West Coast referee upsets Canterbury league side

Press, 26 July 1976, Page 3

West Coast referee upsets Canterbury league side

From RAY CAIRNS Greymouth \ No visiting rugby league team wins at Wingham Park, Greymouth, according to legend. For that reason, as much as any, Canterbury will surely approach the Rothmans series in a fortnight in a confident frame of mind. It was beaten yesterday, 10-8, by West Coast, which is to be its opponent on Sunday week at the Show Grounds, but a loss by such a small margin was as good as a win. The usual ingredients for West Coast success were there in no small measure yesterday: a parochial crowd baying at the heels of its heroes, the local knowledge of the ground (which was in splendid condition), and the home referee. The man who controlled the game for West Coast was Mr E. W. (Ed) Gutberlet, apparently ranked No. 1 referee on the Coast. His control and (decisions were, from the

Canterbury viewpoint, incredible and his shortness with their questioning of the more incomprehensible decisions contributed to a rather ; unpleasant second half. Certainly, Mr Gutberlet’s ' refereeing may have acted as a tonic to the Canterbury team. The players were iq,' good spirits after the game, taking comfort in the knowledge that they had gone within three points of victory under such adverse conditions. But the cost was high. Mark Fuller left the field after only 9min with a twisted knee — there may be torn cartilages — and Wally Wilson, the captain, for the second time in two matches against the Coast had to leave the field, suffering this time; from whiplash. Their replacements were more than adequate, however. Kevin Williams again performed a high tackling ratio and Lewis Hudson capped the best combined movement of!

the game with a splendid try in the corner. But absolutely dominating the game was Mutu Stone—and how he was not named “player of the day” must forever remain a deep mystery. The feature of Stone’s football is his exceptional fitness and the amount of work he does. But it is doubtful if thei Canterbury pack leader has ever played better for the representative team. He twice featured in the surging movement from which Hudson’s try resulted, and it was Stone forever appearing as the second tackler, or doubling round to take another pass. Canterbury could and should have won the game. It had a swift three-quarter line that too often pined for action as the forwards kept 'tie ball to themselves: Murray Wright and Alan Rushton were the most frequent transgressors. Terry Gillman earns exemption from the general criticism because he made some damaging runs in the isecond half. ' The tries to Mocky BrereIton and Hudson were the result of the forwards, by and large, being missed out and Canterbury should have learned the appropriate lesIson.

After Stone, the most prominent Canterbury forward was Barry Edkins, who made more progress than most when he had. the ball in hand. But the Canterbury; pack did still not operate at! full efficiency. It lost the’ scrum-count, 18-11. and Wright conceded the first i eight scrums of the second; half. For the last quarter. Rush-, ton hooked but the problems' were not always those of the Canterbury front row: the Canterbury pack freqeuntly rolled West Coast back but with the ball going into the second row — unpenalised

— Canterbury could stiil not win possession. John Griffin accordingly had a fine old time in the scrums for West Coast — and he was named its “player of the day” — and he did some fine work in the loose as well, For speed of action and excitement, it was not a memorable match — though Mr Gutberlet’s penalty “score” of 17-6 in favour of the home team will stick in some memories. Perhaps Jim Fisher, the Canterbury coach, intends to! remind the players of that fact on August 8. He said bluntly yesterday that he thought there would be “a vast difference in the score next time. No side can settle down with refereeing like that, though that try of Lewis Hudson’s was an example .of what we were trying to do.” And he had a back-handed compliment for the West Coast, too: “they made the most of their opportunities: they took advantage of that penalty ration.” Scoring: lOmin: Michael O’Donnell a penalty for Canterbury, from in front. 23min: Barney Donaldson,

: a try for West Coast. O’Neill ■ converted. i 44min: Trevor Crestani a i try for West Coast on his I first appearance as a wing q three-quarter. O’Neill again q converted: 10-2. >i 51min: Brereton’s splendid! II try in the corner. Hudson qcould not convert. 10-5. I 70min: Hudson’s try, but his splendid attempt to level • Ithe scores dropped in front; dof the posts. 10-8. ’ In the curtain-raisers, West ■ Coast under-17 beat Canter-1 ' bury. 22-3: Canterbury: : under-14 beat West Coast, ; ■ 18-6; and Canterbury under-i I 12 beat Coast, 16-0. I