RUGBY Canterbury Has 19-9 Win Over Wellington

Press, Volume C, Issue 29633, 2 October 1961, Page 14

RUGBY Canterbury Has 19-9 Win Over Wellington

(from Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, September 31. Not only has the Canterbury Rugby team gone through an unbeaten season for the first time in 60 years, but victory in the final match against Wellington at Athletic Park on Saturday was achieved in an excellent exhibition of rousing, attacking football. By beating Wellington, 19-9, Canterbury has some small claim to the purely imaginative, but immensely coveted title of the premier Rugby province of New Zealand.

Canterbury played well as a unit, but it was the tireless, unrelenting urge of the forwards for combat which really dominated the game. Against a gusty, strong wind in the first spell, and often in the teeth of prudence, they attacked again and again; it is doubtful if any of the forwards this season have played with a keener thirst for adventure or with more determination than on Saturday.

Both sets o? forwards were done towards the finish. But for three parts of the match there was much sparkle and manoeuvre. Although a great deal of Canterbury’s attacking was done through we forwards this did not detract from the match as a spectacle, for there waa as much artistry in the short hand-to-hand passing rushes of the forwards as there was in the swifter and more open back movements. The strong Wellington pack, which contained four of the Dominion's biggest men, eventually had to give way before the fierce rushes of the lively Canterbury players, who lived up to expectations with their spirit and ability to stay the coarse. The quickness on to the ball and man was a revelation and Graham, the captain, gave his side an aggressive leadership. The Wellington pack was said to have played one of its best games lais season and it speaks volumes for the strength of Canterbury’s forwards if this was the case. Wellington never gave up and the score, in fact, could have been closer.

No team eould have started with greater dash and success than Wellington did. In less than a minute Williment. the full-back, had dropkicked a goal and in the next quarter of an hour the same player had missed three comparatively easy kicks at goal. But there was one matter which should, perhaps, have awakened unease In the Wellington breast Cull, at the Wellington forwards’ heels, was passing out fairly ouickly and smoothly, but Wolfe outside him, and of whom much was expected, showed few signs of making openings for his threequarters. Wolfe ran strongly enough and was as spritely as ever, but a very good reason for his inability to add the spark to Wellington’s back attacks was in the smothering and tackling of Tremain, Graham. Moynihan and Watt. It was a formidable quartet indeed, for there were times when Wolfe, in an attempt to pierce the defence, would be caught by three defenders simultaneously. It was little wonder then, that the Wellington backs, with the exception of two good movements, never impressed as a dangerous attacking force. It wa* noticeable, too. that In the first half, the Canterbury backs looked very lively: more lively, in fact, than in most of their matches this season. Two or three times Watt, Henderson and Arnold moved with a certain menacing sneed through an opening and Morrissey and Leary, who In the past have too often been nothing more than spectators in games, received the bait at the end of some neat movements. Suited to Centre It seems that the centre position, which Arnold filled on Saturday, with Henderson inside him, is suited to the young Canterbury pkyer for he was most impressive. It was Arnold’s quick thinking, hard running and perfect placing of a centre kick which gave Tremain his second try It was this try which turned the game in Canterbury’s favour and really clinched matters. Arnold’s contribution must have added greatly both to his prestige and to his confidence in his own powers. Tn the matter of possession Wellington had a slight advantage in. the line-outs and for three-quarters of the game a fair share of the rucks.

Mac Ewan contributed towards Wellington's advantage in the line-outs, but he had to struggle hard to beat his markers and this led to a genera] untidiness in catching which affected both sides. Mac Ewan often resorted to the dubious taetic of tapping the ba’ back and while this failed to pay off at times because of the quickness of the Canterbury forwards in comine through the Vnr-outa. ft often enabled Cull to clear the ball without having to worry about Trem«*n and Graham When Slewsrt Abel or Tremain did take the ball in the line-outs eleanlv—and with Tremain this hapoened freouent’v tn the second spell—the Canterbury forwards burst through with great energy, and the defence sometimes failed to provide the answer for some SO and 40 yards Tremafn eras io magnificent form, and was the outstanding plaver on such a aisttogutahed Held. He attacked ceaselessly, following man and bell for most of the game with rare determination. His first try was as much Graham's as hit but Tremain was tnene to take the long past after tn* break to touch down tor what seemed the easiest of teiea Arnold made Trematn’s MM*d try, but who would have the Banker

to be tn line with the fast-mov-ing back and to take the high centre-kick at the end of his fingers for a glorious try? This, may have been Tremain’s last game for Canterbury, and he could not have played a better one.

