CANTERBURY TEAM'S TOUR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9015, 23 August 1907, Page 1

CANTERBURY TEAM'S TOUR.

SOUTH CANTERBURY BEATEN. The Canterbury Rugby Union's representative team left on its southern tour yesterday morning in charge of Mr S. Wilson. The- first match was played at Temuka yesterday after neon against the representatives of the South Canterbury Rugby Union. The South Canterbury forwards showed better form than their less sturdy opponents, but the Canterbury backs were superior to- thcv=o of the southern union, and to their efforts was largely due the defeat of South Canterbury" by nine points to three. There was a ■. fairly large gathering of spectators. The teams were as follow : — Canterbury — : Full - back, Dccll ; three-quarters. Cotton, Ho-wison and Aitkrn ; fiveeighths. Deans and Fuller; half, Burns; wing - forward, Drake; forwards, Mahoney, Shannon, Menzies, Alexander, Ward, Evans and Bain. South Canterbury — Full-back, D. Scott ; three-quarters, Anvcott. Bradley and D. Morgan; five-eighths,' Priest; half. Twomey ; wing-forwards. Coles and J. Roddick; forwards. Melvin, Houlihan. Carlton, Scott, Waldie, Thomas and Hooper. Mr A. Cuthbert was referee. The game- opened with the Greens (South Canterbury) attacking, and an almost certain score was lost through a knock-on when D. Horgan was dribbling towards' the Reds' (Canterbury) line, iiy good forward play thoGreeii6 kept attacking, and D. H organ was collared on tho line. Immediately afterwards Anwotb tried a pot, but failed, and Doeli found touch , at the twenty-five. _ A Red passing rush with Fuller prominent showed some smart handling of the ball, and Cotton ran in practically unopposed. Howison failed with the kick at goal. The kickont gained a- let ci ground for tj;3 Greens, and D. Scott had a pot, but tho ball failed to rise, and from a Red rush Bradley saved. Another Red forward rush was stopped by D. Scott marking. A Green rush with W. Scott at the head was stopped by offiside play, and then Horgan was prominent with a good run. After a Green attack a free kick was given in front and D. Scott kicked a goal, making tha scores even. Good play by Houlihan gained ground for the "Greens, but a Red passing rush ended in a scrum on the line. Some good play by Waldic brought the homo team to the attack once more with a scrum on the line, | but Burns kicked out at the twenty- i five. A Red forward rush nearly ended in a score, Horgan saying by kicking into touch. Canterbury passing was spoiled by Bradley intercepting, and , he kicked 4 .igh to tlie centre, where Cotton marked, and the Reds, by fine play, got near the South Canterbury i line. With some clever passing Aitken ran over, but the kick at goal failed. Canterbury had slightly the better of ' the rest of the first spell, which ended in Canterbury's favour by six points 1 to three. The opening of the second s'p^A was marked by play in neutral ground, chiefly line-out and scrum work. A Green forward rush to the Canterbury twenty-five was relieved by a free kick. Mahoney showed some skilful play, gaining ground by good line-play, and the Reds got down to the home team's line, but Twomey kicked to the twentyfive. From a scrum Burns got tlie ball, and by a brilliant dodgy run completely fooled the Green backs and ran over. The try was not converted. The Canterbury forwards were trying to make the play open now, and Mahoney was again playing cleverly on tho line. Priest's kicking gained ground for South Canterbury. From a 6crum about fifteen yards from the Greens' j goal Twomey kicked high, and Coles charged down the Red backs at halfway. Deans by a great run, in which he bea-o three men got near to the Green line. A Green rush was spoiled by a knock-on, and an exchange of kicks left play near the centre. B. Horgan made a fine run, getting nearly through the visitors, but Avith passing, in which Deans was particularly clever, they regained the lost ground. The remainder of tho game was fairly even, the Reds having the better of it, although for a couple of minutes at the end South Canterbury attacked strongly. Yesterday's match was the twentieth between Canterbury and South Canterbury. South Canterbury have been successful on two occasions, winning on© of two matches played in 1898 and one of two matches in i 902.