RUGBY FOOTBALL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19587, 6 September 1933, Page 11

RUGBY FOOTBALL

NEWS AND NOTES. (By “Onlooker.’') Before the match at Dunedin on Saturday, South Canterbury and Otago had met on 13 occasions. Otago had won 7 matches and South Canterbury five, while one had been drawn. Saturday’s match was for charitable purposes, and as an Otago B team only was engaged, the game was not ranked as a straight-out representative fixture. South Canterbury will need to improve very considerably if they are to have any chance against Canterbury for the Ranfurly Shield at the end of the month. At no stage of the game against Otago B did the backs threaten danger, two of the three tries scored coming from the forwards. The wings were rarely seen in action as a result of concerted movements, most of their efforts being solo dashes. The first try, scored by Ryan, certainly was a result of a passing rush, and the Point winger had to show determination to get over within a foot of the corner flag. On the other wing, J. Boys had his hands full trying to cope with Jolly, a tall, longstriding player, who covers the ground with a peculiar deceptive sway of the body. Not only did he beat Boys, but Connolly and others found him a most difficult man to haul down. In the second half, Boys showed grit in diving at the big fellow, and more than once he succeeded in upsetting the Otago man.

Although the match was a hardfought one, play was decidedly uninteresting, as it was confined for the most part to the forwards. Otago showed up well in the line-outs, getting the ball back repeatedly to Simon, who gave his backs good service. In the loose they shaded the visiting pack, but were not so successful in the scrums. The Green and Black front-row men gave a good account of themselves, but their success W'as nullified to a great extent by the fact that the ball failed to find a clear passage through to Blyth. Having secured the ball, the Greens appeared to think this was sufficient, and more than once Blyth had to call on them to push, so that he could reach the leather. Failure to exert their full weight in the scrums was the chief ■weakness of the South Canterbury pack. Two or three of the backrankers played too much of a roving game. These tactics were an advantage at periods, but when the weight was most needed, it was lacking.

Credit must be given J. Callanan and Adkins for their honest toiling, while Alexander showed up well in the ldose. Seaton and D. Callanan were conspicuous in the open, and they worried the inside Otago backs for the greater part of the game. The handling of the Greens, and their tackling left much to be desired, however. Generally both forwards and backs went for their men high, and the Blues repeatedly got the ball away, whereas hard low tackling would have put a stop to many of the movements. On several occasions the Green backs were caught hopelessly out of position, and the forwards had to beat a hasty retreat to smother likely scoring movements. Only poor handling on the part of the Otago backs prevented the score being a much larger one. The chief weakness in the South Canterbury backs lay in the fiveeighth line. It may be that Cartwright was playing to instructions in trying to force his way through the opposing five-eighths, but when he found that he was not meeting with success, he would have been advised to give the men further out a chance. Lundy (Waimate) suffered as a result of Cartwright’s selfishness, while very little was seen of Cumming (Waimate), who was having his first run in a representative side. He made one or two nice runs, however, and gave promise of being an asset to the side. The best of the South Canterbury backs was Blyth, who gave a good display. He sent his passes out well, and varied his play nicely.. On one occasion he made a brilliant opening, complete'y beating the Otago backs, but for some unknown reason was brought back by the referee. Blyth’s try, following a series of scrums on the Otago line, was a smart piece of work. Connolly, who captained the South Canterbury team against Otago, did not display his usual certainty in handling, and he was rather prone to wait for the bounce of the ball. On some occasions, however, he showed real brilliance, getting his side out of difficult corners.

South Canterbury will play their return match against North Otago at Timaru on Saturday. The South Canterbury back-line has undergone a further change. Cumming, Cartwright and Boys have been dropped n favour of Halstead, Provan and Brown Trotter. Provan probably will strengthen the inside backs, but Trotter is not the Trotter of old. Halstead certainly has improved of late, but it is questionable whether the best has been seen of Cumming. Last season, the selector persevered with his team, and some combination was worked up. but sweeping changes every match are not going to get the team anywhere. Grant has been dropped from the forwards to make room for Giddings, but this must be on account of the Temuka player suffering from a leg injury. In addition to the representative match on Saturday, the semi-finals of the Harris Cup competition will be proceeded with, as well as a junior representative match, North Otago v. South Canterbury. With such a full programme, the Union should be favoured with a good gate. Since home and home matches were commenced in 1927, South Canterbury and North Otago have met on fourteen occasions. South Canterbury have won ten matches, North Otago two. while ttvo have been drawn. The list of matches is as under:— 1927—Drawn. 6—6. 1927.—South Canterbury, 6—5. 1927 North Otago, 22—6. 1928 South Canterbury, 16—9. 1928 South Canterbury, 27—3. 1929 — South Canterbury, 11—8. 1929 South Canterbury, 19—10. 1930 Drawn, 6—6. 1930 South Canterbury, 30—17. 1931 North Otago, 17—16. 1931 South Canterbury, 38—10. 1932 South Canterbury, 15—8. 1932 South Canterbury, 24—0. 1933 — South Canterbury, 16—8. Before 1927, the matches were played in Timaru and Oamaru in alternate years.

REFEREES FOR SATURDAY. Tire following are the referees for Saturday's matches:— Representative Fixtures. South Canterbury v. North Otago, Fraser Park No. 1. 245 p.m. Mr A. B. Rowlands. South Canterbury Juniors v. North Otago Juniors, Fraser Park No. 1, 1.30. ' ’r A. Simmers. Harris Cup Semi-Final. Star v. Celtic, Fraser Park No. 2, 1.30 p.m. Mr R. G. Sampson. Temuka v. Pleasant Point, Fraser Park No. 2, 245 p.m. Mr G. F. Doyle, i