Late start in rugby

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34131, 19 April 1976, Page 14

Late start in rugby

The Southbridge Invitation XV took a long time to get the message that to mark the occasion properly, it needed to win its rugby match against the Cantabi-ians at Southbridge Domain yesterday, a game played as part of the Southbridge club’s centennial celebrations.

However, the word was apparently put across at halftime, for after being 8-22 down at the interval, the "home” side swung into top gear in the second spell and eventually won, 32-22. And this amazing change in fortunes was aided by the referee, Sir Ronald Scott. The match, in fact, was played in a mood of total seriousness. Neither side seemed able to marshall its considerable individual talents to any lasting purpose and the stopstart nature of the play was accentuated by a wildlybouncing ball, and backs who might well have dipped their fingers in butter before taking the field. However, gradually some playing patterns were established and towards the end of the first spell the large crowd circling the domain did not have to be reminded that it had come to be entertained. And for much of the second spell, with the whiteshirted invitation XV mostly on the attack, the action remained fluid. As well as being the public focal point of a joyous week-end for Ellesmere rugby folk, the game also served as an interesting preview to coming trial and representative matches, matches which the players could be excused for having on their minds as they measured their output. ± .. ~ Comparisons were inevitable and one of the clearest decisions was at half-back, where Steve Scott, playing for Southbridge, was extremely agile and generally had the better of Lyn Davis. Fergle McCormick, at full-back for the Invitation side, kept a fatherly eye on proceedings for much of the time, but he cut loose with a couple of his famed mid-field dashes In the second spell that his opposite, Richard Wilson, could not match. However, neither fielded the high ball with confidence,

The wings all had their moments. The young Burnham prospect, Richard Wixon, made a mark with two early tries and generally acquitted himself well. Late in the game Scott Cartwright was given room in which to move and he outpaced everyone, only Sir Ronald diligently going after him. Possibly the most memorable episode came in the first spell when Bruce McPhail, the Cantabrians’ centre, tugged the ball from an opponent’s grasp and set off from about half-way on a clear run to the line. Brian Ford, about six metres in arrears at the outset, gave chase and lowered McPhail just before the line. McPhail, as fleet as most centres, got up obviously surprised that he had been caught. However, it was no disgrace to be overhauled by a sprinter of Ford’s calibre. Ford’s speed was also evident in his scoring of three tries. This was McPhail’s only lengthy run of the game, but his rival, lan Hurst, fared little better. Hurst concentrated mainly on servicing his wings.

Both sides boasted competent five-eighths, with Doug Bruce, who played some of nis early rugby in Southbridge, the pick of them. Not always did the ball come to Bruce cleanly, but his left-foot kicking saved him from any embarrassment. Both forward packs played a little too loose to make continual headway, but there were some useful individual performances. The tall Mid-Canterbury lock, John Ross, won the Invitation side plenty of line-out ball and Alex Wyllie, Barry Henderson and Don Hayes were often prominent. The Cantabrians pack, which had to be rearranged because of withdrawals, was not nearly as well-balanced, but this only became evident in the second half. The liveliest members were Stuart Purdon and John Black. Tries for the Invitation XV were scored by Ford (three), Cartwright (two), Henderson and Steve Scott. McCormick kicked two conversions. Randall Scott. Wixon (two) and Purdon scored tries for Cantabrians, three of which Wilson converted.