S.I. League Teams Remain Unbeaten

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32077, 27 August 1969, Page 15

S.I. League Teams Remain Unbeaten

Canterbury and West Coast : remained the only unbeaten teams in the A section of the New Zealand 15-years Rugby league tournament at the Show Grounds yesterday and have the strongest chances of winning the tournament’s premier trophies, the Amalgamated Theatre Shield and the Rothmans Cup. Auckland, the winner of 19 of the 22 previous tournaments, suffered its second defeat in as many matches when the West Coast centre, A. ; Martin, scored a try just be- > fore full time to give his pro- ; Vince an 8-5 win.

Unless Auckland regains some of its past superiority against Canterbury A this afternoon, it will have to take part in the promotion-relega-tion match against the winner of the B section before the 1970 tournament.

Canterbury A beat Waikato, the victor over Auckland in the first round, with surprising ease yesterday. It took a useful 13-point lead in the first half and added three more tries after the interval for a Anal 26-8 margin. However, the West Coast’s spirited bid for only its second victory over Auckland and its first for 12 years held most interest. By half-time each team had scored a try and mid-way through the second half the provinces were again tied after two successful field goals. Martin’s try in

injury time sealed the result. Bay of Plenty, after two games, and Canterbury B, after one, remain unbeaten in the B section. Bay of Plenty recovered from an eight-point deficit to overrun Taranaki and Canterbury B steadily pulled away from Wellington. The Bay of Plenty forward, E. Henry (five tries), and the scrumhalf, G. Brown (One try and eight goals), had personal successes.

Results: A Section West Coast 8 <K. Harrington, A. Martin tries; Harrington field goal) beat Auckland 5 (G. Meyle try; P. Chatham field goal). Canterbury A 28 (E. S. Kerrigan two. D. C Field two, M. C. Field four goals) beat Waikato Broadhurst. G. Hardy tries: 8 (H. Hona, w. T. Hunapo tries; M. Ngataki goal). B Section Canterbury B 21 <B. Corbett, G. I. Mather, D. Harris, G. Moss, G. Watts tries; K. Corkran, M. Stewart. J. Davies goals) beat Wellington 5 (P. Ahnau try; Ahnau goal). Bay of Plenty 49 (E. Henry five, R. Sorenson two, H. Raimona two, G. Brown, W. Purnell tries; Brown eight goals) beat Taranaki 12 (B. Adams. P. O’Connell tries; D. Nlwa three goals).