RUGBY CANTERBURY LOSES TO WAIKATO

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28679, 1 September 1958, Page 6

RUGBY CANTERBURY LOSES TO WAIKATO

8-6 Score In Bright Match

The touring Waikato Rugby team completed its 1958 visit to the South Island with a well-deserved 8-6 win over Canterbury at Lancaster Park on Saturday. In one respect it was a trifle fortunate to have added to its unbeaten post-war record against Canterbury for with only two minutes’ play remaining, S. K. Henderson missed a simple penalty goal which, had it been successful, would have given Canterbury a one-point win. Waikato scored a goal from a try and a field goal to Canterbury’s try and a penalty goal. There was no score at half-time. .Waikato’s win, however, was all the more meritorious in that it was unable to field its strongest team because of injuries and the unavailability of’ three All Blacks, and since several players who were still suffering from injury or sickness on the morning of the game took the field to fill an injurystricken side.

A crowd of about 12,000 saw some bright football and interest and excitement mounted in the second spell as the lead changed twice. The game drew to a close with Canterbury mounting attack after attack. Lack of rain had left the oval extremely hard, and surprisingly slippery.

To mark his 100th appearance for Canterbury, the All Black hooker, D. Young, captained his side.

There was much in this, game to give pleasure to enthusiastic followers of Canterbury’s fortunes, but there would be many more who left the ground dissatisfied with the .form of some of the backs and the degree of cohesion which existed among them. In all phases of play except the rucks, which Waikato won 9-7 (another six were indecisive), Canterbury had the upper hand, yet the backs for the most part were unable to capitalise oh their greater amount of possession. There were times- when the backs were more of a liability than an asset. One of the* most noticeable teatares of the game was Canterbury’s poor tackling. Some allowance must be made for the state of the ground for its flint-like surface acted as a great deterrent to low tackling, but not even the hard nature of the ground fully excused, tackles which often were too high. . The .teams were:— Wxlkqta—H. J. W. Fairweather; M. C. VoSper, M. H. Raureti, M. J. McDonald; B. A. C. Cowley. R. A. Dallas; L. M. O’Connor; A Hayes, W. -G. Kay, R. M. Loveridge, B. W. Thurston, E. A. R. Pickering, M. H, Davis, P. T. Hogan, G. D. Witters. Thurston was injured late in the second half and was replaced by EX Clarke. CWWOSnaiy B.M-J. Dineen; R. M. Smith, A. E. G. Elsom, B. McPhail; -S. K. Henderson, V. C. Sykes; P. B. J. Molloy; H. C. Burry, M. R. Dunne, R. Cochrane, S. F. Hill, K. Orsbourn, E. Hern,

D. Young, J. M. Le Lievre. Mr R. W. Phizacklea was referfee. . The Kick Attack The Waikato backline was seldom seen in attacking passing movements. In the first half, with the wind far. its favour, Dallas kicked repeatedly to the wings, a strategy for which Dineen had the answer. .Only twice during the whole game did the ball swing out to Raureti at centre. On the first occasion he left the defence badly beaten with a sharp change of direction and only good cover defence saved Canterbury from another try being scored against it. It was surprising that he was not used more. Cowley, likewise, had Only one run from a passing movement, Canterbury, on the other hand, attempted to use its backs much more in passing movements, but many were ineffectual. This stemmed primarily from a poor understanding between Sykes and Molloy who were not half as competent as their opposites. The misunderstanding between them reached an all-time low when, in the second half, the Canterbury forwards won a quick heel just outside- the Waikato twenty-five when the Waikato backs were still retreating into position. But while Molloy and Sykes were debating the choice of sides to use. the Waikato defence reorganised and when at last some positive action was taken, the defence was prepared. The blame for this lack of cohesion must rest equally upon both players. Many of Molloy’s passes were astray and slow in reaching Sykes and Sykes still remained too shallow and took* the passes at quarter pace. He also persisted in slightly moving across field before passing to Henderson who too often received -the ball slowly when he was crowded. Centre Duel Elsom and Raureti had quite ' a duel at centre—a duel which cul- . initiated once in Raureti tackling Elsom when the ball was 30 yards away. Elsom played with real fire i nahjilLdid not seem to be impaired |g|||M he suffered in the ( , * ’ "alging his . had the

The line-out play of Loveridge and Thurston gave Waikato a 14-11 majority in the first half, but even before Thurston had to leave the field in the second half, Hill, Cochrane and Dunne had taken the line-out honours and Canterbury went on to win the line-outs by 30 to 22. Forty-five were indecisive. In the loose Waikato always looked very formidable, with Pickering, Loveridge and Hayes standing out in the first half. Hayes, another suffering from injuries and sickness, could not withstand the pace in the second spell although he made a gallant effort to do so. In the tight play Witters was determined to concede nothing and once or twice went so far as to use his fists to 'prove it. Hogan could not match the fast striking of Young who won four tight heads in the game and gave none away. The Canterbury pack undoubtedly benefited by the return to the side of Burry who played an outstanding game. Orsbourn was another whose quick-breaking considerably disconcerted the Waikato defences throughout Little was seen of Dunne in the open, hut with Cochrane, Hill, Hern and Le Lievre, he did good work in the tight. Hill played another fine game and more than once broke up Waikato loose passing rushes. Young celebrated his 100th game with a fine performance. One tight head he gained in Canterbury’s own territory gave Canterbury its only try. The Scoring From the start Waikato attacked ana Dineen had to kick quickly tor touch. The Waikato forwards had the better of play and Canterbury was pinned in its own twenty-five for the first IS minutes. Then play swung to the other end. First Dineen and then McPhail were nearly over for Canterbury. Hayes and Pickering were conspicuous in several Waikato forward rushes and Young made a 20-yard dash for Canterbury. At half-time the score was nil au. Waikato scored first when Pickering caught Dineen in possession near the Canterbury goal line. When the ball rolled dear Loveridge picked it up and scored near the posts. Fairweather converted.

. McPhail was prominent in side- » line dashes and his high up-and-i unders had Fairweather in difficul--1 ties. Waikato was penalised outside • its twenty-five, but Hendersop missed a fairly easy kick. . Smith, anad then Orsbourn were i nearly over for Canterbury, and a J few minutes later Young narrowly L missed seeing. Waikato burst down • the field in a stirring forward rush. - Young won a tight head on the | Canterbury twenty-five. The ball went to Sykes, then to Henderson who cut though. His path blocked, he J cut infield and passed to Burry, i Smith took Burry’s pass, ran a few 1 yards and passed out to Burry, who r scored near the corner. t With 12 minutes’ play remaining ’ Henderson kicked a penalty goal for - Canterbury. Two minutes later CowI ley drop-kicked a goal for Wai- ! kato from 30 yards out. , Canterbury attacked desperately in , the last 10 minutes, and nearly j scored several times, but the Wai--1 kato defence held. Henderson missed i with two shots at penalty goals in - the last five minutes and fust before full time was a little wide of . the posts with a snap drop-kick.