Three Field Goals Assist West Coast In Cup Win

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31985, 12 May 1969, Page 16

Three Field Goals Assist West Coast In Cup Win

Two fine 45yd field goals by G. G. Ladner, and another of more modest proportions by E. B. Mann, paved the way for West Coast to upset the holder, Canterbury, 23-19, and win the Rugby League Cup at the Show Grounds on Saturday.

Ladner, one of the great successes of the New Zealand under-23 tour of New South Wales, provided Coast with the incentive for victory after Canterbury had led four times in the first 44 minutes.

Hl. two field goals, four place hick! from five attempt., outstanding handling of any Canterbury clearing kicks, and ability to draw the defence and send his three-quarters on to the attack was too much for Canterbury to combat. ’ Coast’s field goals were all kicked at crucial moments. Ladner and Mann, from 25 yards, were successful in the first half when Canterbury scored the only two tries and threatened to take a decisive lead. Coast’s Dominance A try by M. R. Napier soon after the interval regained the Initiative for the cup-holder, but Coast completely dominated the next 20 minutes. Ladner’s second field goal, when be caught a poor clearing kick by J. L. White, highlighted a period during which Coast scored 15 points in 13 minutes to establish a winning lead. In the last 10 minutes, Canterbury began to find some, of the team-work that had been lacking throughout the game. R. L. Lanauze capitalised on one of the few clean breaks through the centres to score after a 70yard movement, and two minutes from time he was across the Coast line a second time to bring Canterbury within four points of its opponent. The last seconds of the match were most exciting as .Canterbury threw the ball about, seeking an opening in the Coast line. The Coast players, thrown off stride by Canterbury's sudden come-back, were able to reorganise tbeir defence sufficiently to keep Canterbury out and the cup safe. Coed Hooking R. Davies, the Coast hooker, deserved much of the praise for his team’s win after out-hook-ing K. M. Neiman, 20-12. Surprisingly, Coast lacked most penetration. . In the first half when Davies had an even greater percentage of serum possession. 12 to 5. Thera were several dlsappointing features of Canterbury’s dleplay. the inability of its forwards to contain their opposite* in the second half, and the Poor goal-kicking form of T. Williams, being paraparamount. The roving-tactics of A. F. McNaughton did nothing to help the Canterbury forwards stop Coast bursting up the middle to. take command of the match Once five Coast forwards bandied in one movement, a player being on hand to back up the man in possession whenever the defence dosed in. McNaughton made a fine break only moments after the match had started, but his five team-mates were left to handle six enthusiastic West Coast attackers until McNaughtan returned to the told, and the work, just before the finish. With two other specialist loose forwards, White and R. 8. Walker, In the pack. Canterbury was not able to Stem Coast’s attacks at their source. Brought into the Canterbury team because of the length of his goal-kicking, Williams succeeded only twice from eight

attempt*, only two of them out of the range of an average club kicker. His handling was blemished by one bad error that nearly co*t a try and throughout the 80 minutes he never appeared likely to beat an opposing defender. After a poor first half, the spectators were enthralled by outstanding Coast attacks. The sluggish handling and passing •o evident before the Interval vanished as the Coast forwards, supported admirably by their backs, over-powered Canterbury. J. D. Hibbs, W. Hargreaves, A. P. Dennehy and Mann ran with aggression, turned in tackles to send the ball on and switched play to out-flank Canterbury. Hibbs charged his way across to score, Hargreaves ran through the Canterbury defence only to stumble with the line open, Ladner kicked his second field goal, and I. Fagan and w. K. Johnson scored tries —all in 11 minutes as Canterbury was completely out-played. Fagan’s Try Fagan’s try was a case of West Coast switching play and Cassing the ball until Canterury ran out of defenders; M. P. Brereton surged In from the blind side of a scrum to cause chao* in the Canterbury backline before ln-pas*ing tq Johnsen, who dived over. Weat Coast relaxed a little after thl* burst, a display of confidence that almost cost It the. game a* the Canterbury backs, particularly Lanauze.

t found the attacking ability that > had been expected, but not ■ seen, in the first 70 minutes. 1 Ladner and B. Sweetman, who ■ skipped away from J. G. Clarke ■ several times, and tackled very ■ well, were the best west Coast backs. N. E. Kiely tried th 1 find gaps in the Canterbury de- ' fence with darting runs, but he ' and Johnsen did not combine [ well in the centres. 1 The scrum.half, D. J. Monk; ; was over shadowed by Cooksley’s genuis on attack from play-the-ball movements but he was quick to restrain Cooksley ' round the scrums and made . one or two dabs past the first , line of tacklers. Brereton and . Fagan were contained for much . of the match, but had their i moments of superiority over S. . Wilkes and M. R. Napier. Canterbury Highlight ■ Cooksley’s try, when he rei versed the attack and beat three ' West Coast defenders on the blind side, was the highlight of Canterbury’s back play. Clarke made one good break early, but I had difficulty locating Sweetman I later and Langton was not able to send Lanauze away on at- . tack, but did show good footi work when ’ he scored. i Lanauze had a memorable last ■ 10 minutes in his first repre- ■ sentatlve match, although; it was unfortunate that his kicki Ing talents were not used when ' Williams’s attempts proved so ; inaccurate. On the wing, Napier marred his performance with unsure handling. Wilkes

found the transition from club to provincial standard a substantial one. In the second half, the Canterbury forwards, with McNaughtan absent without leave in the backs, were completely upset by West Coast. Davies’s scrum margin was also, indicative of West Coast’s superiority in the loose. Under-23 Tourists The- two under-23 tourists, W. P. Noonan and Walker, appeared jaded after two weeks of concentrated play. J, H. Fisher forgot the principle that prop forwards mast turn In a tackle to enable their eupporta, when present, to continue the forward movement. J. L. White covered well but could do nothing to promote penetration In the pack. White’s line kicks, and those of Williams, were poor in comparison to Ladner’s. The fallacy of selecting a specialist player as reserve was shown when R. S. Kirk, a club full-back replaced Langton 20 minutes from the finish. His inexperience at centre was quite evident. /

For West Coast, Hibbs, Fagan and Johnsen scored tries. Ladner kicked four goals snd two field goals, and Mann kicked a field goal. Lanauze (two), Napier, Langton and Cooksley scored tries for Canterbury and William* kicked two goal*. Tbe referee, Mr J. Percival (Auckland), awarded nine penalties to each team.