RECORD FOR McPHAIL

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28987, 31 August 1959, Page 14

RECORD FOR McPHAIL

Most Tries By One Player

The match between Canterbury and Combined Services produced records in first-class Rugby in New Zealand.

The Canterbury wing, B. E. McPhail. scored seven tries, the greatest number scored by one player in any first-class match in the Dominion. S. K. Henderson, who scored 27 points, brought his total points for Canterbury to 468, only 15 points fewer than R. A. Jarden’s record of 483 for Wellington, the highest total’ by one player for one province. Henderson, with his nine conversions, two tries, and one penalty goal, broke by one point his New Zealand record of 26 ooints in one match. This he established in 1956 against South Canterbury, when he scored all but six of the side’s total of 32 points. Canterbury’s total of 57 points in Saturday’s match is also the largest ever scored by the province. In scoring seven tries, McPhail passed the previous highest total of six tries by one player in one match. Seven players had attained this figure—R. Philipson, W. L. Elvy, P. C. Minns, J. Dick, J. Gillespie, K. Pearson, and R. A. Jarden.

Henderson’s total of 468 points has been made in 58 matches for Canterbury. Jarden’s 483 were scored in 63 matches for Wellington With matches still to be played against South Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury, Buller, West Coast, and Auckland this season, it seems inevitable that Henderson will set a record. Canterbury’s 57 points passes

the previous record total for the province, which was 54 points scored against H. M. Fleet XV. also a Services’ side, in Christchurch in 1924. In this match Elvy scored his six tries. The highest score by a provincial team is the 77 points for Hawke's Bay against Wairarapa in 1926, and there have been a further nine scores above Canterbury’s total on Saturday.