RUGBY LEAGUE Canterbury Scores Late Try For Lucky Draw

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30533, 31 August 1964, Page 14

RUGBY LEAGUE Canterbury Scores Late Try For Lucky Draw

Waikato missed the biggest inter-provincial Rugby League upset since Canterbury beat Auckland in 1962 when a try in the last few minutes enabled an unimpressive Canterbury team to escape with a 16-16 draw at the Show Grounds on Saturday. Each team scored two tries and five goals.

Canterbury’s winning factor came in the scrums. The Canterbury pack won 23 of the 35 scrums and received 10 penalties to nine. However, in most other aspects of the game Waikato was the superior team. Waikato lead 16-5 at halftime mainly because of its impressive cover defence, superior handling and the inability of the Canterbury fullback, P. J. Tongue, to field cleanly the dangerous kicks of the Waikato forward, W. Deacon. Waikato’s tries both followed kicks through by Deacon and both were magnificent efforts. Canterbury improved in the second spell after trailing 5-16

and held a territorial advantage, but its superiority was not 11 points better than the stubborn Waikato defence. The local pack began to work more in unison and Tongue’s handling improved to cancel out Deacon’s kicks. Dived On Ball

Waikato probably lost its deserved win through inexperience. Just before time Canterbury was awarded a penalty 15 yards out from the Waikato line. P. M. White kicked an almost perfect up-and-under, a Waikato defender was over-crowded by his eager colleagues, and he dropped the ball to allow G. C. Blackler to dive on the ball. The Waikato backs and forwards combined well in the first half and played exciting football. They threw the ball around and had Canterbury desperately defending on several occasions. Another aspect of Waikato’s play was the accuracy and attacking placement that Deacon put into his kicking. Though the kick through is usually spurned by coaches, Deacon proved, that it can be deadly. The Canterbury backs seldom looked dangerous and too often the ball would go to the wing by slow passing and flat-footed running. C. C. Preece and P. M. White did not receive the ball with a dear run throughout the day and, although the cover defence was tenacious, the inside backs must receive part of the blame; Held Their Own The Canterbury forwards held their own in the tight play, but only M. L. Cooke and, occasionally, I. T. Drayton, could find gaps to break through. In contrast Deacon and J. Puke broke past the Canterbury forwards with monotonous regularity. Cooke was forced to take most of the tackles.

Deacon was the outstanding forward of the match and must receive the credit for the two Waikato tries. The first began on the Waikato 25 and culminated with S. Alder divihg over. Deacon’s kick travelled 50 yards and was placed perfectly for his wing, who scooped up the ball for Adler.

The second try was equally good. Deacon again kicked through from his own 25-yard line. The bounce beat Tongue and Preece and was picked up by the Waikato wing, C. Tarawhlti. Hemmed in, Tarawhiti somehow managed to flick a perfect pass to N. Nikora, who scored beside the posts. J. Crackett, the smallest forward, was the best defender in the match. .Time and again he lowered the big Canterbury forwards. Cracket was also prominent in the tight -play where he and J. Puke pounded the Canterbury forwards with bullocking runs. D. Parkinson gave added support on attack and was accurate with his kicking. Alder covered his backs well and lost little in comparison with Cooke. His backing up to score the first try was very good, it is not often that a forward, even a loose forward, will chase a kick 75 yards and be on the spot to touch down. Too Much Expected In the Canterbury pack too much was expected of Cooke. He was left to do most of the tackling as well as make the breaks. He was usually adequate to the task, but towards the end end the polish had been taken off his running. J. H. Fisher and J. A. Flanagan were sound without proving very dangerous. Fisher toiled well in the tight and Flanagan distributed the ball effectively. Drayton made several fine bursts, but was understandably favouring his injured nose at times. Little was seen of G. C. Blackler in the loose, but his work of winning the scrums was done well. However, at times he was over robust and he was cautioned in the first spell. Two of Waikato’s goals came from penalties against Blackler, E. J. Tavendald made only one run and spent the rest of the game in the tight.

The late replacement for J. M. Bray, P. V. Smith, was the soundest of the home backs. He made several fine runs and was effective in straightening up the line. The only other back to impress was the wing, P. M. White.. Looking for work all the time, White was dangerous on the few occasions that B. W. Langton allowed him the ball.

G. H. Clarke had little penetration around the scrum and R. Neiman disappointed in his debut. His handling was poor and he never looked like making his usual dangerous breaks. Langton again was inclined to hold on too long and he again starved his wings to the detriment of his team.

On the other wing Preece suffered from Langton’s play even more than White. Tongue played poorly in the first spell and on the occasions that he did hold the ball safely the crowd cheered ironically. However, he played well during the second spell and was more dangerous on the run.

Burke Quiet The North Island representative, E. Burke, was quiet in the unaccustomed role of stand-off half for Waikato. M. Smith, at scrum-half, was an adequate substitute for G. S. Farrar, and his captaincy left little to be desired. Waikato did not abuse its wings and both Nikora' and Tarawhiti were given the opportunity to show their pace. Each was dangerous both with the ball and when chasing Deacon’s cross kicks. The centres, D. Perry and B. Barakat, were sound and content to give the ball to the wings on attack. They kept Smith and Langton in check. The replacement full-back, 17-year-old J. Rutene, a small, deceptive player, enjoyed a good game His running was decisive and many times he cleared his line by sprinting through the Canterbury defence. For Canterbury Tongue and Blackler scored tries and White kicked five goals. Alder and Nikora scored Waikato's tries and Parkinson kicked five goals. Referee: Mr F. Hassan (West Coast).