EASTERN BEATS OTAGO B

Southland Times, Issue 23599, 29 August 1938, Page 5

EASTERN BEATS OTAGO B

BRIGHT DISPLAY OF RUGBY AT GORE FRAMPTON OUTSTANDING AMONG BACKS After a bright open display on the Gore show grounds on Saturday afternoon Eastern Southland beat Otago B by 22 points to nine. There was a big crowd present and the weather was ideal for football. The ground was in excellent condition, although perhaps a little too hard, and the crowd saw a good display of football. Otago was unfortunate in losing three of its players in the second half because of injuries. One of the Eastern players also had to leave the field because of injury. Otago took some time to settle down in the first half, but after about 10 minutes of play the team sparkled up and the half was fairly evenly contested. Otago’s combination was upset in the second half through the three players having to leave the field and Eastern had the better of the game for the last 20 minutes of play. H. Frampton, who has been playing brilliant football all season, was the outstanding back on the field and he made openings time and again, being responsible for several tries scored by his team. B. Hoffman also played well, while McKenzie and McCaughan were always sound. The backs were fairly well matched although Eastern secured more often in the line-outs than Otago. Mathieson, Naylor and Renshaw were prominent in the Eastern pack. For Otago J. Mehalski played a sound game at centre until he had to leave the field because of an injury while Reid was also prominent. This player, unfortunately for Otago, also had to leave the field because of an injury. Campbell,played a sound game behind the scrum and Aitken, Spittle and Major played well in the forwards. 1116 teams were:—

OTAGO B (blue): H. Wilkins, W. Reid, J. Mehalski, J. Allan, A. Chapman, J. Kearney, W. Campbell; forwards, B. Leatham, G. Spittle, H. Major, D. Wilson, J. Barron, L. Aitken, H. Tyrie and L. Aitken. EASTERN SOUTHLAND (black): H. Tutty, R. McCaughan, P. Currie, B. Hoffman, P. McKenzie, H. Frampton, E. Wyeth; forwards, Ji Cooper, _D. Renshaw, T. Robins, J. Mathieson, L. Naylor, J. Pow, M. Soper, D. Gaudion. EASTERN OPENS SCORING Otago kicked off into the sun and took play well into Eastern’s territory. Naylor broke up a movement by the Otago backs, however, and Eastern soon returned to mid-field. Otago was penalized on its own twenty-five about five minutes after the beginning of play and Currie kicked a good goal for Eastern. Eastern 3, Otago 0. The visitors attacked from the kickoff, but Eastern again took the play back to mid-field. McKenzie broke through and kicked well down-field. He followed up quickly and caught Wilkins in possession. The ball was knocked clear and Naylor, who had backed up well secured an opening. Mehalski, with a speculator, found touch, however, and relieved the position for Otago. Eastern kept attacking and Currie almost scored near the posts when he was last to receive in a passing movement by the home bjeks. He was held up, however, and a scrum took place on the line. Eastern hooked and Wyeth secured, passing on to Frampton, who went round the back of the scrum to score. Currie’s kick missed. Eastern 6, Otagj 0. Play was again taken to Otago’s line, but the visiting backs began to sparkle up and throw the ball about. A bright movement took play well into Eastern’s territory and following a line out the Otago backs again came into action. The ball went out to Mehalski who cut out McCaughan, dashed for the line and scored. Kearney missed with the kick. Eastern 6, Otago 3. Adam replaced Currie at centre for Eastern at this stage, the latter having to leave the field because of an injury. Eastern was penalized soon afterwards in its own twenty-five and Kearney had a kick at goal from a handy position, but the ball went outside the posts. Tutty secured and cleared. 1 Shortly after the visiting backs were again seen in a sparkling movement, which resulted in a try. The Otago half-back, Campbell, secured on Otago’s twenty-five line and sent on to Kearney. The ball went right out to Allan, who scored in the corner. Kearney’s kick missed. Eastern 6, Otago 6. Eastern made a counter attack before half-time, which resulted in a try. From a line-out near Otago’s line, the ball went out to Frampton, who broke through and passed to Soper, who scored under the posts. Frampton failed to convert. The half-time scores were:

