RUGBY LEAGUE LAST-MINUTE TRY BY CANTERBURY

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30213, 19 August 1963, Page 6

RUGBY LEAGUE LAST-MINUTE TRY BY CANTERBURY

Draw Keeps Northern Union Cup (From Our Own Reporter) AUCKLAND, August 18. With a try in the last minute and magnificent defence for the whole 80 minutes, Canterbury drew, 10-10, with Auckland in the Rugby League representative match at the Epsom Show Grounds on Saturday. The draw enabled Canterbury to retain the Northern Union Gup, which it took from Auckland last year, and it gave further proof of the great improvement of the code in Canterbury during the last few years.

This was the second occasion that the two provinces have drawn—a similar result was recorded in 1954. Canterbury has never won in Auckland.

The final try was scored by C. Preece. He took a pass from K. Harding who almost miraculously pulled down a pass from over his head and drew the remaining defender before sending the ball on.

The result was most satisfactory as both sides scored two tries and either would have been unlucky to lose. The match was played before a crowd of 3500 on a ground which invited fest, open football. The teams were: Canterbury: K. Harding, P. White, C. Preece, B. Langton. J. Bray, J. Walshe, R. Irvine, M. L. Cooke (captain), M. Mohi, R. Turton, G. Cooper, B. T. Barron, J. H. Fisher. Auckland: C. Smith, B. T Reidy, K. R. McCracken, R. Townsend, R. S. Cooke (captain). J. D. Elwood, P. Schultz. R. Fenton, R. C. Ackland, J. Satheriey. R. Roberts, W. Satherley, G. Matson. Although on the day Canterbury was as good as Auckland, the side has played better. The players seemed sluggish in their movements, while at times the tackling was of a pitifully low standard. Faults Improved However, these faults improved as the match progressed, and during the last 10 minutes, when the side launched an allout onslaught on the Auckland goal-line, the team played to the standard of which it is capable. Earlier in the second spell Canterbury had a lengthy period on defence, and it says much for the red and black 13 that it was able to come back and dictate play during the final minutes. Although Canterbury lost the scrums, 9-22, the side did not suffer greatly through lack of possession. Good handling enabled the team to keep the ball when It was won. The scrums were not particularly tidy, and in the first half 10 penalties were awarded for scrum Infringements. The Canterbury pack may have been slightly superior, but in the backs the advantage definitely lay with Auckland. It was fortunate for Canterbury that the home backs were not given more opportunities. Harding Laid Out The Canterbury full-back. Harding, was not severely tested, and a straight-arm tackle in the first minute of the second half laid him out for some seconds. Very little was seen of him again until he “set up” Preece for the last try. Apart from scoring the final try Preece played a good game He kept a very close watch on Reidy, who was able to achieve very little from set play. white found McCracken a little too much for him. but he redeemed himself considerably by the part he played in Langton's try. But he missed a relatively easy penalty goal early in the game. The centres. Langton and Bray, were verysound.

Walshe, with the lower part of his face covered in blood tor the major part of the second spell, came through a hard day well. On attack he was content to send the ball on to his outside backs, while on defence he was probably the best of the Canterbury team. If there was a hero In the Canterbury side, then it would have been Irvine. Thirteen minutes from the final whistle he had to leave the field with an injured leg. Against advice.

he returned with five minutes to go at full-back. The sight of Irvine, lOst 61b, tackling Roberts, 18st, and bringing him to the ground will long be remembered. He also gave his backs good service from the base of the scrum. Tireless Cooke The Auckland coach (Mr B Robertson) said on Friday that Auckland intended to tire the tireless Canterbury captain. Cooke. However, he must have been disappointed, for in the last 15 minutes Cooke was at his best. From the seconddummy half position he marshalled and controlled the Canterbury play. Turton, acting on instructions, "sat" on Ackland all day. Mohi played quite well, but was too strongly marked to make any of his customary crashing runs. Cooper disappointed with his tackling, while Fisher was Inclined to try too often to break through by brute strength. Although he lost the hooking duel, Barron was an honest toiler. He gave good passes from the dummy-half position, and made one lovely break that only failed when he could not find support. Of the Auckland backs. Cooke

and McCracken were the best. The former was the most dangerous attaching back on the field, although ne was frequently assisted by poor tackling. McCracken impressed as a clever attacking winger with excellent defensive qualities. Ackland was by far the best of the forwards.

The Scoring Auckland was first to score when after nine minutes McCracken beat his opposite number, White, and alter making about 10 yards threw an overhead pass to Ackland, who sidestepped the cover defence to score near the comer. Cooke's conversion kick hit the crossbar. Canterbury took the lead after Zl minutes when Langton scored following a brilliant piece of play between himself and White. Langton started the movement when he scooped up the loose ball and then transferred to White, who drew the opposition before returning the ball to Langton. White kicked the conversion, and Canterbury led, 5-3, at half-time. Canterbury went further into the lead when White kicked a penalty goal after 10 minutes of the second spell. Auckland narrowed the gap shortly afterwards when the Canterbury backs were caught off-side, and Cooke had little difficulty with a penalty. Eight minutes from full-time Auckland regained tire lead when Cooke beat his opposite number, scored under the posts, and then converted the try Canterbury equalised seconds from full-time after a sustained attacking effort. Preece scored the try. but it was Harding who made It. The referee was Mr R. Avery