Auckland back in Amco contention

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34132, 20 April 1976, Page 21

Auckland back in Amco contention

, (2\ 7. Press Assn—Copyright) BRISBANE. Auckland, the beaten semi-finalist in last year's Amco Cup, crashed back into the 1976 tournament with a runaway 30-5 win over the Brisbane side. Redi cliff e, last night. The centre. Fred Ah Kuoi. scored three tries, and set up a fourth as Auckland strung together six tries. Four of Auckland’s tries —including all of Ah Kuoi’s — came directly from dropped passes by Redcliffe, but there were no excuses for the home team, which was outplayed in ah departments, and at times was left | bewildered and flat-footed by the centres, Denis Wiljliams and Ah Kuoi, and the i second-rower, Kurt Sorensen. ' Auckland’s display showed] lit would be a strength ini

this year's cup series again, after* being knocked out in the 1975 semi-final by Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, the eventual winners. Sorensen won the man-of-the-match colour TV’. He tackled hard all night, frequently broke the Redcliffe defence, and came through the match as an outstanding prospect. But he would not have been far ahead of Williams, Ah Kuoi, the secondrower. Mark Graham and the prop, Lindsay Proctor. The forwards contained the heavy Redcliffe pack early, and the hooker. Murray Netzler, won the scrums 17-11. Joe Karam, the former All Black who recently switched to rugby league, kicked six goals from 10 attempts, and made no mistakes in his general play. Redcliffe scored the first try ’ after eight minutes, but even then looked the inferior side, i By the second quarter. Auckland was on top, and its first try ’ came in the 26th minute when > Sorensen picked up a loose pass 1 on his own 25, ran to half-way, . passed to the winger. Dave Lepper. who drew the defence and - sent Ah Kuoi away for a 35l metre dash to score. Sorensen scored a deserved try. five minutes later when he ! 5 crashed over As the half-time siren sounded, Redcliffe had possession, but »j threw a foolish pass, which Ah ‘Kuoi scoiped up to run over: lithe try-line untouched.

Auckland led, 15-3, at half-' time. Ah Kuoi picked up another, loose ball six minutes into the second half, showed blinding; speed for 40 metres, and drew I three cover defenders before he! passed to Lepper, who scored. \ Auckland kept throwing the! ball around, from one side to“ the other, and Williams scored - the inevitable try In the 56th minute Ah Kuoi kicked a loose ball! over the line soccer-style to dive, on it and grab his hat-trick five minutes from full time. ; Yachting.— Officials of rhe : eighth biennial China Sea race from Hong Kong to Manila said it could now be said “f airly confidently” that Ballyhoo, the 73foot Australian sloop, had won the race for class one boats—the category for the biggest yachts.