SHIELD MATCH.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20362, 20 July 1934, Page 11

SHIELD MATCH.

CHALLENGERS RELY ON BIG FORWARDS. Canterbury on Rearguard. BEST FORM NEEDED TO RETAIN TROPHY. The stage is set for the first Ranfurly Shield challenge match of the season, which takes place at Lancaster Park to-morrow, when Canterbury will have to defend the trophy against Hawke’s Bay Canterbury have high hopes of retaining the Shield, but it is realised that to do so the side will have to reach top form and keep up the pressure right throughout, for the men from the north will surely provide most formidable opposition. Hawke’s Bay combine great size and strength in the forwards with a big percentage of youthful players, and it is on the fast, heavy and vigorous forwards that the team will rely. The captain is E. R Steere. an All Black from 1928 to 1932, and this fifteeustoner, who enhances his weight with speed and brains, will mr.ke a fine leader for the side. Others who will *we c v /• ta^e a lot of holding ** j n the ti K ht plav as y well as in the loose

rushes are Mataira. 14st 71b, who has been chosen for the All Black team to to\tr Australia, Reid, a lost Maori, W. Colling, Rolls. Skittrup, T. Le Quesne, Kelly and E. JackThough the Bay’s main strength is in the forwards, the backs are a work-

manlike lot. and there is scoring abilityin the three-quarter line. The big Maori, C. Smith, is a hard winger to stop when once he gets away, and the light, fast Apsey is elusive aqci a potential scoring man in any company. Evans is a steady centre, and the fiveeighths, C. Le Quesne and L. Bradlev, are useful men. while Clothier, the half, is a fast and heady man on attack. Dry Ground Wanted. The Hawke’s Bay side a fine day, and so do Canterbury, and present indications are that the weather will oblige. The visitors do not want their forwards slowed up by mud, and the defenders of the Shield want their backs to get every chance. For it will be on the backs that Canterbury’s chief reliance is placed. The Canterbury forwards will be outweighted, but they themselves are not a delicate assembly, averaging thirteen and a half stone, and the scrum is perfectly balanced, with every man a hard and capable worker. Canterbury supporters expect their forwards to secure at least a reasonable share of the ball, despite the formidable opposition, and if that hope is borne out by results, the visitors will have a bit of stopping to do. W. Oliver has a chance to make his name at half, and outside him there is Ilazelhurst and the able Mortlock, wtvh a fast and tricky three-quarter line in Mann, C. J. Oliver and Tweedie. Bound to be Fast. The game is bound to be fast and spectacular. Not since their wonderful record of five years as holders of the Shield have the Bay players produced so good a side, and their hopes

of success this season are high. ♦Canterbury’s side is up to the standard of those which have held the Shield for the past two seasons against all comers. There is one respect in which the visitors have an ad-vantage, and that is in point of playing combination: Four interprovincial matches this season have seen theip w y in each game, and the side works' well together. Still, the Canterbury men know each other’s play fairly well, and are capable ot producing some very high-grade Rugby. Arrangements have been made with thoroughness, and with anything like favourable weather, spectators should see a game well worthy of Shield traditions. Statistics of Matches. The following tables set out the statistics relating to the shield since it has been in Canterbury’s possession:— MATCHES PLAYED. 1931. Points. v. Wellington, August 22, won 8 6 v. Otago, September 12, won .17 6 1 932. v. S. Canterbury. Aug. 13. won 11 5 v. Auckland. August 20. won .14 0 v. West Coast. August 27. won 5 3 v. Wellington. Sept. 3. won . . 9 8 v. Puller. September 10. won . 13 0 v. Waikato. September 24. won 17 6 1 933. v. Ashburton, August 2. won . 31 7 v. Southland. August 19. won 21 3 v. Otago. August 26. won .... / 8 F. v. West Coast. Sent. 2. won ... 23 14 v. Puller. September 9. won . 13 3 v. Taranaki. Sept. 10. drew .. 15 In v. S. Canterbury, Sept. 23. won 0 3 v. King Country. Sept. 30. won 36 0 Total 247 84 A TT EX DA XCKS. 1931. v. Wellington (played Wgton.) v. Otago 12.000 1932. v. South Canterbury 7,000 v. Auckland ’. 3 4.000 v. West Coast S.OOO v. Wellington 16.000 v. Puller 20.000 v. Waikato * 11.500 1933. v. Ashburton 6,000 v. Southland 25,000 v. Otago 18,000 v. West Coast 21.500 v. Puller 12.000 v. Taranaki ' 12,000 v. South Canterbury 10,000 v. King Country 10,000 Total 202.000 NET GATE RECEIPTS. 1931. £ j v. Wellington (played in Wgton.) v. Otago 370 v. South Canterbury 130 v. Auckland 4 19 v. West Coast ill

v. Wellington 40 - v. Puller ; 457 v. Waikato 161 1933. v. Ashburton . 204 v. Southland io*>o v. West Coast. 703 v. Puller 350 v. Taranaki <>7s v. South Canterbury !!!!.*! 250 v. King Country !! 150 Total £5661 In some cases low returns were due

to the fact that the r a nterburv Union paid the expenses of visiting teams. Matches Postponed. Owing: to the state of the ground, the schoolboys* under Sst 71b grade matches set down to be pis yed at Lancaster l ark to-morrow have been postponed. ALL BLACK TEAM. Captain and Vice-Captain Chosen. Per Press Association. rni , . WELLINGTON, July 19. the chairman of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union (Mr S. S. Dean) stated to-night that the committee had appointed F. D. Kilby to be captain of the New Zealand team to tour Australia and he had selected J. R. Page to be vice-captain. It was decided that the All Blacks should play a match at Wellington on the Thursday after their return from the Australian tour, but it has not. yet been decided what team they will meet.