Linwood easily wins league title with solid display

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32407, 21 September 1970, Page 26

Linwood easily wins league title with solid display

(By Our Rugby League Reporter) “Togetherness” was the theme of Linwood’s impressive 21-2 victory over MaristWestern Suburbs in the Canterbury Rugby league major championship at the Show Grounds yesterday.

Marist-Western Suburbs defended with determination to hold Linwood to 2-2 at the interval but outstanding combination and teamwork in the second half gave Linwood five tries.

It was most fitting that the final tiy should be scored by the Linwood captain-coach, J. A. Flanagan, for his leadership more than any other factor was responsible for the outcome of the game. Flanagan constantly urged his team on, keeping play inside the Marist-Western Suburbs half and forcing his opponents on to the back foot. As Marist-Western Suburbs tired, the Linwood forwards began to make more progress and in the last 10 minutes two long breaks by Flanagan took Linwood to its final winning margin, the biggest achieved in a grand final. The Linwood backs also played their part, moving on to the ball with speed to send possession quickly to the flanks and then back in-field with well-judged passes. Hopes high At half-time Marist-West-em Suburbs appeared to be poised to win its first title. It had held Linwood against the disadvantage of the southerly breeze and the centres, M. P. Brereton and M. W. O’Donnell, had evaded their markers when making one or two penetrating bursts. But the team could find no answer, to Linwood’s confident second-half performance and had to be content with (he runner-up medals for the second consecutive season. Linwood quickly settled inbr* 4-l«Jta ■'Aruna*,

tion of play and wasted no time in continuing the territorial ascendancy it had enjoyed during the first spell. This time the Marist-West-em Suburbs defence faltered and R. G. Thorpe dived across from a play-the-ball to give his team the initiative. Eight minutes later R. K. Haffenden scored after Odgers had joined the back-line and created an overlap. Chance gone Marist-Western Suburbs, however, still had a chance of success but this largely evaporated when N. McGinty scored 15 minutes from the finish, and Flanagan had the final say with the two excellent runs that led to tries by E. Williams and himself in the closing stages. The Linwood pack was not slow to take the opportunities that Flanagan’s distribution provided and Greengrass, Broughton and R. Flanagan were particularly troublesome to their opponents with their power, pace and ability to probe wide of the rucks. Marist-Western Suburbs was seldom able to escape the forward-moving Linwood defence and the few individual breaks that were made were quickly cut off by the capable covering of the loose forwards. Only Brereton and W. D. Beri were able to push off attempted tackles but their rivals were most effective in regrouping to avert any danger to their try-line. Scrum possession was

evenly divided with Flanagan holding a narrow, 24-21, advantage at the finish against M. H. Mohi and R. J. MacKenzie. This figure was somewhat deceptive, though, for most of Marist-Western Suburbs’s share was received in quite defensive positions with the backs having to stand shallow. Linwood was able to use the ball from set play with much greater freedom, Williams and G. J. Rosanowski clearing it to the three-quar-ters with efficiency. M. E. Morgan was the most deceptive Linwood outside back but all were eager to-grasp their chances and Odgers provided additional thrust from full-back.

B. Odgers (three), Rosanowski, L. P. Brown and Mohi unsuccessfully attempted, field goals in the first half and Rosanowski missed three similar kicks after the interval. Had the last, from halfway, carried to the goalposts it would have provided an even more fitting climax, for Rosanowski’s three placed goals had taken his season’s total to 199. « It was noticeable that the Marist-Western Suburbs defence deteriorated appreciably when J. J. Worters had to leave the field-with an injury after 51 minutes. He had tackled low, and often, to keep the Linwood forwards at bay and his fellow-for-wards were unable to raise their defensive efforts: to compensate for his loss. Mohi, troubled by a tendon injury that finally forced his retirement, and A- Coll werp kept under strict sur-

veillance by their opponents. Worters made a few runs along the flanks but he, too, was soon cornered by the cover defence. Flanagan best It was no surprise that Flanagan should be voted the best of the Linwood players and the selection of Beri for the Marist-Western Suburbs award was equally popular. Linwood will now set its sights on the Thacker Shield title at Greymouth next Sunday, When it will play Runanga to decide the South Island club champion. Thorpe, Haffenden, McGinty, E. Williams and J. Flanagan scored Linwood’s tries and Rosanowski kicked three goals from 10 attempts. O’Donnell was successful with one of his three penalty attempts for Marist-Western Suburbs. The referee (Mr P. Yaxley) penalised Marist-Western Suburbs eight times and Linwood on six occasions.