Town Scores 11 Tries In Beating Country

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32312, 2 June 1970, Page 24

Town Scores 11 Tries In Beating Country

(Ry

J. K. BROOKS)

The Canterbury left wing, R. J. Woolhouse, scored five tries in a match for the first time in his career at Lancaster Park oval yesterday, when Town drubbed Country, 48-12, in the annual match for the Craw Shield.

But Woolhouse scarcely had to work for his tries, such was the dominance which Town held over Country throughout. For the Town supporters in the crowd of about 6000, it was an exhilerating display, as their side had possession and pace to burn, scoring 11 tries to none in 80 heady minutes.

Country supporters, however, suffered agonies while their team was outclassed in the backs and the forwards; in two successive Queen’s Birthday matches. Country has conceded 89 points.

To add salt to the wound, Town’s three All Blacks, W. F McCormick, J. F. Burns, and W. D. Cottrell, were playing at Greymouth; and three original selections, R. W. Norton, S. E. Cron, and H. H. McDonald withdrew from the side with leg injuries. The reshuffled Town side, however, did not look like a scratch team, for the forwards carried out their drills admirably, and the backs proved conclusively that the speed of the pass will always beat the speed of the man. Woolhouse’s five tries were an expression of Town’s adherence to sound Rugby principles. Town’s Tries Town’s tries were scored j by Woolhouse (5), L. J. Davis (2), A. McLellan (2), R. F. Cocks, and A. Matheson, S. C M. Murray kicked six conversions and a penalty goal. For Country, D. Wyllie (3), and P. Sheahan kicked penalty goals. The match was regarded as a. trial for possible Ranfurly Shield defenders, and although several Town players advanced their claims,

Country had very little to offer the Canterbury selectors.

The only Country men who rose above the wreck of their team were G. L. Dunster, a lively flanker, and D. W. G. Scott, a mobile prop who has played for Canterbury B. All the Town backs played well, with Davis in particularly good form at half-back, and K. J. Gimblett showing himself representative material at second five-eighths. In The Toils The forwards were no less impressive. Their combined efforts enabled them almost to double the Country pack’s possession. Without A. E. Hopkinson, who was injured in the MidCanterbury match last Wednesday, and with A. J. Wyllie showing the effects of an injection—a preliminary to the All Black tour—Country presented a forlorn spectacle in the first half. Town scored three tries in the last five minutes of the spell to lead, 22-3, at half-time. In the first 15 minutes of the second half, Country showed some semblance of aggression. The forwards tried manfully to upset Town with driving play, but Town usually won the resultant ruck, and Country was back in the toils.

Town gave the impression of toying with the opposition when it scored 13 points in six minutes in the middle of the second half. McLellan, K. J. Tanner and I. H. Penrose were to the fore in

wresting the ball from Country in the mauls; R. Lockwood and C. Johnstone outjumped their rivals in the line-outs: and Matheson and S. Geddes consistently beat the opposition to the loose ball. In the scrums, B. G. Francis (Town) took the only tight head. Davis had one of his best days at half-back; although he had some difficult ball to deal with, he cleared it splendidly. This swift possession enabled Gimblett and H. T. Joseph in midfield to expose Country’s limitations on defence, and Woolhouse reaped the benefit. Full-Back Murray was impressive at full-back for Town, fielding the ball with certainty, and running and kicking well. On the rare occasions he was called on to tackle, he served his side well.

O. D. Bruce, the first fiveeighths, played a fine team game, sending the ball on smartly, so that Gimblett was able to show his sharpness on attack. Joseph handled brilliantly at centre. Although Cocks saw little ball on the right wing, he played a full part in his team’s success by joining the attack from the blind side. Town’s two-to-one advantage in possession placed pressure on Country, and although N. G. Cornelius tried hard to rally his men, the general lack of speed told against them. The Country backs were leaden-footed in comparison with their markers, and the forwards’ successes were few and far between.

P. Vavasour produced one hard tackle of Gimblett in the first quarter, but thereafter the Country backs seemed bewitched by Town’s use of the extra man, or the inside pass. Greater resolution on defence will be needed if Country is to have a successful tour of the Seddon Shield districts later this month. Referee: Mr A F. Gurn-' sey.