COMBINED TEAM EXTENDS TOURISTS Lions have to work for win in Gisborne mud

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32665, 22 July 1971, Page 26

COMBINED TEAM EXTENDS TOURISTS Lions have to work for win in Gisborne mud

(From J. K. BROOKS)

GISBORNE.

In spite of Dr D. W. C. Smith’s faith in his team’s ability on a heavy surface, mud again proved a great leveller when the Lions beat Poverty Bay-East Coast, 18-12, at Rugby Park, Gisborne, yesterday. Only a dropped goal by the captain, S. J. Dawes, in the final minute saved the Lions from recording their smallest winning margin in New Zealand.

Although a bright, sunny day helped the ground to recover t^ s u h ® h r ’ h^ u d ‘ a ® *u” e d i n al a ' from recent rain, the field was still sticky in several patches, and good spirit. ’ the Lions showed a good deal of uncertainty- with the ball in wh^e hand, and even greater puzzlement when the Combined forwards Lions pack pushed the opposKiirdpd ahpnd with the hall at toe ing forw a rd s back almost at surgea aneaa wiin uie oaii ai toe. ... . . c mbined team . s

The Lions right wing D. J. Duckham, scored two splendid tries through his mastery of the swerve at speed, but unhappily for the Lions those efforts proved to be the exception rather than the rule.

Indecision in mid-field by C. W. W. Rea and A. J. Lewis, and some ill-directed passing behind the advantage line, put the touring side at the mercy of the eager Combined forwards, well led by the All Black flanker. I. A. Kirkpatrick. The willingness of the Combined backs to run with the ball, and a performance of exceptional quality by the full-back. W. K. Mabey, helped to restore confidence in the standard of provincial Rugby, and the final score was in no way flattering to the Combined team. The score was 6-ail at half-time and it was not until the end of the third quarter that the Lions snatched the lead for the first time. Puzzling decisions To add to the problems of the Lions, the referee (Mr R. E. Courtney, of Auckland) made some puzzling decisions tn favour of the Combined team, and on six occasions Lions retreated from the scene of the stoppage, waving their arms in gestures of disbelief. Mr Courtney was very quick—perhaps too quick—to signal the end of the rucks, and, although his penalty count favoured Poverty Bay-East Coast, 15-8, he also gave the home side cause for chagrin. R. Hiller kicked an easy goal from a penalty awarded when G. O. Edwards ran from the scrum without the ball, but the Combined loose forwards were still packed down and the backs were properly behind the! scrum. Hiller, whose goal-kicking 1

was patchy, kicked a dropped goal as well as his penalty goal. Duckham two, and Edwards scored tries, and Dawes drop-kicked a goal. For the Combined team, R. J. Ussher scored a try from a quick throw-in and Mabey kicked three penalty goals. Pattern of game The pattern of the game was set from the start when I. Kirkpatrick made two jolting runs from broken play and the Lions props, J. S. Lynch and C. B. Stevens, buckled the opposing front row in the early scrums. For the rest of the match, the Lions held an advantage in scrums and line-outs, but, in the swirling play the Combined forwards were superior and they took advantage of some loose packing by the Lions in the rucks. Rea ..gain showed that he is not a fly-half, and although Edwards saved him from the clutches of the Kirkpatrick brothers with long, spinning passes, he often appeared in two minds and the backline suffered accordingly. Dawes did his best to put the attack on an even keel but it was only the appearance of Hiller outside his centres which gave the wings. Duckham and A. G. Biggar, any leeway. Duckham played well enough to hold his test place, but Biggar was pedestrian by comparison and offered few problems for the Combined team’s defence. Fine full-back The fine positional sense and superb catching of Mabey defeated the Lions attempts to make capital of hopeful kicks, and his judicious entrances into the backline helped the side achieve its aim of playing attacking football. On this display, there can be few better full-backs in New Zealand than Mabey. A record crowd of 15,000 was generous in its applause If. both teams, but there was no suggestions of parochialism 'in the cheers for the Com-

bined side’s loose forwards who formed one of the most effective combinations the Lions have encountered. I. A. Kirkpatrick was a powerful figure in the rucks and mauls and troubled the tourists with his pace and power in the loose. The wiry D. Kirkpatrick jumped high in the line-outs and moved swiftly to the checked ball, and the chunky No. 8, D. T. Wi Repa, tackled and covered with remarkable zest and still had enough energy to play a full part in the other aspects of forward play. The Lions, too, had good loose forwards, with J. Taylor showing the benefit of quick thinking and a reliable pair of hands, and P. J. Dixon distinguishing himself with positive play in the midst of dithering by others. Lions win line-outs D. L. Quinnell started well, but lost most of his steam after being caught on the bottom of three rucks. W. D. Thomas, who is under a strong challenge from G. L. Brown for his test place, played solidly and, with the assistance of T. G- Evans, the replacement forward who is improving with every game, enabled the Lions to take the decisive line-outs, 21-12. With his props well ip command of the situation, it was not surprising that F. A. L. Laidlaw took three tightheads to none. One of the scrums erupted into a punching match between Lynch and

As they have done elsewhere in New Zealand, the Lions pack pushed the opposing forwards back almost at will, but the Combined team’s half-back, P. J. Duncan, who is only 19, contrived to extract the ball from beneath threshing feet and serve his backs with admirable accuracy. At times, the Lions backs were almost as hesitant on defence as they were on attack, and, but for some able covering by Taylor and Dixon, a sharp young man at second five-eighths, G. R. Newlands, might have embarrassed the visiting team with his mid-field breaks. Shrewd choice But, unhappily, in the second half the Combined backs often followed the Lions pattern by launching movements in which some players had little idea of what the ball carrier had in mind. This was an unfortunate time for indecision, for I. A. Kirkpatrick, having won the toss, had chosen ends shrewdly so that the Lions would have to play into the setting sun in the second half. The Combined forwards played their part in this scheme, and the Lions, having enjoyed a two-to-one advantage in possession before half-time, won slightly less ball than their rivals in the second half. There was honour in defeat for the men of Poverty Bay-East Coast, but not a great deal of rejoicing among the victorious Lions. Little time remains for them to brush up their play on heavy grounds before the end of the tour.