FROM THE SIDE-LINES

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30725, 14 April 1965, Page 15

FROM THE SIDE-LINES

Although ignored by the provincial selectors, A. N. Amer is by far the best centre in Canterbury Rugby League. On Saturday he weaved his way through the defence many times, scoring two tries and being left without support on other occasions. It is unfortunate that he will not oppose B. W. Langton until the last round of matches, for a meeting of the two would be most enlightening. « * * Albion and Canterbury Rugby received a set-back when the centre, R. Phelan, left the field with a dislocated shoulder just before half-time. He had already scored a good try and his heavy tackling of P. A. Hutchinson stifled the University A backs. Hutchinson’s later brilliance only emphasised Phelan’s loss to Albion.

Until he was injured, M. J. Millar, Hie Old Boys lock, had played impressively against Christchurch. His clean takes in the line-outs gave Old Boys good possession and he kicked two penalty goals, which gave Old Boys a handy, 6-0, lead. #. * * The new Belfast captain, R. Inwood, is not noted as a goal-kicker of great skill. But against Marist on Sat-

urday, Inwood allowed himself the luxury of one kick, from a penalty near half-way and on the sideline. The ball flew high and surely between the uprights, sending the Sheldon Park crowd into ecstacies. But Inwood apparently considered 100 per cent success was preferable to 50 per cent and retired modestly back to his usual efficient loose forward game.

The success of the Albion back-line last Saturday owed much to the club’s new first fiveeighths, R. Mains. Formerly of Southern, Dunedin, Mains received few opportunities in Dunedin football but showed himself a tidy player with a crisp pass and a nippy outside break. With C. R. Laidlaw, Mains formed one of New Zealand’s best secondary school combinations behind the scrum for King’s College. ♦ # s* The first 10 minutes of the main Rugby League club match on Saturday was dominated by the young Linwood stand-off half, W. D. Beri. Just after the start Beri weaved his way through the defence to score between the posts, and repeated the effort two minutes later to give N. B. Adkins a try. * * * The big University B lock, D. P. Gaffikin, had an excellent game against Merivale on Saturday. He achieved complete dominance of the line-outs in the

first half and was chiefly responsible for his side’s 29-11 lead in this department at half-time. However, he was too prone to tap the ball back and his half-back had difficulty in gathering it in the face of the fast-breaking Merivale forwards.