Power and discipline of water polo’s “big guns"

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33750, 24 January 1975, Page 4

Power and discipline of water polo’s “big guns"

(By

RAY CAIRNS)

The awesome discipline of the Russians and the majestic physiques of the Jugoslavians will obviously lend themselves to a magnificent final in the water polo competition on Sunday evening.

Russia won both its : games . yesterday, against Australia—a determined opponent—and Great Britain; Jugoslavia easily beat New Zealand. But the United States cannot be discounted. It had no trouble with Britain yesterday and plays Jugoslavia in a vital game this morning. But in the morning games involving these two countries,

5 it was apparent that the minor nations in the sport ’ are fast improving. J Australia, of course, has * already made its mark; it now ■ holds and deserves a place ’ in the top dozen or so in the world. Its 3-6 loss to Russia was the same as that by s which it lost to the same , country in the 1973 World 1 Games at Belgrade. 1 Its performance yesterday - was probably of greater 5 merit. A penalty by Charles Turner was disallowed when the score was 2-I—because > he was ruled to have baulked , the shot at goal—and instead

of drawing level at 2-all, Australia found itself 1-3 behind because the Russians scored immediately. That was the half-time score. Late control Australia did draw up to 3-4 in the third quarter, but the Russians went to 6-3 in (the final session and were thus comfortable winners. New Zealand lost 3-13 to Jugoslavia, and if the score suggests a no-contest, it tells only half the story. Two years ago, New Zealand was losing by the same scores to Australia, and Jugoslavia is the third-best team in the world. Not disgraced i The remarkable improve-! nient shown by New Zealand; in the World Games elimina-! Ition series against Australia; Iwas displayed again in the; (final game of the morning.! Sand New Zealand was cer-' jtainly not disgraced. But the huge Jugoslavians' 'were too much for the New Zealanders to handle. They lhad no answer to the pushioffs by the Jugoslavians, but ;with the exception of the third quarter—when the Jugoslavs scored five goals—ithey confined the visiting team to two or three goals each quarter. And the goals earned by! 'New Zealand were fine; efforts. Mark Harding scored, 'from a penalty, and Rene!

80l and lan Gunthorp from the field—Bol with a powerful skipping shot from Bm, Gunthorp from close in, under pressure and with his left—and wrong hand. The match between the United States and Britain did not have nearly the same atmosphere, and it did seem the Americans were cruising for much of the time. The biggest failing of the British side was a reluctance to shoot, even when in a position of advantage. Under no pressure Although there was a degree of respectability to the score — 9-3 — in the Russia and Britain game, the British never looked more than gallant opponents. They had no-one with the swimming drive to earn fourmetre penalties, and the Russians were too strong in the front-of-goal grappling.