Strong Back-line In Otago League Side

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32303, 22 May 1970, Page 15

Strong Back-line In Otago League Side

'By Our Rugby League Reporter)

The two players who have done most to further Otago’s Rugby league reputation in recent years, T. W. Patrick and T. Toleafoa, will provide the Canterbury defence with its greatest problems when the provinces meet at the Show Grounds on Sunday.

The Otago team includes four New Zealand Universities backs, Patrick (stand-off half), Toleafoa (centre), B. Field (centre) and P. A. Qarau (wing), and the vastly i changed Canterbury line will have no easy 1 task containing this talented quartet.

Last season, Canterbury ii beat Otago. 32-19 and 20-5,1: but the margin in each game': was deceptive. < In the first match, Canter- 1 I bury’s 32 points were gained l |in three scoring bursts cov-1 'ering a total of only 17p [minutes, and it was the i [Otago backs, particularly the [side-stepping Toleafoa. who,' [took much of the credit for;' I the attractiveness of the ! [Play. •I DEFENSIVE LAPSES I, I In the return game, the , first in the Rothmans [' southern quadrangular [ tournament, the teams were): level after 25 minutes but; Canterbury scored three tries I] before half-time to assure ; victory. The following day!' Otago pulled up from 0-18 to 1 18-18 against Wellington be- ’ fore fading to an 18-31 loss. I These fluctuations empha-! 5 sised the temporary lapses/ noticeable in the Otago / defence in each fixture./ Indications for tomorrow’s / game are that the Otago back-/ line will again have the/ elusive qualities attributed to ‘ the play of Maori and Samoan /

’footballers, the forwards should form a reasonably solid pack, but whether the' team can concentrate fully on i its defensive duties for the whole 80 minutes remains to be seen. SELECTOR PRESENT The presence of the convener of the New Zealand selection panel (Mr D. L. Blanchard) should act as a spur for the Otago players. This will probably be their last opportunity to challenge for positions at the national coaching school which will ' lead up to the Kiwi trials next month. Canterbury, , with five players included in the team for the first time this season, and the wing, S. J. Wilks, being the only back to retain the same position he held against Wellington and New , South Wales Country, will ■ have its only match practice > before the vital game against i Auckland on Monday week. Patrick, the. New Zealand

j stand-off half in the first test {against Australia last season, {should have a tussle for individual supremacy with his test half-back partner, G. R. iCooksley, while the meeting {of Toleafoa and the 1969 Kiwi, M. P. Brereton, may be expected to enhance the three-quarter play. Both have successfully moved from the {flank to the centres. BETTER SUPPORT The Canterbury forwards, however, will have an advantage in experience over their rivals. For the first time this {season the hooker, R. J. A. MacKenzie, will have the supjport of more seasoned props {than his rival, L. Hall, whose (front row partners, N. Baker 'and G. Asher, will be making (their first-elass debut. [ The greater share of possession that should result from set play will be of benefit to the Canterbury backs and the' strong-running second-row ( forward, A. W. Thompson, I who will be expected to re-j peat the form that brought j him into contention fori national selection early last! season.

I R. S. Walker, an outstanding success as a ball distributor and covering loose forward against Wellington, but most unimpressive in the Country fixture, has the opportunity to redeem himself. His opponent, P. Taouma, won a centre position in the New Zealand Universities second team last August and promises to be the most mobile of the Otago forwards. The teams are: Canterbury: T. Jones; S. J Wilks. M. P Brereton, B. Jager. D. D. Martin; G. R. Cooksley, J G. Clarke (captain); J. G. 'Greengrass. R. J. A. Mackenzie, B. F. Gillman. J. L. White, A. W. ■ Thompson; R S. Walker. Re!serves: B Williams, W. H. Taylor. B. F. Dobbs, K. Wakelin, ( K. G. Walker, G. A. Cowan. Otago: V. Cowie; P. A. Qarau, |T. Toleafoa, B. Field. M. Volavola; T. W. Patrick (captain), M Duke; G. Asher. L. Hall, N. Baker; C. Ropata, H. Porter: P. Taouma. Reserves: K. Nepia, A. Walters.