OTAGO DEFEATS SOUTHLAND

Southland Times, Issue 24163, 27 June 1940, Page 10

OTAGO DEFEATS SOUTHLAND

Annual Secondary Schools Game MATCH MARRED BY BAD CONDITIONS (Special to The Times) DUNEDIN, June 26. The-fact that the annual match between the first fifteens of the Otago and Southland Boys’ High Schools played at Carisbrook did not produce Rugby of the quality traditionally associated with secondary schools football could be attributed to the most unfavourable conditions. A high wind which brought rain with it swept the ground and made handling and kicking very difficult. The Otago team won by eight points to three, but if it had had an inside back combination able to make even some use of the consistent supply of the ball won by the scrum the margin must have been much greater. The Otago scram packed well and was definitely better in tight play. Time after time the ball came back smartly only for the forwards to have to scramble back in a hurry to stop breaks through the inside backs by the Southland breakaways. The Otago hooker, J. W. R. Logan, really did exceedingly well and he, J. K. Moore and I. R. Ellison, played dashing, loose football. A. H. Sime half-back, did not send out good passes always, but he was not to blame for the small use made of the ball by the Otago backs. The five-eighths handled and passed badly and their three-quarters saw very little of the ball indeed. Fortunately for the side the’full-back, J. M. Crawford, stopped the rushes, gathered in the ball and kicked soundly and cooly. He gave an excellent exhibition in trying circumstances. The Southland forwards did well in the loose, but they did not pack. J. A. Thompson, R. W. Potts and H. C. B. Rowley headed many loose breaks and showed pace and good control of the ball on the ground. Behind the scrum J. H. Weavers was versatile and clever and C. N McKenzie at first five-eighths tackled splendidly and paved the way for most of the loose Southland rashes through the opposing inside back combination. J. S. Fleming on the right wing was given few chances, but he

impressed as a particularly strong runner and a three-quarter with an excellent idea of positional play. It was the tackling of the Southland team that redeemed its display. The Otago players found it almost impossible to travel far with the ball, although the fact that the defence was so sound could not be put forward as an excuse for such disappointing handling. There was no score until well on in the second half when the only impressive back thrust of the match paved the way for a loose drive into Southland’s comer. The ball was kicked over the line, but the first Otago forward to get to it could not gather it in. Then a Southland player failed to force it and Logan dived over for a try. ' The Southland forwards attacked strongly and Otago was penalized in an easy position. I. G. Gilbertson, full - back, kicked a good goal. Southland maintained the pressure for some time, but Otago gradually worked upfield and another loose attack into the goalmouth ended in Moore diving over for the winning try. Crawford converted and the match ended with the scores:

Otago 8, Southland 3

Mr L. Millar was the referee.

The Otago team was unfortunate in that one of its best forwards, Ellison, suffered a fractured arm half-way through the second half.

SECONDARY SCHOOL MATCH AT GORE

JOHN McGLASHAN COLLEGE BEATS HIGH SCHOOL

In a football match played in heavy rain on the Gore show ground yesterday the John McGlashan College (Dunedin) first fifteen beat the Gore High School first fifteen by six points to three. The ground was in a very heavy state and it was not long before the game developed into a scramble, open play being impossible. The visiting team held a territorial advantage in the first half and at half-time it was leading by three points to nil. It increased its total soon after the beginning of the second half, but from then on the home forwards had command of the game. Although the team made repeated determined efforts to score, it was not successful in crossing the visitor’s goal-line, the three points scored by the team coming from a penalty goal.

The teams were:— john McGlashan college: King, Graham, Johnston, Pannett, Elvidge, Wilson, Anderson; forwards, McDowall, Cameron, McKenzie, Macdonald, Skinner, Ritchie, Moore, Neill. GORE HIGH SCHOOL. Kennedy, Poskit, Hunt, Edwards, Baynes, Qrr, Hanley; forwards, Humphries, MacGibbon, Wayte, Roy, Thompson, Johnston, Campbell, Grant. The visiting team attacked from the beginning of play and Gore was forced to defend strongly. McGlashan College continued to attack until good play by Thompson in dribbling the ball from his team’s 25 to the other end of the field placed Gore in an attacking position. The visiting team obtained relief from a force-down. Gore continued to attack, but could not penetrate the defence of the visiting side. The College forwards eventually broke through to the Gore line where a home forward was penalized. The kick bounced over the line, and Moore, who followed through quickly, scored. The kick failed. The half-time score was: McGlashan College 3, Gore 0 The visiting team attacked strongly after the interval and after some strenuous play Ritchie was successful in dribbling over the line to score. The kick again missed. McGlashan College 6, Gore 0. Gore made a determined attack and swept through to the visiting team’s line, but the defence held. Gore continued to attack, its forwards now having command of the game One of the defending backs was penalized for lying on the ball and Orr kicked a good goal for Gore. McGlashan College 6, Gore 3. Gore was unlucky not to score on two or three occasions before the end of the game. The game ended with the score unaltered. Mr A. G. Melville was the referee. BALFOUR TEAM WITHDRAWN NORTHERN SUB-UNION’S DECISION Advice was received at a meeting of the management committee of the Eastern Southland Rugby Football SubUnion last night from the Northern Sub-Union that it had been decided to withdraw the Balfour team from the Eastern competition. This was found necessary through Balfour not being able to field a second grade team in the Northern competition as ,was originally intended. Mr Southern said that the trouble seemed to be that Balfour was not fulfilling its obligations in the Northern competition. The letter was received and it was decided to award the Balfour-Mataura match, which was postponed in May, to Mataura.

Those present at the meeting were:— Messrs J. W. Aitken (chairman), W. Southern, F. M. Murray, J. Cunningham, A. H. Davidson, W. Forbes, H. J. Hill, T. K. Clark, N. McLeod, H. G. Wallis.

A decision was made to postpone all matches on July 6 because of the fact that the Army team is to play at Invercargill. It was decided that the present third grade competition finish on Saturday, and that entries be called for another competition to start on July 13.

The fixtures committee was instructed to draw another round for the second grade competition. B. F. Windle was awarded a transfer from Pirates (Invercargill) to Pioneer. Tire fixtures for Saturday were approved as follows:— Senior grade: Albion v. Mataura, at Gore.

Junior grade: Albion v. Wyndham, at Gore; Pukerau v. Mataura, at Mataura; Pioneer a bye. Third grade: Mataura v. Glenham, at Mataura; Pioneer v. High School, at Gore; Wyndham a bye. Fourth grade: Mataura v. Albion, at Mataura; High School v. Wyndham, at Gore.