Watt Makes Winning Last-Minute Try

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30530, 27 August 1964, Page 15

Watt Makes Winning Last-Minute Try

"The Press" Special Service WANGANUI, August 26. A last-minute try engineered by the All Black, B. A. Watt, playing against his former union, enabled Canterbury to clinch victory by 13 points to 9 against Wanganui in a sternly-fought representative Rugby match at Spriggens Park today. Canterbury was clinging to a precarious, 10-9, lead with Wanganui on attack when Watt darted in to scoop up a dropped pass on the Canterbury side of half-way.

He ran ahead and kicked hard for the left wing, W. J. Thompson, to race through, outstrip the defence and toe the ball across the goal-line to score.

The full-back. D. C. Leary, missed the conversion, but with seconds remaining to fulltime, Canterbury was safe, and the tourists had won their second match in the North Island, to square the record at two wins and two losses on the tour.

However, for a long time in the second spell of this rain-affected game Canterbury was hard-pressed to keep ahead of a lively Wanganui side which adapted itself to the wet conditions better than did most of the visiors. Before the rain set in Canterbury rattled on two good tries, to lead, 10-0, after 27 minutes. Two Fine Kicks

Wanganui was outplayed during the first half hour and only managed to stay within striking distance as far as points were concerned by the goal-kicking of C. L. Pierce, who steered two fine penalty kicks between the uprights. Canterbury’s first spell dominance stemmed from the effective line-out work of the locks, A. J. Hopkinson and .1 F. Burns, ably supported by the captain, C. R. Hockley. The ball they won enabled the Canterbury backs to show their paces, and W. Birtwistle on the wing in particular showed pace. But in spite of a steady flow of possession, Canterbury could not score from orthodox passing movements, mainly because of tight defence. It was at this stage that

Watt, always the master of the situation, varied the play to enable Birtwistle to streak in at the corner from a per-fectly-judged kick to the wing. Penrose Scores Canterbury's other try in i the first spell came from a ruck on the Wanganui goalline. After several attackers had tried to get over the No. 8. I. J. Penrose, crashed through a wall of defenders to score. Both these tries, which Leary converted, were scored within a minute of each other. Canterbury at that stage appeared to be in for a decisive win. Then the rain intervened and played into Wanganui’s hands. Heavy showers made the ground slippery on top and the ball greasy. The Canterbury backs did not handle the changed conditions as well as might have been expected, although Watt continued to be his imperturbable, enterprising self. The further the second spell progressed the more the home team came back into the game. The forwards bustled through on to the Canterbury inside backs and often robbed the ball from the hands of the half-back, L. J. Davis. Defending Stoutly The superiority Canterbury ' previously had enjoyed in the line-outs similarly was reduced. The tourists found themselves defending stoutly for much of the spell as Wanganui gained a slight but definite territorial advantage. A try by the Wanganui wing, B. Delves, narrowed Canterbury’s lead to one point and for the next 30 minutes leading up to Thompson’s winning try the visitors held determinedly but rather shakI ily to their 10-9 lead.

After its initial burst of scoring. Canterbury was unable to add to its total for more than 50 minutes while Wanganui was scoring nine points. Canterbury was without eight of the team which played for the Ranfurly Shield, and the absence of these key members no doubt made a big difference, particularly in the pack. But it was much-improved play by Wanganui rather than poor play by the visitors which contributed to the second spell reversal. Leary Faultless

On the Canterbury side, Leary hardly put a foot wrong all day. He fielded the greasy ball immaculately, was rarely caught out of position and generally showed what a versatile player he is. Watt was the essence of soundness and W. Cottrell, inside him, showed dash while the ground was dry. Thompson and Birtwistle received few chances but both scored tries from tactical kicks by Watt. In a pack which faded in the second half, Hockley was a tireless worker. Hopkinson jumped impressively in the line-outs and Penrose was one of the best forwards on the field. The hooker, D. Pirie, won.the tightheads, 2-0.