Graham, fit and forthright, drove his forwards and himself relentlessly. As an attacking forward he was second only to Tremain. and his covering, as so often this season, saved his team several times. It was Graham’s quickness which led to Canterbury's try soon after the start of the second spell. When Cull threw a bad pass Graham was there in an instant; and three quick strides later Tremasn was in for his try. Unobtrusive but unrelenting Moynihan turned in another of his first-class performances. Forever willing to contribute his share in the tight, he also played an important part in the nishes which so often set Wellington back on its heels. Abel played probably his best game this year, and after the game one wondered how he could have kept going, for he was in considerable pain from a on h « neck. He and Stewart have developed into a formidable pair at lock, and on Saturday their aggressive opHor ’’vy and Harker, found themselves bested Young won two tight heads to one against Currie, who is ? k°od hooker, and he and Lievre and Allen, alwa y s ! . n the of things. Le Lievre was best through the line-outs. .S?' who is very ,ast for such a big man. somehow found H!* to chase high kicks towards the end of the game. it was unfortunate for Can-

terbury that Watt at first flveeighths, had to leave the field in the second half with a leg injury, for he was in lively form and, in fact, had the measure of Wolfe, his opposite. Watt did not have a particularly good service from Whitta. his half-back.

McCormick, at full-back, impressed because of his defence, and his left-footed dropped goal which sailed straight and true between the posts from 40 yards out.

The referee. Mr R. Mailman, penalised Canterbury 19 times and Wellington six tunes. The Scoring Less than a minute after the start of the game Williment took a Canterbury clearing kick and calmly dropped a goal from 40 yards out. Soon afterwards Wellington sent the ball along its backs and Heeps made a dangerous 30-yard run before he was bundled into touch.

Play was confined to the Canterbury half, and in the next 15 minutes Williment missed three kicks at goal, two just narrowly missing the right-hand upright The Canterbury forwards, who were maintaining a slight control in spite of the stiff head wind, worked their way upfield with Le Lievre, Moynihan and Tremain at their head. Then, from a line-out, Tremain made a great run, and when confronted by Williment he centre kicked, but in the ensuing play Wellington cleared its line with a penalty kick. The Canterbury backs looked lively in two or three movements with first Arnold and then Henderson making spirited dashes.

Cull, a lively handful behind the Wellington scrum, made two fine dashes, one of which took him 35 yards before McCormick halted play. Tremain made another of his determined runs a few minutes before the interval, but just when he seemed to be in the clear he knocked on the ball and a scrum resulted. At half-time Wellington led, 3-0.

Canterbury opened its account almost immediately. Call's wild pass was intercepted by Graham, who sent Tremain over for a try. Watt received an Injury and he was replaced by A. F. Orme. After 12 minutes Henderson kicked a penalty goal from well out.

six minutes later, when a clearing kick by Cull went astray, McCormick scooped up the rolling ball and calmly potted a field goal from 40 yards ou ' a , nd a]mo *t straight in front. Wellington drove to Canterbury territory and Williment kicked a goal after Canterbury was penalised. Arnold picked up a dropped pass in a Wellington movement and v i? E 9 P on weeding down the ngirt-hand touch-line. Almost on the goal-line he sent a high kick infield and Tremain was there to take the ball and score Rear the posts. Henderson converted.

w n Ca ? terb ? ry ‘wenty-five E l ® Wellington backs suddenly switched the attack and Heeps, receiving from C. L. Fierce, a replacement for Stewart, scored in a dive in the corner.

However. Canterbury was soon at the other end and from a forward rush Le Lievre scored under the posts. Henderson’s conversion gave Mm 699 pointe for Canterbury.