WIN FOR CANTERBURY OVER BULLER

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27369, 7 June 1954, Page 13

WIN FOR CANTERBURY OVER BULLER

RUGBY football

13-5 Victory In Westport Match

OPENING OF REPRESENTATIVE SEASON

(From Our Own Reporter) WESTPORT, June 6. Canterbury opened its representative season with a fairly convincing win over Buller, the Seddon Shield holders, at Victoria square, Westport, yesterday. Canterbury won by 13 points to 5 after being down 5-0 at half time. The match was played m first-class conditions. Until well into the second spell Canterbury was unable to make any impression on the rock-like defence of the Buller backs, whose tackling throughout the match was magnificent. Buller took command of forward play in the first spell and, taking advantage of a lack of cohesion in the Canterbury forwards, began many loose rushes, a counter for which Canterbury was unable to find. Too many little mistakes, too often repeated, by the Canterbury backs in the first spell, brought many good movements to nothing. From scrums and line-outs Buller won the greater share of the ball. Like Buller, the Canterbury backs, after a few lapses, tackled well and Buller adopted cross-field kicking. Although ground was gained on many occasions Buller received very little benefit because of K. C. Stuart’s fine performance at fullback. The second spell was the exact reverse. Canterbury, binding and jumping better, dominated play in the forwards and only on rare occasions did Buller manage to break out of its own territory. The backs also were handling better than they had in the first half. Although the defence never wilted for a moment Canterbury broke through many times. Towards the end of the match Canterbury looked like scoring several times and was prevented only by a dogged defence and a few handling lapses.

There was a lot of kicking—some of ft ill-directed—during the match and if it did nothing else it demonstrated the qualities of both excellent full-backs, Stuart and P. Mumm. Stuart played an outstanding and faultless game. His line kicking, his rush-stopping and his tackling were of a distinctly high order. He scored seven points from kicks. Although not quite as polished as Stuart, Mumm also played an outstanding game. Time after time in the second spell he stopped Canterbury's advances with long line-kicks, and his handling of a rolling ball was exemplary. He was the best Buller back on the field. In the Banfurly Shield match against Wellington last year R. Smith played the best game of his career. Since then he has maintained his standard and yesterday emphasised his claims to South Island honours. Canterbury attacks were given new life by Smith’s bursts through the first five-eighths position. Two such movements which he initiated ended in tries and there were others which nearly brought scores. He had few chances from orthodox back movements, but made his own by chasing loose kicks. M. J. Dixon, on the other wing, had a quiet , day. Most of the play after toe first’ quarter of an hour was away from him. In the early stages, however, he was unfortunate enough to receive two bad passes, both of which, if taken, had every prospect of ending in tries. A. W. McPherson, at centre, had an off day./His handling was uncertain in the first half and some of his passing poor. Centre of Attention D. D. Wilson, at second five-eaehths, found early in the game that he was the centre of attention for his opposite number and for forwards coming up quickly on the back line. He largely overcame this by promptly ridding himself of the ball and by doubling round for another pass. P. J. Greedy and B. Columbus found some difficulty at first in producing a food combination, but as the game progressed they began to work very efficiently. Columbus was also harried by side-row forwards, but he came through a trying day with colours flying. He scored a good try by fast following up. Greedy again showed himself to be a firstclass half-back. He made several solid breaks from the scrum, and his passes to Columbus, after they both settled down, were swift and true. The Canterbury forwards did not settle down until well into the second half. In the first half they were beaten in both aae-outs and scrums—when the ball did get to the half-back it was usually escorted by a Buller forward. In the second spell, however, by packing tighter and jumping better, they turned the tobies. E. Hem played outstandingly, as did B. P. Eastgate. They were to be found chasing the ball on every occasion were usually the first to ruck. Jf. T. Teague and A. Chirnside bore the brunt of the line-out work, and D. Young, besides playing weH in the loose, gave Canterbury a 16-10 share of the ball from Scrums. R. Wells was always looking for Work in the loose. It was surprising to that he was played number eight in toe line-outs when his 6ft 4in could have ocen used to better advantage. Little Work for Buller Backs The Buller backs, other than tackling, -ad little to do. On most occasions they received the ball only for the length of tone it took to kick across the field.. R. burrow, on the right wing, played Wundly, but he had few opportunities. Se made use of the one chance he did receive—charging through the Canterbury torwards to score a good try. The halfJack, C. Tregurtha, and A. Forsyth at urst five-eighths, proved an effective combination. It was through the efforts of G. Andertoa, M. Ryan, J. Cockfield, and W. Cradoock that Canterbury was hard put to it auring the first half to defend its line. Anderson, Ryan, and Craddock played magnificently in the loose, and Cockfield out-pointed the Canterbury men in the Une-outs. Anderson was the best forward on the field. The Play After 25 minutes the Buller forwards wged into Canterbury territory. and a ruck inside the twenty-five Stuart J®eived but was tackled just as he was pcfcng. The ball slid off his boot and was taken by Burrows On the run. He parged through the Canterbury forwards near the posts. Mumm conwas unable to score in the fU'st half, and at half-time Buller was racing by 5 points to 0. canterbury opened its account with a ES? ty ? oai kicked by Stuart from a ErOtf Position. About 10 minutes later broke through, and after Wilson 7 a “ hand ’ ed and kicked ahead Colombus, -owing up fast, kicked the ball over and scored well out. Stuart conFive minutes before the end «nitn again broke through and kicked to the posts from a loose ruck. s*, . Tea B Uo snapped up the ball and hnr - OV€r - Stuart converted. Canterbury won by 13 points (two goals from a ana a P ena lty goal) to 5 (a goal from Mr R. F. Marshall was referee. CANTERBURY B TEAM CHANGED M «yo, who was chosen as full-back * or J ne Canterbury B team against nterbur y at Lancaster Park today. ;g™ned an ankle when playing for Old aB?. aga ,*? s t Belfast on Saturday. M. >««yans (Sydenham) has been chosen to : his place. ! trTl. Bowick (Sydenham) has been added list of emergencies.

in other CENTRES

s^J* CK ‘ and —Marist 22, Grammar 17; PonTraining College 12; Grafton 29, 6; Northcote 9, North Shore 3; 12 ’ University 9: Manukau 9, fcgg^tington.—Wellington 13, Athletic 11; IS ,efee Oriental 6; Marist 9, Onslow 9; IOnS 6- Wellington College Old Boys 3; ErVf at r i . c ks Old Boys 9, Taita 3. Buff 8 ! 8 .?• —Union 8, Dunedin 3; Uni ver • Egg. 24. Alhambra 5; Southern 18, UniK« 6: Kaikorai 9. Zingari-Richmond afeaar * n