CANTERBURY WIN AT WANGANUI

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27734, 11 August 1955, Page 15

CANTERBURY WIN AT WANGANUI

Team Generally In Poor Form R. M. SMITH PLAYS BRILLIANTLY (From Our Own Reporter) WANGANUI, August 10. If Canterbury hopes to retain the Ranfurly Shield, its representative team will have to play far better than it played against Wanganui today. Its tackling, handling, and generally lethargic approach to the forward game, were little short of shocking for a team that is supposed to represent the premier Rugby province of New Zealand. Although it beat Wanganui today by 11 points to 6, at no stage did Canterbury play with the fire and devil of its opposition. Canterbury’s 11 points were made up of a goal from a try, a try, and a penalty goal. The tries were not, however, a result of concerted back movements, but rather the efforts of one or two players who were quick to take advantage of a breakdown in a Wanganui back movement. The forwards were beaten in the line-outs, the tight, and to a great extent in the loose. It was one of Canterbury’s worst games for years. The only redeeming feature was the magnificent play of R. M. Smith.' He played on the left wing, but had he been content to remain in this position only, what sting there was in the Canterbury back line would have disappeared. He scored a brilliant opportunist try, and on several other occasions cracked the defences open. In short, he was the spearhead of all the successful Canterbury back-line passing movements. The following were the teams:— Canterbury.—K. C. Stuart; A. E. G. Elsom, C. A McDonald, R. M. Smith; A. W. C. McPherson, B. Woods; P. B. Vincent (captain); R. Moffat; J. Buxton, N. Teague, K. Meates, H. Burry; E. Hern. D. Young, J. Staines. Wanganui.—D. Mander: C. Crimp. A. Webby, M. Chase; R. Northin, D. Glengarry; G. Downs; J, McKnight; R. Crawshaw. F. McGuigan t captain), T. Oldfield. D. Stewart; R. Carroll, J. Karatau. W. Williams.

Early in the game Buxton had to leave the field with a broken tooth, which gashed the inside of his mouth. He was replaced by E. Bullmore. In the second half, Elsom was slightly injured, and was replaced by S. K. Henderson.

Fiery Wanganui Forwards Shock tactics were employed by the Wanganui forwards in the first 15 minutes of the game, and Canterbury could find no counter to them. The Wanganui forwards tore into rucks, jumped high in the line-outs, and swept all before them in loose rushes.

As the game progressed, however, Canterbury recovered, and for a considerable time held the Wanganui pack in the tight and loose play. Some of the Canterbury short-passing rushes among the forwards had Wanganui in difficulty. Where the Wanganui eight outpointed Canterbury badly, however, was in getting to breakdowns in the backs quickly. Time and again two or three Canterbury forwards were forced to withstand the combined force of the Wanganui pack, while their other packmen jogged to the ruck. This laxity was punished with a severe loss of ball from rucks—a department of play in which Canterbury usually excells. Nor did the backline—an extremely strong one—perform with the snap that it has. There was little or no thrust in the inside backs, and poor handling and tackling cost Canterbury large stretches of ground. Much of the trouble stemmed from the faulty combination of Vincent and Woods, who were not very happy together. Outside Woods. McPherson attempted to race through non-existent gaps. Elsom, on the right wing during the first half, and at centre before he went off in the second half, had little to do. When he received the ball, it was usually too late for him to do anything with it. McDonald played a sound game, scoring a determined try, but even he did not. play as well as* usual. At full-back, Stuart played his usual sound game. His handling was sure, and. with Smith and Vincent, he made the main breaks on the blind and open sides.

Vincent Given Little Cover Vincent gave Woods a good service, but, unlike the Wanganui half, he received little or no protection from his forwards. He made one or two slashing runs from the base of the scrum. Smith was perfection. Meates and Teague were Canterbury’s hopes after Buxton left the field. At first they had no hope against the tall McGuigan and Oldfield, but later, with' fine jumping, they evened the honours. Moffat was the best loose forward, and Bullmore, Hern, and Young were the best workers in the tight. McGuigan was the best forward on the field. He was a great leader for Wanganui, barging throng Ji line-outs and charging downfield in foot rushes. Oldfield gave McGuigan fine support in the lineouts. J. Karatau, the hooker, R. Crawshaw, and J. McKnight were Wanganui’s best loose forwards. In the scrums Karatau lost two tight heads to Young. The Wanganui backline as a whole did not measure up to Canterbury’s on atu ,y? s I rock-Ufe on defence. Downs at half-back, was excellent, and gave the diminutive Glengarry a swift se J vi , ce - Glengarry was the best of the backs. It was he who found the 9i? nter P UI 2 ~s defences, and he them to the full. At full-back D. Mander was sound. The Play In the first minute of play Canterbury Wa J r . ight in front of the posts and Webby kicked an easy penalty goal. Two minutes later Crimp came into the backline, and when he saw he was blocked he took his time about kicking a good field goal. This was Wanganui's last score. Then came Canterbury’s first and best try. After about 17 minutes of play. Glengarry beat Woods and raced • upfield When Stuart came up to take him he passed to Northin. Smith, anticipating the move, intercepted the ball, beat three players, pushed Mander off, and raced half the length of the field to score under the posts. Stuart converted. Shortly afterwards Canterbury again went on the attack when Vincent broke away. He sent on to Burry, and to Smith, and Smith passed to Meates, who had an easy run it, but Meates dropped the pass. From a resulting line-out Bullmore nearly went over. Wanganui was penalised at this spot, a fairly handy position. but Stuart missed the kick. Shortly afterwards Smith again came into the backline, and beat five or six players with a lovely side-stepping run, until ha was brought down. The Wanga-

nui forwards bore down on Canterbury in a short passing rush in which McGuigan, Crawshaw, and Oldfield were prominent. The movement broke down when Oldfield was solidly tackled by Stuart. At half-time Wanganui led by 6 points to 5. Within three minutes of the resumption Stuart missed with a fairly difficult kick at goal, the ball passing just - the upright, Webby a few minutes later missed with > a similar kick. Canterbury’s second try came when Woods, iq his own twenty-five, kicked downfield. Elsom and McDonald were fast up on Mander; and as McDonald tussled with Mander the ball flew into Elsdm’s arms. He drew Mander and sent on to McDonald, who raced 25 yards to score. Stuart’s kick from the corner missed.

Smith came into second five-eighths again, and the resulting back movement ended on the Wanganui line. With seven minutes to go Webby took another shot at the goal, but missed, and right on time Wanganui was penalised from a fairly easy position, and Vincent kicked a goal. Mr R. Penn was referee.