SENIOR RUGBY Linwood holds off Belfast; Christchurch scores 11 tries

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33230, 21 May 1973, Page 15

SENIOR RUGBY Linwood holds off Belfast; Christchurch scores 11 tries

For the second time in successive Saturdays, Belfast boldly but unavailingly challenged a top team in the senior Rugby competition when it was beaten, 13-7, by Linwood at Lancaster Park oval.

It was Linwood’s sixth victory in as many games but it was, perhaps, the least convincing, for Belfast had counters for many of its ploys.

At Rugby Park, Christ-! church, which had a hard: struggle in beating Belfast a week earlier, became the biggest cloud on Linwood’s horizon by scoring 11 tries against a hapless Shirley side. Two of the tries were scored by the wing, S. Cartwright, who now has a tally of nine in four matches. The Christchurch full-back, R. G. Wilson, scored 19 points on his twentieth birthday. The Linwood-Belfast game was an excellent expression of entertaining inter-club Rugby. Belfast’s fitness and sense of purpose enabled it to extend the championship leader, which had cause to be thankful for the splendid defence of W. F. McCormick.

A former Canterbury right wing, R. F. Cocks, who came into the Linwood side at the eleventh hour when T. W. Mitchell became ill, scored both his side’s tries.

Belfast’s outstanding player was its dynamic No. 8, V. Hahipere.

The Canterbury Rugby Union must have been pleased to have seen a crowd of more than 2000 at Lancaster Park—it seems a good scheme to put Belfast on the oval.

But some of the spectators were bad-mannered enough to boo P. R. Jellyman (Linwood) on two occasions when he was kicking for goal; others were dangerously close to the playing area during the last few minutes. At Burnside Park, MerivalePapanui beat the home side in the north-west area's “derby.” It was a close, exciting game, but. once again, there were some ill-considered comments from a small knot of spectators. High School Old Boys recap-

tured its early-season form in beating Lincoln College. The mid-field pair, B. McPhail and I. G. Taylor, were particularly impressive for Old Boys. A thunderous opening assault paved the way for University A’s win against Sydenham. But i the University B team, upset by i injuries, went down to New Brighton by a point after leading for most of the game. Marist won its first match the previous week, but was unable to make it two in a row. Its opponent, Suburbs, was too efficient at the back of scrums and rucks, where L. J. Davis directed operations.

Results were:— Linwood 13. Belfast 7. Old Boys If, Lincoln College 9. Christchurch 59, Shirley i. University A 18, Sydenham 13. Suburbs 24, Marist 0. New Brighton 10, University B 9.

Merlvale-Papanui 12, Burnside 7.

The knowledge and appreciation of Linwood's style of play held by Mr A. M. Holland, the former Linwood captain who now coaches Belfast, enabled the season's most Improved team to run the leading side close in a rousing game. For the first time this season, Linwood was not permitted to call the tune consistently. A good deal of potential second-phase i possession for Linwood was smothered in the rucks by Belfast, and the usual smooth i passage of the ball from the LinI wood scrum was hampered by the wheeling of the Belfast tight forwards and the marauding of B. Kennett and W. Nutbrown. When the ball emerged on Belfast’s side, P. Sheehan directed raking kicks beyond the Linwood ranks, and so the green-and-black jerseyed forwards had to cover a lot more ground than usual. Linwood was fortunate that W.

F. McCormick was in such good form. His fielding was sure and his line kicking superb; although he was frequently under pressure, he consistently put his side about 45 yards up-field with his punts. However, the Linwood backs were not as authoritative as usual, and several errors were committed in the face of Belfast's aggressive defence. One bad pass by R. F. Cocks to P. R. Jellyman gave Sheehan* a scoring chance which he narrowly failed to turn to account.

