SIX DEFEATS IN 14 GAMES Canterbury Rugby's worst season for 27 years

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33959, 27 September 1975, Page 4

SIX DEFEATS IN 14 GAMES Canterbury Rugby's worst season for 27 years

(By

JOHN BROOKS)

The Canterbury Rugby team had its worst record for 27 years this season, in spite of boosting the province’s proud record against overseas sides by treating Scotland and Tonga and being one of the two teams in the country to down mighty Otago.

Not since 1948 has a Canterbury A side lost six times tn a season — but that was the fate which befell Canterbury this season.

The 1975 combination was nowhere as bad as its record would suggest. It had a strong and skilful pack, sound, experienced inside backs and scoring ability on the wings.

Apart from the debacle in _ Blenheim, the team's losing margins were slender. Canterbury lost twice by one point, twice by three and once by six.

The difference between success and failure can be slight. Otago, which had its best season, won twice by one point, three times by three points and three times by four.

Otago, however, had a match-winning goal-kicker in Laurie Mains. Canterbury' was well below par in this area. Fergie McCormick, hooking badly with his damaged kicking leg, experienced his most unproductive season. and Doug Heffernan was inconsistent.

The result was that only two-fifths of the tries were converted, and a mere five penalty goals went over; this must surely represent an all-time low for Canterbury. A slight improvement in goal-kicking would have

made Canterbury’s record much better. There is no doubt that the length of the representative season contributed to Canterbury’s misfortunes. The early visit by Scotland meant that Canterbury’s groundwork had to be laid virtually before club Rugby started. The build-up to the big games in mid-season was carried out purposefully, but the over-all demands proved too great as the season wore on. The spread of first class fixtures from May 4 to today defeated the diligent efforts of the coaches (Messrs Stan Hill and Derek Arnold) and their charges. The August slump brought four losses in as many games as the side battled mental staleness and physical fatigue in the quest for winning form. “Give us the agate and we will score the sixpointers,” was the cry of the backs’ coach (Mr Arnold) to the forwards at the start of the season. In the first match, in Greymouth, the pack dutifully responded to the plea, and the backs scored tries galore. In the next match,

against Marlborough, the ball winning by the forwards reached great heights, but the backs were demolished by splendid tackling. The result bordered on the unbelievable. Canterbury won 82 per cent of the ball, yet lost by the record score of 41-17. There is no doubt that this demoralising reverse blunted the backs’ confidence in running the ball, and this was to become agonisingly apparent in August.

The team reached its zenith in mid-season with consecutive victories against Scotland, South Canterbury Wellington, Tonga and Mid-Canterbury. The standard of play dur-

Ing this period was extremely good.

But then, after an 18-day break, came the loss to Bay of Plenty, which was followed by further defeats at the hands of Southland, Auckland. North Auckland and Otago relieved by one win, against Taranaki.

This was a perplexing turn of events for Messrs Hill and Arnold. They produced a powerful pack which, although not quite as good as two years ago, performed convincingly in scrums and rucks and hustled with purpose after the loose ball. The bacljs had their moments, too, and the scoring of 28 tries by the wings was satisfactory.

Faults, however, were apparent. The back play was not developed properly; moves produced more misses than hits. Ricky Allen, at second five-eighths, tended to run too far before passing, and the three-quarters did not consistently stretch the defence to its limits. Murray McEwan had the line moving better, but he was not persevered with. Much reliance was again placed on McCormick to provide added punch. The line-out play Jacked authority, and the' holding of the ball in the back of the scrum was continued ad nauseum.

Individually, there were some pleasing displays, notably by Bill Bush, at prop, and the developing midfield back, Andy Jefferd. Alex Wyllie and Lyn Davis were consistently the steadiest players, and Tane Norton, Doug Bruce, Stewart Cron and John Phillips were always reliable.

Of the reserve players, John Ashworth made a noteworthy advance at loose-head prop. But Rugby is a team game, and Canterbury’s team work suffered because of the great demands made on the players at club, sub-union, provincial and national level. The problem will be even greater next year, with the early tour by Ireland and the start of the interprovincial contest. These are matters which deserve the earnest consideration of the selectors during the off-season.