Canterbury Must Improve To Beat Waikato

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30531, 28 August 1964, Page 13

Canterbury Must Improve To Beat Waikato

[By Our Rugby League Correspondent]

Two New Zealand representatives in the Canterbury Rugby League team, J. A. Bond and G. H. Turner, have withdrawn from the side for the match against Waikato on Saturday.

Bond, the stand-off half, is not available and has been replaced by R. Neiman (Hornby). Turner, a prop, is troubled by a back injury and a fellow Papanui player, E. Tavendale. takes his place. The new reserves are A. N. Amer (Papanui), a 1961 New Zealand wing, and the Christchurch forward, T. Parker. The performances of the Canterbury team this year have not been really convincing. The loss to the strong Auckland team was understood after, but a weak West Coast combination was beaten by only four points. Canterbury then scored a similar win over Wellington, with a

try in the last minute. In three matches 31 points have been scored, both for and against the provincial team. Opposing sides have equalled Canterbury’s miserable record of five tries in three games, three of them against the West Coast. Waikato, rated third in New Zealand, will give Canterbury a difficult match. After losing to Wellington on May 2, Waikato has gained its revenge and has also beaten Northland and Manawatu, not strong teams, but the margin was 40 points each time. It also won. the quadrangular tournament against Wellington, Taranaki and Manawatu. Clarke Preferred Although R. S. J. Irvine is fit the selectors have preferred G. H. Clarke to mark the Waikato Kiwi and captain, G S. Farrar. Irvine outplayed Farrar in the 1963 inter-island match at Auckland but Farrar was considered unlucky not to have beaten W. L. Snowden

for a place in the 1964 North Island team. It is doubtful whether Clarke can match him.

Waikato supplied six players to the Rest of the North Island team which played in the final trial in June. Of these E. Burke, a strong centre who played part of the match on the wing, and the impressive second row forward. J. Puke, gained selection. The reserve forward for the Rest was the 1962 North Island plaver, P. Pique.

Much interest will centre on the two young national coaching school players, B. Barakat (centre) and the loose forward, W. Deacon. Each has shown promise to a certain extent but neither has yet made the national impact that was expected of them. Canterbury has chosen two players who have not played representative football this season, J. A. Flanagan and Neiman. Although he is the only non-Kiwi in the pack Flanagan is capable of being an equal to the others on his day. G. C. Blackler should win olentv of ball and J. H. Fisher is still one of the country’s most capable props.' I. T. Drayton has recovered from injury and he and M. L. Cooke are entertaining players to watch. Waikato will not be easy but Canterbury is ’ capable of improving on its 15-0 win at Huntly last year.