YOUNG OTAGO WING BEST NEW PROSPECT Unrelenting, Tight Play Marks First Trial

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32301, 20 May 1970, Page 19

YOUNG OTAGO WING BEST NEW PROSPECT Unrelenting, Tight Play Marks First Trial

With the qualification that all the lack of cohesion usually associated with trials was apparent, the South Island’s leading All Black prospects achieved two things before a crowd of about 10,000 in the trial at Lancaster Park yesterday.

They showed that even without the thrusting, hand-to-hand attacks which is almost a New Zealand trademark today, the forwards are as lusty as ever in scrummaging, rucks and mauls. And breaches through mid-field were at a premium because the close defence of the backs was of the best quality.

These primary virtues were recognised in the selection of 20 players from the match for the final trial at Wellington. Yesterday's game, however, was very much a trial, and was devoid of frills.

The tackling was uncompromising, the covering effective, and with both packs wrestling or raking desperately for the ball, many of the rucks and mauls ended in stalemate, the ball trapped beneath a stack of bodies. For these reasons the scoring was limited to three tries, a penalty goal and a conversion. C. R. Laidlaw’s Black team won the game, 9-5, B. V. Sampson and L. W. Mains scoring, tries and Mains kicking a pen-; alty. B. A. Hunter scored a

try for W. F. McCormick’s White team, and the captain converted it. The Black team’s backline had an advantage over the White’s in Laidlaw’s more consistent service from behind the forwards and W. D. Cottrell’s generalship and outi standing all-round performance-

Laidlaw directed operations coolly and passed and kicked with aplomb, while Cottrell made some sharp runs and forced the half-gap expertly to give H. T. Joseph a good chance to show his paces. Cottrell’s backing-up and tackling never departed from the high standard he set at the outset . .

Among the forwards, A. E. Hopkinson approached the form that made him a tower!tng figure for Canterbury in the Ranfurly Shield game against Hawke’s Bay last September. At No. 2 in the lineout, he overshadowed the iburly K. Murdoch (Otago), [and he was effective in driv- ; ing through the opposing line. ) The young player who came ! through the trial as the most ) distinct All Black prospect was Hunter, the Otago wing and national track champion. There was very little play to the three-quarters, but Hunter grasped a chance given him by W. F. McCormick and P. C. Gard, and scored brilliantly. Opposing Cottrell was P. Roddick, of South Canterbury, who was unable to cope with the demands of a match of this-sort. His lack of rhythm further impeded the threequarters play in his team.

McCormick had one of his less distinctive days. He was inclined to draw pressure on to himself by hanging on too long when there was no need. This sometimes put his team into embarrassing defensive positions. Nevertheless, it was McCormick whose ■beautifully-judged blind-side run gave Hunter the chance to score his try. The other full-back, Mains, of Otago, was sound and un-

spectacular, but he scored a I good try when he came in ' outside his left-wing after two i big drives to the line by the forwards. For a trial in which there were three recognised leapers, the line-out work was generally depressing. There was a good deal of spoiling, and shocking throwing-in by the wings. However, in other facets of the forward game, especially scrummaging, . the ‘ packs played as South Island eights are expected to perform. Hopkinson and Murdoch pushed against each other with grim intent and Murdoch atoned for his defeat in the line-outs by rucking vigorously.

Burns Toiled Hard A J. Kreft, another Otago prop, was solid and unrelenting, while A. McLellan, (Canterbury) performed well against the bigger men in the mauls. For down-to-earth hard labour, the best of the forwards was J. F. Burns, the Canterbury lock. He and his partner, F. J. Oliver (Southland), were more conscientious in the tight than their rivals, G. H. Dermody (Southland) and T. A. Julian (Nel-son-Bays), who played better with the ball in hand. Julian, a raw-honed youngster, was the best of this quartet in the line-outs and his general play caused surprise, for he has had little experience beyond his own province. One of the best of the loose forwards - was T. N. Lister, of South Canterbury, but for endless grafting in the tight-loose there was none better than W., W. Townsend, of Otago. His efforts helped the Black team achieve the greater success in the rucks. The rangy A. R. Sutherland (Marlborough) was good value in the mauls and fastened on to the loose ball like a limpet. He was also the most successful line-out forward, winning possession cleanly at No. 7.

Cron Unfortunate Although he missed two sharp chances in the loose, S. E. Cron (Canterbury) gave a meritorious display and was unlucky not to be given another trial. A. J. Wyllie (Canterbury) was not as effective on the side of the scrum as he was in the back for the South Island last year, and C. F. Cochrane (Nelson-Bays) had no opportunities to show his pace. R. W. Norton (Canterbury)

won the hooking duel by two tight heads to one against K. I. Milne (South Canterbury). Without Laidlaw inside him, E. W. Kirton looked very ordinary at first fiveeighths, and his fellow Otago player, A. J. Clark, made the better impression with his quick, clean passing. Joseph did well on attack and defence, but the North Otago centre, Gard, had few chances to show his ability, and missed selection. His excellent control of a high pass from McCormick and a welltimed transfer to Hunter showed Gard in a good light. G. L. Colling (Otago), who served the struggling White backline, has had better days at half-back. The Canterbury left wing, R. J. Woolhouse, slipped past Hunter twice and tackled and handled extremely well. But his pace was pedestrian in comparison with the speedy Hunter.

The other wings, M. P. Collins (Otago) and B. V. Sampson (Mid-Canterbury), were out in the cold for most of the match. Hunter, who chased every chance eagerly and showed a good change of pace to beat Laidlaw in one of his dashes, was clearly the best of the flying squad..