Bay of Plenty had best Rugby record

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32730, 6 October 1971, Page 18

Bay of Plenty had best Rugby record

(By

J. K. BROOKS

Which provincial Rugby team was the best in New Zealand during 1971? Opinions on this prill vary greatly, but from the point of view of results alone, Bay of Plenty had the best record. It won 10 of its 12 matches, losing only to the Lions (14-20) and Auckland (9-19). Among the sides it vanquished were North Auckland, the new Ranfurly Shield holder, and Taranaki, Waikato, Southland and Hawke’s Bay. Canterbury had a good record, with nine wins and a draw in 14 games, and it scored 59 tries and 280 points, totals which no other side approached. But its record was embellished by several easy wins against

minor unions, and it won only two of its six big fixtures. Auckland, which played one game more than Canterbury, also gained nine wins and a draw, but lost twice to North Auckland and drew with and lost to Wellington. At one stage of the season, Otago appeared likely to achieve the best results, but its form fell away alarmingly on the North Island tour and it finished the season with nine wins and six losses. For a period, Wellington was in dire straits; its first eight games produced two wins, two draws and four losses. But its switch to a more open style of attacking play brought dramatic results—it lost only one of its last seven games and included Canterbury, Auckland and Otago among its victims. The new shield holder, North Auckland, had another good year, with eight wins in 12 matches, but it did not have matters all its own way away from home. It was beaten by both Counties and Bay of Plenty and was held to a draw by Poverty Bay. Southland effected a spectacular improvement after a dreary start, and rounded off its programme with wins against Auckland and Wellington. It also drew with Canterbury, but was well beaten twice by Otago.' There is no doubt that' Counties is one of the most improved sides in the country. Its 8-17 loss to Auckland in the shield game was its only defeat in the last three months and; a half, and, like Welling-; ton, it profited from placing ; the accent on the running; and passing game. . i These eight teams were; probably the best in the; country; the only others to ! gain more wins than losses I were Manawatu and 1 Wairarapa-Bush, but both; these sides suffered from | inconsistencies. (

Hawke’s . 'Hay's ageing:' team , faded sadly, and Waikato and Taranaki both fell below their usual . standards of? performance. ' King Country, too, was not the 'forte it was formerly, hut Poverty. Bay,, under .1. A. Kirkpatrick’s captaincy, made an advance. .All the SoUth Island minor unions had mediocre

' records, and even the Hanan. Shield holder (South Canterbury) and the Seddon . Shield holder (Nelson-Bays) ' failed to emulate past achievements. . f Buller and East Coast were at the bottom of the .. ladder for 1971. Both sides played five matches and lost them all. *