Canterbury Improves In 9-7 League Loss

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31126, 1 August 1966, Page 9

Canterbury Improves In 9-7 League Loss

, The Canterbury Rugby League team gave its most impressive performance of the season in losing to West Coast, 9-7, at the Show Grounds on Saturday.

There Mas much greater determination in the forwards and the defence was of a very high standard. West Coast was able to score only one try, compared with the 10 it scored in two previous matches.

Canterbury led 4-2 at halftime and was in front for three-quarters of the match. A fine try by West Coast put Canterbury behind and, with the score 9-4 and 12 minutes remaining, it appeared that West Coast would win easily. But Canterbury came back and threw the ball around well in the very bad conditions. Finally, after play had gone from one side of the field to the other three times, the West Coast defence split and A. N. Amer dived over just on time. I. T. Drayton only just missed turning the result into a draw with his conversion attempt from midway between the goal-posts and the touch-line. For West Coast L. P. Brown scored a try, G. M. Kennedy two and B. J. Mann kicked goals. Amer scored Canterbury’s try and Drayton kicked two goals. The teams were.—

West Coast: Mann; R. J. Rochford, Brown, W. Johnsen, M. P. Brereton; G. M. Kennedy (captain), B. Sweetman; A. P. Dennehy; C. W.

Clark, J. F. Hibbs; J. L. Weir, F. Kennedy, L. Mahuika. Canterbury: Drayton; Amer, B. W. Langton, B. Williams, C. C. Worters; R. A. Neiman, G. H. Clarke; R. H. Turton; L. Mulcare, E. Kereopa: J. H. Fisher (captain), W. P. Noonan, N. M. Diggs. The referee was Mr P. Yaxley (Canterbury). The conditions exerted a tremendous Influence on the play. Handling errors were Inevitable and the match never really flowed smoothly. F. Kennedy won a 16-13 margin in the scrums, but many others ended in penatlies. There were 33 awarded. 17 to West Coast. The Wellington referee appointed to the game, Mr J. J. Campbell, had to be replaced by Mr Yaxley when his plane could not land at Christchurch airport. Goal-kicking was a very difficult business. All of the ground, except for an area at the southern end, was covered in loose, slushy mud. Before attempting goals the players had to wipe away the loose mud on top of the ground. Drayton was successful with two of his five kicks; Kennedy returned a similar record. Mann had two attempts for one success and Clark had one longrange kick. Grubber Kicks In the first half both teams gained a lot of ground with kicks over the full-backs' heads. After the interval Kennedy continued to put through small grubber kicks to his wings. Most went into touch, winning valuable ground. It was strange that Canterbury did not adopt this policy also. The Canterbury handling was very good and for much of the game the home team held the ball longer than West Coast. The use of the second dummyhalf by Canterbury upset many

of the West Coast moves. Mulcare was particularly effective in this role and had an outstanding game on defence in spite of having attention for Bini in bls eyes once or twice. Turton covered well from the scrums and Diggs and Fisher did most of the tight work. Kereopa made ground nearly every time he received the ball although he again spent some time among the centres. Noonan has matured as an all-round foctballer and proved a difficult man to stop when tn possession. Fewer Chances The backs had fewer Chances, but Clarke and Williams ran incisively and Drayton made the over-lap when he came into the back-line. Just on time Drayton came into the back-line, took a pass from Fisher, and flicked the ball back infield to Amer, who scored. Weir was the most Impressive West Coast forward. A ‘strong runner, he made the opening for Brown’s try when he ran wide from the play-the-ball and turned the ball back into tne centre after drawing the defence across. On defence Dennehy did a tremendous amount of work. His tackling has improved a great deal since last year and he harried Canterbury and upset many more. Clarke almost scored after a fine run along the touch-line in the first half. Hibbs was in everything and played his usual solid game. Mahuika had one or two runs but he and , Kennedy were caught In the tight much of the time. In the backs it was Kennedy who directed play. He always made ground himself and his grubber kicks presented Canterbury with problems. Inside him Sweetman ran and tackled well, not allowing Clarke room to move. Brereton had two runs on the wing and Mann was solid at full-back. Brown and Johnsen tackled well and the former was deceptive when scoring his try. Rochford had little to do.