RUGBY Canterbury Unlucky To Be Beaten By Wellington

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28951, 20 July 1959, Page 14

RUGBY Canterbury Unlucky To Be Beaten By Wellington

"The Press" Special Service WELLINGTON, July 19. The Wellington Rugby team beat Canterbury by 20 points to 17 at Athletic Park, Wellington yesterday in ideal weather. Canterbury’s forwards played well, but there were few good movements by backs of either side. Canterbury scored three tries to Wellington’s one and it was Canterbury’s sheer misfortune that the former All Black, J. R. Watt, happened to be in form with his kicking. He contributed 17 of Wellington’s 20 points.

The predominant feature was the efficiency of Canterbury’s forwards. They rucked purposefully, as a well-knit combination, just as most expected they would, and developed much of the play. K. R. Tremain was equally as good as a flanker as he has been in locking capacity. He has considerable pace for a big man, and he appears to be the type of forward the selectors should send to South Africa next year.. Tremain and D. J. Graham persistently harrassed the Wellington inside backs. For the most part the backs were obliged to exercise their talents from broken rather than set play, and in this particular phase Canterbury’s S. G. Bremner shone. His breaks were always far more incisive than those of the other inside backs, and one run merited a try which would have given Canterbury the solace of a draw: perhaps, a win. R. M. Smith, who supported Bremner, went over the line close to the posts but was recalled. Smith was Canterbury’s next most enterprising back. He retains his skill remarkably well. He made the overlap from time to time particularly well, judging the moment to come in from the flank with the precision of the experienced footballer that he is. He looked the part—the years sit on him lightly and there would be few better wing three-quarters in the country. Some good advance reports of the Canterbury first five-eighths, B. A. Watt, were confirmed. He was neat —his dropped goal was a good one—and sharper than his opposite, W. D. Roberts. Watt came through a testing day with distinction. The half-back, M. Whitta, sent out a fairly long pass but his service was rather erratic. There was little variety in his play. S. Henderson had all too few chances to show what he could do. He and his opposite, J. R. Watt, gave nothing away in the close marking that characterised so much of the back play. The full-back, W. F. McCormick, began a trifle shakily—he was sometimes caught out of position when facing the sun—but he quickly gained confidence and served his side fairly well thereafter. No reference to the game would be complete without remarking upon the number of penalties awarded because of scrummage infringements, in which both sides offended. But these proved more costly for Canterbury. The lineouts, too, were mainly notable for the number of penalty awards. Thii phase of play was most untiay. The Play Flrfe minutes after the start Wellington held the ball in the back of ti,e scrum and the Canterbury forwards came round off-side. Watt kicked a good penalty and the home side was three points up. A few minutes later Grbich grabbed a bouncing ball after a misunderstanding in the Canterbury backline. He broke away, brushed off a tackle and dodged McCormick before passing to Caulton, who scored between the posts. Watt converted. Wellington 8 Canterbury 0. Canterbury forwards then infringed in the scrum and Watt kicked his second penalty to give Wellington an 11-0 lead. Canterbury retaliated and their forwards surged downfield. From a scrum in front of the Wellington goal posts the Canterbury half-back. Whitta, threw the ball directly behind him for his first five-eighth. Watt, to kick a good dropped goal. Wellington 11, Canterbury 3. Wellington’s centre then kicked a penalty goal. Wellington 14. Canterbury 3. Canterbury forwards improved as the spell progressed. Tremain gathered in a fumbled ball near the Wellington goal line and went over in the corner to score. Wellington 14, Canterbury 6. Henderson’s kick Watt put Wellington further ahead with two penalties in quick succes-

sion the first from just inside the half-way line and the second from a slightly easier position. Wellington 20, Canterbury 6. Canterbury Improves The Canterbury forwards went away with the ball at their feet and Wellington infringed from an ensuing scrum on their own goalline Henderson goaled. Wellington 20 Canterbury 9. Canterbury started a passing rush well inside their own territory and after practically all the forwards and some of the backs had handled the ball, the No. 8, Burry, went over in the corner to score. Henderson failed to convert. The half-time score was: Wellington 20, Canterbury 12. Wellington’s Watt was injured when he tried to intercept and came off shortly after the start of the second spell. He was replaced by D. T. Bradbum (Onslow). Canterbury forwards were well on top in the second spell. Wellington stopped possible tries by solid tackling Tremain then came from a melee near the Wellington goal-mouth and? scooped up the ball to go over) between the uprights. Henderson converted. Wellington 20; Canterbury 17. Canterbury maintained their forward superiority and although McDonald went over, the try was disallowed because of an earlier infringement. A few minutes before full-time, Allen (Canterbury) was injured and was replaced by K. Osbourne.