Canty seeking fourth win

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32637, 19 June 1971, Page 14

Canty seeking fourth win

(By

K. J. McMENAMIN)

Including the visit by the Anglo-Welsh side of 1908, today will mark the tenth time that Canterbury has played a British Isles Rugby team at Lancaster Park. Of the nine matches, Canterbury has won three. The first visit to New Zealand by a British Rugby side was in 1888 and that tour was split into two parts. The team, which was drawn from England and Scotland, played nine matches, including two against Canterbury, before

going to Australia and on its return three months later had a further 10 games, including one against Canterbury. The first two encounters, which -were within a space of five days, the tourists won 14-6 and 4-0. They also nad a victory, 8-0, at the third meeting. The 1888 side won 13 of its 19 matches in New Zealand with four drawn. The four was notable for the new concepts it introduced to the game in this part of the world, namely the effectiveness of systematic passing and the rucking Of

the ball out of scrums, a method previously held as illegal. In 1904 a British team, which comprised players from England, Wales and Ireland, paid a short visit to New Zealand during a tour of Australia. It played five games and one of its two wins was over a XV drawn from Canterbury, South Canterbury and the West Coast, the score being 5-3. The 1908 Anglo-Welsh side went down 8-13 to Canterbury and this was one of the seven losses it suffered on a tour of 17 games. The first of the “modem” Lions tours with all four Home countries being represented was in 1930 and today's match will recall to many minds the great 14-8 win Canterbury nad over that side. Canterbury, which was captained by W. C. Dailey, led 6-0 at half time, but the Lions went ahead midway through the second spell. A superb try by the loose forward, R. K. King, regained Canterbury the lead and it was increased when H. Lilbume kicked the conversion. Lilbume later put the issue beyond doubt when he kicked a penalty goal. In 1950 Canterbury met K. D. Mullen’s team in its opening match of the season and in a game which failed to live up to expectations, the Lions won 16-5. Canterbury might have disappointed its supporters that day, but the Christchurch public was compensated by being able to see in action a five-eighths at brilliant as Ireland T s J. W. Kyle and three-quarters of calibre of the Welsh pair, B. L. Williams and K. J. Jones. The next British Isles team to tour New Zealand was the 1959 side led by A. R. Dawson and although Canterbury scored a memorable 20-14 win the victory had a little of its

glow taken away by the net that injuries reduced the Lions to 13 men for most of the second half.

The Canterbury pack was superbly led by S. F. Hill and K. R. Tremain, who scored two tries. S. K. Henderson, whose kicking brought Canterbury 11 of its points, was also outstanding.

At full-back for Canterbury that day was W. F. McCormick, who was having his first taste of big-time Rugby. Today he

will again fill the full-back berth in what will be his 155th game for Canterbury. Canterbury was given a great chance of beating the 1966 Liona, but the 8-6 win enjoyed by M. J. CampbellLamerton’s team was one of the few bright spots of its tour. The game was a very mediocre one and was marred greatly by frequent outbursts of fighting.

Canterbury, with McCormick kicking two penalty goals, led for much of the game, but when W. M. Birtwistle failed to find touch with a clearing kick late in the second half the Welsh wing, D. I. E. Bebb, scored an opportunist try to give the Lions the match.

Of the 1966 Canterbury side six players will again take the field today. They are McCormick, W. D. Cottrell, L. J. Davis, I. H. Penrose, A. J. Wyllie and A. E. Hopkinson. One, K. J. Tanner, is in the reserves.