Eastern 9, Otago 6 When play resumed Otago immediately began throwing the ball about. A fast movement by the backs gained a lot of ground, Reid being pushed out at the corner post. Reid received an injury to his arm when tackled and he had to leave the field. He was replaced by Robinson. The Eastern forwards cleared from this position, rucking through to within 10 yards of the halfway mark, where the ball was kicked into touch. Otago worked its way back however, and another line-out _ took place at the corner. A penalty relieved the position for Eastern this time, McKenzie finding touch at the twentyfive. Another Otago player, H. Tyrie, had to leave the field because of an injury to his leg. He was replaced by W. Bissett. Hoffman added to Eastern’s total shortly afterwards when he kicked a good penalty goal from well out. Eastern 12, Otago 6. Otago was having more than its share of injuries and Mehalski had to leave the field at this stage because of an injury to his leg. He was replaced by A. Manion. Otago rucked through to Eastern’s line and from this position the ball went to the visiting backs. Robinson was last to handle and he scored in the far corner. Kearney missed with the kick. Eastern 12, Otago 9. Eastern attacked strongly for a period but Otago’s defence was sound and several movements were held up. Eastern kept attacking, however, and from a set scrum in front of the posts the home side hooked. Wyeth secured and sent to Frampton, who went across for a splendid try. Hoffman converted. Eastern 17, Otago 9. t Otago made a brief visit to Eastern’s territory, but the home side was soon on the attack again. Frampton was responsible for another try shortly after when he received from a scrum and cut out several players before handing to McCaughan. The latter found an opening and scored. Hoffman converted. Eastern 22, Otago 9. Otago made several determined attacks before the end of the game and Kearney had a shot at goal from a pen-

alty without success. Eastern was again on the attack when the game ended. The final scores were:

Eastern 22, Otago 9 Mr L. T. Cockerill was the referee,

EASTERN’S CLAIMS OVERLOOKED? PLAYERS IN SOUTHLAND TEAM

The Eastern Southland Rugby Football Sub-Union entertained the visiting Otago players and members of the Eastern Southland team at a dinner in the Cosy Lounge on Saturday evening. The chairman of the sub-union (Mr J. W. Aitken) presided. The toast of “The Otago Team” was proposed by the Eastern captain, Mr H. Frampton, who expressed appreciation of the willing manner in which the Otago Union had assisted the Eastern Sub-Union in sending a team to Gore. The game had proved to be the best Eastern had had this year, and it had been played in an excellent spirit. In reply, the captain of the Otago team, Mr L. Aitken, said that he was surprised that Eastern did not have more representatives in the Southland ' team, as undoubtedly there were several players deserving of places. It was the same in most other centres, however, country players never receiving the same recognition as those residing in the towns. Mr Aitken thanked the sub-union for the hospitality extended to the Otago team. Mr F. M. Murray proposed the toast of “The Otago Union,” and congratulated Otago on its Ranfurly Shield win. He thanked the Otago Union for sending a team to Gore and expressed the hope that the match would be the forerunner of many other fixtures. Mr W.-Flury replied, and stated that the Otago Union was quite willing to assist Eastern at any time, as it was of the opinion that the major unions should assist the smaller bodies as much as possible. The toast of “The Eastern SubUnion” was proposed by Mr L. Giles, who congratulated the sub-union on the enterprise it had shown in inviting a team to play at Gore. The Otago team had probably come to Gore with the idea that it was going to show Eastern something about Rugby, but he thought Eastern had taught them something. “It appears that Eastern has been decidedly overlooked by the parent body,” said Mr Giles, “as there were several players in the team today who could well uphold the traditions of Southland Rugby. I believe that if your team played as it did today it would extend any provincial side.” Mr J. W. Aitken, in reply, gave an outline of some of the difficulties the sub-union now had to face. The attendances had been falling away, and it had been thought that an outside team might stimulate some interest in the game. The class of football played that day was the class the public wanted to see. Mr Aitken said he was surprised at the stand the Southland Union had taken against sending a team to Gore. It had apparently thought a few of its players would get hurt, but he did not think that there was any player of Rugby who went on to the field with the deliberate intention of injuring another.

The following further toasts were honoured: “The Eastern Team” (Mr -L. Aitken—Mr H. Frampton); “The Medical Profession” (Mr H. G. Wallis—Dr R. S. Stewart and Dr J. Meade); “The Referees” (Mr A. H. Davidson—Mr L. T. Cockerill). «