Country Too Strong For Mid-Canterbury

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29295, 29 August 1960, Page 16

Country Too Strong For Mid-Canterbury

The Canterbury Country team began with a great flourish against Mid- Canterbury at Lancaster Park Oval on Saturday and had scored 13 points after 15 minutes. At that stage the score was 13-3; at half-time it was 13-9 and it remained there until five minutes from fulltime when Country quickly got another eight points to win by 21 points to 9.

Country scored three goals from tries and two tries to two tries and a penalty goal by Mid-Canter-bury in a match that had some very bright patches. But for the major part of the second half there was too much line kicking. After looking very formidable with speed, sure passing and handling in the first quarter of an hour, the Country backs were kept more subdued by an improved Mid-Can-terbury side. However, in that early part and In the last five minutes the consistent attacks of the Country backs were decisive. The teams were:—

Country.—C. Anderson; P. Fleming, R. Taiaroa, P. Pottinger; J. Gardner, J. Gupn; M. Heslop; S. S. Childs; J. Inch, D. Richards, B. Perkins, A. Scherp; C. Heslop, J. Sheehan, F. Loe.

Mid-Canterbury.—A. H. Smith; A. Farrell, K. W. Smith, A. J. Oliver; A. J. O’Sullivan, J. D. Sampson; A. Watson; B. W. Dwyer; P. L. Donald, R. G. Fraser, F. J. Small, C. Lysaght; P. F Prendergast, N. Peck, N. A. Goodwin. Country Backs Country began by getting a great deal of the ball and the backs took good advantage of it. The halfback, M. Heslop was sending the line away quickly for the second five-eighths, Gardner and the centre three-quarters, Taiaroa to make strong thrusts. The wings, Fleming and Pottinger, both ran hard when they were in possession but Pottinger was inclined to kick too soon or get mixed up in the forwards when it looked as if he had a good chance. The first fiveeighths, Gunn was also guilty of running into the forwards.

The former Canterbury represen-

tative, C. Anderson, had a good day at full-back. He was nearly always safe, he kicked well for the line and he initiated some good attacks. Heslop was also notable for his covering work behind the other backs.

While the Country backs were in such good form early the Mid-Can-terbury line was having difficulty in settling down and movements too often failed through mistakes. About half-way through the first half the team began to show considerable improvement, getting more ball from rucks and line-outs and making better use of it with more variation and better passing and handling. It looked for a long time as if Country would be held to 13-9.

Best of the Mid-Canterbury backs was A. J. O’Sullivan, at second fiveeighths. He made several penetrating breaks to put his side in good positions. After him, A. J. Oliver, a wing who used to play for Sunnyside in the Christchurch senior competition, was most threatening. He ran hard down the sidelines and scored from one such effort.

There were some fine forwards in the Country team. The hooker, J. Sheehan had a most successful match. He almost scored with fast following up as soon as the match began, he did score after five minutes, and he scored again a few minutes before the end. A. Scherp and F. Loe were others who toiled consistently throughout, D. Richards jumped well in the line-outs and J. Inch was often at the head of rushes. Mid-Canterbury had two fine loose forwards, P. L. Donald and C. Lysaght. Donald showed out more in attacks and Lysaght was often there when defence was needed. Fraser did some of the best work in the tight and in the line-outs. Early Scoring Sheehan scored for Country after five minutes by good following up and Anderson converted. After 10 minutes Fleming made an outsttanding run down the sideline. He was caught, went down on one knee, got up again and scored. Anderson converted again for 10-0. Then Donald scored for Mid-Can-terbury but Taiaroa went over for Country soon after. A. H. Smith kicked a penalty goal for Mid-Can-terbury, to make the score 13-6.

Mid-Canterbury was showing much better form and scored in one of the best movements of the match. Farrell came inside from the wing, passed to Sampson, who handed on to O’Sullivan, who broke through and passed to Oliver almost on the goal-line, and Oliver scored.

That was after 26 minutes and the score remained at 13-9 until about five minutes before the end, when Sheehan scored his second try and then Gardner broke through for a try which Anderson converted to make the final score 21-9.

Mr M. R. Barnett was referee.