Played For Three Teams In Shield Games

Southland Times, Issue 23888, 5 August 1939, Page 13

Played For Three Teams In Shield Games

C. K. Saxton, captain of the Southland team, has played _ for three provinces in Ranfurly Shield games, Otago, South Canterbury and Southland. He was the half-back in the team which won the shield for Otago for the first time, against Canterbury at Christchurch in 1935. Saxton was bom at Kurow and he played his first football when at the Cheviot (North Canterbury) school. Later, at the Otago Boys’ High School he was well coached in the art of halfback play, one of his coaches being none other than James Duncan, former All Black half-back and coach of the famous 1905 All Blacks. Even in those years Saxton was an exponent of the dive-pass which gained much prominence during the Springbok tour of New Zealand in 1937. It was in 1935 that Saxton won his first representative cap; he played for Otago in several games that year. He also played for Otago in 1936. The

following year he shifted from Dunedin to Timaru and was made captain of the' South Canterbury team. He captained the team again last year when South Canterbury failed to take the shield from Otago. Late in the season he came to Invercargill and gained the distinction of playing for Southland although not having played in a club team. He thus played for two provinces in shield matches in one season. Saxton’s good play over a number of years was rewarded last year when he was . chosen to represent New Zealand in Australia. His dive-pass and his general all-round play earned him high praise, and since he has shown a continuance of his top form this year he must be regarded as being well in the running for a place in the team for South Africa next year.