Two typically forceful runs by K. J. Gimblett led to tries by the alert Cocks. But Gimblett was used too much as a decoy in the team’s favourite form of attack and partly because of this, the backs’ moves lacked sting. The Belfast forwards all came through the game with credit, and none more so than V. HahiSere, the lanky No. 8. He was a lorn in Linwood’s flesh with his strong running on attack and his swift covering. D. Percasky displayed nimble footwork at times to defeat some Linwood backs, while P. Brooking again demonstrated his amazing handling at full-back. It was an exhausting game for the Linwood forwards, but they controlled play well in the final quarter, when J. C. Ashworth led several powerful charges. J. K. Phillips, the No. 8, worked overtime to stop the Belfast loose forwards breaking clear on the blind-side. ONE-WAY TRAFFIC

Spectators at the main game at Rugby Park might well have wondered If the match had anything to do with the enlarging of the city's oneway traffic system. In each half the movement was certainly nearly all in one direction—towards Shirley's try line. In scoring 11 tries Christchurch had a notable victory, but about half of them were the results of gross negligence on defence by Shirley. Even so, Christchurch impressed as a welldrilled team with a very fast and talented backline.

A number of people left the stand when Christchurch reached 50 points. It was like the exodus which sometimes follows the scoring of a century by a batsman in cricket Although giving away height and weight, Shirley gave a reasonable showing in the forwards, but once the ball had been cleared to the Christchurch backs. Shirley’s supporters might have felt inclined to bury their heads In their hands.

The line was simply far too penetrative for Shirley to contain, and once an initial break had been made the Shirley cover defence was hopelessly outpaced. All the Christchurch backs

contributed to the sparkling display, out none made quite as mg an impact as the -first fiveeighths, P. E. McEwan. He wiong-iooted many would-be tacklers with his neat changes of direction and when ho sold a dummy he was in the super-sales-man class.

J. Hanna, at centre, was also very sharp and at times he seemed to possess some hidden repellent which he used to bounce off opponents. R. G. Wilson gave a very tradesman like display at full-back, 'lhe No. 8, J. Chilton, was another difficult man for Shirley to bring to earth and when he scored his try he brushed off at least six defenders. M. R. Powley was an energetic worker in the tight and he was well supported by F. Townsend and C. F. Cochrane.

R. Smith and G. Burrow were the most determined of the Shirley forwards, while In the backs W. Paulin was rewarded for his enterprise with an exciting try. The full-back, S. J. Holden, placed his kicks well. "DERBY" DAY The Importance of the "derby" at Burnside Park was given extra weight by the crowd of about 600 which crowded the touchlines In the cold conditions. The spectators were, surely, were satisfactorily rewarded, for if there was a lot that the purist could quibble at, this was a vigorous and bright game made the more entertaining by the closeness of the score.

Merlvale-Papanui deserved to win, not least because of the Intensity and whole hearted efforts on defence, but also because it was a willing attacking force.

Burnside has hooker problems —one injured, one away—and as a consequence, H. Williams had a field day for Merlvale-Papanui. He took nine tight-heads, but his contribution was not confined to that aspect of play; he w’as a busy aggressive player round the front of the line-out and had a maior hand in the winning try. The combined team’s pack rarely has an average game; it is generally very good or very poor. Against Burnside it gave one of Its better performances, winning the scrums with ease though often going backwards, matching Burnside in the rucks, and winning a slight majority of line-out possession. Burnside had its very tall men, P. Smart and D. House, jumping, but the return of the experienced D. Wynne to Merlvale-Papanui resulted in their being well countered.

Outside the scrum, M. Storey displayed an excellent pair of hands, and the full-back, N. Tichbourne, again gave evidence that he may be No. 2 in Canterbury, behind W. F. McCormick.

