Buller Has Had Its Moments

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30498, 21 July 1964, Page 15

Buller Has Had Its Moments

(From Our Own Reporter) WESTPORT, July 16.

There have been years

in which the Buller representative Rugby team would fare well against some of the strongest from the major unions—but 1964 Is not included.

There is .only pessimism concerning the Buller team’s challenge for" the Ranfurly Shield against Taranaki at New Plymouth on Wednesday. It is recognised widely that the time is most inopportune for such a match. Buller has had its moments. One was at Dunedin in 1949 when the representatives of the mining district were unlucky to emerge from a challenge match against Otago with a six-all draw. On that occasion the Otago team, weakened by the absence of 11 players with the All Blacks in South Africa, managed to hold on when Buller tightened up play instead of allowing the ball to reach an enterprising back line.

In at least three games against strong Canterbury teams, in 1932, 1933 and 1953, Buller made respectable showings but its football was really strong in those days, much better than the standard of more recent years.

Six Wins fn Zl Buller goes into the game on Wednesday with a record of six wins out of its last 27 matches

since the start of the 1961 season. This season it was a little unlucky to go down to West Coast, 9-5, in the first home-and-away match at Westport, and then was beaten convincingly by Canterbury on the same ground, 32-5. ’ Last Saturday the score of 15-17 in the match against West Coast at Greymouth greatly flattered the Ranfurly shield challenger; Coast was a better team by 12 points. That form certainly does not give rise to any optimism for a win at New Plymouth and Buller Rugby followers can ■only hope for a very damp ground to keep the margin respectable. Four Senior Teams With only four senior teams in the Buller union, the sole selecor and coach, Mr R. Dickson, has been presented with an unenviable task of fielding a side capable of holding the experienced Taranaki combination, whose back line is sure to include T. P. O'Sullivan, K. C. Briscoe, R. H. Brown and T. N. Wolfe, all of whom have represented New Zealand with credit.

The Buller back play in the three matches this season has been of a low standard and faith in the forwards received a bad shaking when they could not master the West Coast pack in the latest game. Only two members of the rearguard, R. Dawe, full-back, and R. Vaile, who first played for his union at half-back in 1956, have reached anything like .a good standard. Vaile, however, may miss selection for the match against Taranaki with M. Geddes, the regular half of the last two seasons, fancied by the selector for that position. He has been on the injured list. With a weakness at first fiveeighths, Vaile might well be tried outside Geddes, but the position could go to L. Halsall. if he can get leave from his

military training at Burnham Camp. Scored 112 Points ■ Dawe has scored 112 points this season, mostly from goal kicking. He was responsible .for Buller’s total of 15 points in the second game against West Coast. The Inside backs in all three games this season, T. Craddock, K. Blair and W. Forsyth, have not impressed and the lastnamed, still troubled by injuries, is not a shadow of hi? for-

mer self. Difficulty has been experienced in filling the position of centre three-quartet also, and J. Tyler, although han dicapped by the indecisiveness of his Inside men.at Gre.ymouth, did not do much better than P. Vaughan in the two earlier games. Tyler, however, could improve. The wings, B. Stack and G. Allan, have been patchy in their work in the three matches.

The selector will rely on a fairly experienced pack on Wednesday, only B. Roche, a fine hooker, J. Smith and G. Wood, having had less than four seasons of representative Rugby. J. Cockfield started in 1949, O. Nahr has been playing since 1956. and T. Hawkes since 1953. W. BosWeil -and J. Halsall are also fairly well up in the playing records but,- in all, Buller should not be disgraced up front. If the backs were in the same class there might not be ■so much-worry about a big score at New Plymouth.