Coast Holds League Cup With 14-2 Win

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32323, 15 June 1970, Page 22

Coast Holds League Cup With 14-2 Win

(From Our Rugby League Reporter) GREYMOUTH. The outstanding team-work of the West Coast forwards, 1 and another impressive display by the full-back, G. C. Ladner,, were the major factors in Coast’s 14-2 victory over Canterbury I in the Rugby League Cup match at Wingham Park yesterday.

I wards making the initial |. break before releasing the ■ ball to backs who had posi-i 1 tioned themselves well to! * capitalise on the opportuniI ties West Coast led by only 2-0 . at half-time but gained control when Ladner touched down only four minutes after > the resumption of play. The ’ Canterbury defence was J drawn in by the ability of the ■ opposing forwards to release ‘ the ball to supporting play- * ers when only half-tackled beJ fore it was sent along the * back-line to create an over- ‘ lap for Ladner. 8 SPECTACULAR MOVE j Two penalty goals by Lad-1 : ner and one by J. L. White,' [ for Canterbury, extended! t West Coast’s lead to 9-2 before; . J. B. Low', playing his first I first-class match, ensured the, . Coast’s retention of the cup when he completed the most! . spectacular movement of the! . match. J. K. Dixon burst: through the first line of defence, found D. J. Monk to! extend the attack as the cover, defence closed upon him, and Monk cleverly reversed the! ball infield for Low to dive , across.

West Coast scored two excellent tries, the result of fine ball control and backing up in very slippery conditions, and stifled Canterbury’s attacking intentions with sure tackling. Ladner again made the major contribution to West Coast's total with a try and four goals. His kicking of the greasy ball, bc’h for goal and touch, was very accurate, and he handled and defended particularly well when Canterbury attempted to take play into Coast territory. The home pack, in addition to safe-guarding its try-line with a forward-moving defensive pattern when Canterbury had possession, was most successful in taking play upfield with short passing and powerful running from the ruck. The two try-scoring moveiments began with the for-

l out having passed through >'the channel behind the sec- ■ jond-row forwards. )! Dixon and A. P. Dennehy . were the most successful of' the Coast forwards on attack, ) their attempts to penetrate . being directed at the CanterI bury back-line with wide run- . ning from the rucks rather , than attempting to beat the ; defence with thrusts up the ’ centre of the field. ' The Coast backs showed a : fine understanding largely the result of the Runanga club ’ combination of Momk, N. E. ! Keily, W K. Johnsen, and ■ Low. Johnsen had an interesting tussle with Brereton, the -Coast centre eluding his rival . j from one scrum and nearly opening the way for a try. j After this lapse, Brereton .[settled down to keep Johnsen [[contained. J A. W. Thompson and K.j J McDonald played strongly on! [defence for Canterbury but' '[they were allowed little lee-! ’ way to attack. Walker atI I tempted to distribute the ball - ’.quickly from the rucks but ’[the conditions were not conHducive to long passing. I 1 Apart from the runs by i[Brereton and Dunn in the s I first half, the Canterbury [back-line was very restricted. iiG. R. Cooksley tried to add 11 thrust with short darting runs -Ibut he was hampered by a el thigh injury that required 5 -treatment soon after half- , time.

Canterbury, also displayed a willingness to move the ball around but the West Coast defence was unrelenting. The closest Canterbury came to scoring a try was when S. Dunn, and then M. P. Brereton, broke clear but strong, low tackles by Ladner brought an abrupt halt to their progress just short of the line. The match was played at quite a brisk pace, with long line-kicks by Ladner and the Canterbury loose forward, R. S. Walker, regularly placing: their respective teams in favourable positions. Many kicks! by other Canterbury players, however, were mis-directed and provided Ladner with ! further opportunities to dis-1 play bis fine handling andi positional play in most difficult conditions. TOOK ITS CHANCES

The match ended on a light hearted note when Mr Pilcher most prominent in his white uniform among the almost indiscernible, mudcovered players, was ceremoniously carried from the side-line to the middle of the i field by four Canterbury players and gently lowered into the largest of the numerlous puddles.

Scrum possession was divided, 21-21, but West Coast made better use of its share and committed fewer handling and passing errors. The referee (Mr E. Pilcher, of Wellington) often allowed play to continue when the ball came from a scrum to West Coast advantage with-