorous, hustling type, with plenty of pace. It was a surprise that he escaped the notice of the sub-union selectors. Omission of Berry. The omission of R. Berry, a foi-mer Southland representative forward, from the 30 chosen for special practice in Dunedin is causing much surprise in northern Rugby circles. A Wellington paper has the following comment to make about Berry’s play:—“The Dunedin Club has one of the solidest packs in the Dunedin Rugby competition, and Sporting Life is with those who include one Dunedin man in the thirty chosen for representative practice. If Berry and Carter are not good enough, then Otago should be able to field a pack even stronger than is expected. Berry has his critics in Dunedin, but he is a strong type of forward and one of the cleverest in Otago, and while the opposition admittedly was not up to standard, he stood out as the best man on the field against University B last Saturday. He led determined forward rushes time and again, and on two occasions went close to scoring, while on one other occasion he paved the way for a Dunedin try.”

Dunedin Gaines SOUTHERN’S VICTORY For the second year in succession Southern has won the Dunedin senior championship. The team this year was undoubtedly the best combination in the competition, and well deserved success, (says the Star). With a fine pack of forwards and a fast set of backs, the team played good football right through the season, and that it endeavoured to play a bright, open game is indisputably shown by the fact that the wing three-quarters have scored nearly 40 tries between them. Southern won the premiership for the first time in 1904, and again in 1912, 1915, 1935, and 1936. The following table shows the position of the teams at the conclusion of the competition this year:—

'o co E S o cn O G Q tn £ w w> co w £ £ co fa Southern 13 12 1 — 297 52 24 Varsity A 13 10 3 — 306 75 20 Pirates 13 8 4 1 151 136 17 Union 13 7 4 o 158 137 16 Kaikorai 13 7 5 i 186 142 15 Zingari 13 5 8 — 105 192 10 Taieri 13 5 8 — 167 241 10 Alhambra 13 4 8 1 110 169 9 Dunedin 13 3 9 1 96 176 7 Varsity B 13 1 12 — 92 348 2