Burnside had sufficient possession to use, though the scrum problems obviously presented difficulties. But the pressure to which M. Emmerson was subjected spread along the line, and not nearly enough use was made of the thrustful N. Kaliounivltl, who was, however, met by an unyielding defence on the occasions he did attempt a break. R. W. Fulton scored an opportunist try splendidly for Bumside, but the most spectacular try was undoubtedly that by Tichbourne. A powerful, longstriding runner, he flittered through a bunch of Burnside defenders. and crossed the line in a graceful swallow-dive. SPLENDID START

With sure handling and strong running which brushed aside Sydenham tackles, University A built up a first half lead that its Improving rival found too difficult to overcome. University A opened the game In tremendous fashion. The ball was cleared quickly and both backs and forwards ran with determination and speed. Two good tries were scored in the first lOmin and it appeared then as if University would have a runaway win. The pressure was maintained through the first spell and only a desperate defence kept the score down. In the second half, however, the quality of University’s plav fell away and the eager Sydenham players were able to capitalise on handling errors and bring pressure to bear on the University line.

Sydenham scored two tries in this period of play, and all the opportunities came from loose play, as the taller and heavier University forwards dominated the line-outs and slowed the Sydenham clearance from the scrims.

The Sydenham forwards played well when the ball was on the ground, but could not match the opposition at running and passing. For University, R. C. Scott and R. Seton were a great force with the ball in hand and Scott, in particular, ran and handled like a back.

D. Morrison, the University half-back, had an excellent match, while B. Fauth was a penetrative five-eighths. Further out R. F. Scott was a purposeful and resourceful wing. All the University forwards did their job thoroughly and well in the tight, with G. Brown showing up in the line-outs. The Sydenham forwards had a difficult task, but chased the ball keenly and A. Rule was well rewarded with a try. D. Roberson also worked hard, while G. Tallot and R. Queree showed speed and ability in the baCkS 'SUBURBS ON TOP

Attended by misfortune early in its game with Suburbs, Marist failed to recover from a nine-point setback. It regularly conceded possession and gave ground, apart from a final Buriy which proved fruitless.

First G. Shearer scored for Suburbs against the run of play, for G. Stone to convert. Then Stone was on target with a penalty when a Marist forward slipped on a greasy patch and was stranded off-side.

Marist had opened well with the forwards led by D. Bussell carrying play into Suburbs territory. Good saves by the full-back. T. Mooney, and astute tactical kicking by B. Stewart kept the pressure on. but when a jinking run bj’ P. Molloy and a swift switch of play by L. J. Davis put Shearer across, the tide turned.

Mooney was immaculate and almost in desperation. it appeared, initiated attacks in the second half but lacked sup-: port. , B. Stewart, standing deeply, was troubled to reach a num-; ber of passes and was often! committed to stab kicking. From broken play, however, he tested the defence with strong running. Davis and the first five-eighths, J. Fleming, had a fine understanding and it was here, close to the scrum, that Suburbs pushed home their advantages. M. Cron was in spirited form in the Suburbs pack and W. Meredith and E. Cutts also showed up. Opposing plavers attempting to check Cutts's “shoulder first” banging runs were thrown harshly aside. Both sides favoured the long line-out and attempted the run- ' ning game at every opportunity. However, where Marist attempted to move the ball quickly to the outside backs all the Suburbs tactical play was close in. Davis switched play astutely, aided by his driving forwards.

Suburbs enjoyed a period of complete dominance during the middle stages, their forwards being first to break-downs and winning rucks. Subsequent outflanking led to two tries and a third came from a movement mounted inside their own 25yd line when a replacement wing,"

Points are:— D F A Pts P W L Linw. 6 6 0 0 148 47 6 Subs. 6 4 1 1 105 69 41 Chch 5 4 1 0 145 56 4 H.S.O.B. 6 4 2 0 83 58 4 Univ. A 6 4 2 0 78 77 4 Belt. 5 3 2 0 92 43 3 Syd. 6 3 3 0 91 82 3 New Bri. 6 3 3 0 60 76 3 Mer-Pap. 6 2 3 1 51 113 21 Shirley 6 2 4 0 70 140 2 Univ. B 5 2 3 0 59 62 2 Lin. Col. 5 2 3 0 47 71 2 Burn. 6 1 5 0 68 102 1 Marist 5 1 4 0 38 89 1 Albion 5 0 5 0 34 82 0 INSIDE KNOWLEDGE