SHIELD MATCH.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20361, 19 July 1934, Page 17

SHIELD MATCH.

’ Can Canterbury’s Forwards Do It Again? i LAST SEASON'S LESSON. | (Written for the " Star.”) After successfully defending the Ranfurly Shield for two years, the Canterbury team starts off on Saturday against Hawke’s Bay. The game is certain to attract a lot of attention, as the visiting side is to some extent an unknown quantity. After holding the Shield % for a long period, the Hawke’s Bay side gradually fell away. A new team has been built up, and it beat the allegedly unbeatable Wellington side last season. I have seen all the Rangurly Shield games played by Canterbury at Lancaster Park during the past two seasons, with the exception of the Taranaki match, which ended in a draw—a somewhat lucky one for the local side. In all the games of the past tw ° years success was achieved by the consistent play of the Canterburv forwards. Although never in the harder matches outclassing opponents, the Red and Black vanguard played so well as a pack that the rearguard has had sufficient opportunities in most games to put the result beyond doubt. Canterbury, like nearly all other provinces, have been without a good halfback. Mr Burrows, last season’s selector, finally fell back on Mullan, whose chief asset \v;as solidity; Mr Harris is m the same difficulty, and he has had to experiment.. He is trying out W. Oliver, and it remains to be seen how he will act. A Fme Trio. No inside backs who have opposed Hazelhurst, I lortlock and C. Oliver have proved equal to them, either on attack or defence. I am rather of opinion, however, that Hazelhurst is not so good as he has been in the two previous seasons. No doubt his motor accident accounts for indifferent displays this season; at the same time, if lie should give of his best on Saturu take a strong trio to beat the three mentioned. This is, however, always provided the Canterbury forwards are able to hold their own in and out of the pack. < . f'here are a number of new players 1 in the vanguard for Canterbury, and, ' provided they play as well as their pre- 1 decessors of the previous two seasons, ] Canterbury should succeed. The Auck- 1 land forwards beat us in the pack, and i were equal in the open, but the north- i ern inside backs failed and we gained an easy victory. (

Southland. with a much-boomed team, did not use their forwards enough relying on a lot of back plav which was not effective. The Otago forwards, gave a lot of trouble, but that side s backs paid too much attention

;o Oliver, and let Mortlock score' the winning points. We can expect a keen, solid game on Saturday, and, if the Hawke’s Bay orwards control the game, Canterbury vill be hard put to gain success. On ;he other hand, should the Canterbury sack play as well as it has done in he last two years, the Red and Black earguard should prove too much for he opposition. There is just one other point in the •oming game that must be considered. It may be that the Hawke’s Bay side possesses better backs than are generally anticipated, and if this be so, then it will be all the harder for Canterburv to succeed. —W.G.G.