Impressive Bay win

Press, 9 August 1976, Page 26

Impressive Bay win

Canterbury’s most difficult opponent on its three-match northern rugby tour in the next eight days will be Bay of Plenty, an emerging force in the Radio New Zealand inter-provincial competition. The Bay beat the previously unbeaten Manawatu, 28-9, in a first, division match at Palmerston North on Saturday, to complete its own mini-tour without a loss. The side beat Marlborough and Manawatu and drew with Wellington to gain five division points and rise to third equal position. Bay of Plenty scored four tries to Manawatu’s none on Saturday, and Greg Rowlands, the Bay’s full-back, kicked 15 points in goals to make him the top scorer in the country this season. He has 85 points. In the other first division match, Otago beat Southland, 10-9, on the strength of a dropped goal by Bevan Guthrie in the last five minutes.

In spite of playing into a bright sun, Otago led 7-0 at half-time. However, it was a case of who made fewer mistakes being the team on top. Southland made countless passing, handling and, more importantly, tackling errors in the first 40 minutes. Fittingly, Otago’s try during this spell came after a chapter of errors, with Ken Mitchell scoring in the comer after at least one Otago mistake had gone unnoticed by the referee. Southland gave a much improved display in the second half, and gained the lead 10 minutes from the end after first-five eighths, John Polson, drop-kicked a neat goal, to add to two earlier penalties by the full-back, Geoff Valli. However, the late field goal deprived Southland of a morale-boosting win. It leaves on the Ranfurly Shield trail next week. Nelson-Bays maintained its lead in the southern section of the second division by drubbing North Otago, 24-3,

at Motueka. In the northern section, Thames Valley gained its first win, at the expense of lowly Horowhenua.

Points are:— FIRST DIVISION A pts P W D I. F Auck. . 4 4 — 66 37 8 Mana. . 5 3 1 1 74 56 7 B.O.P. . 4 2 1 1 79 50 5 Wgtn . 4 2 1 1 59 45 5 Count. . 4 2 — 2 36 49 4 Otago . 2 1 1 — 10 9 3 Canty. . 1 1 — 23 9 2 H. Bay . 2 1 — 1 40 20 2 Mart. . 6 1 — 5 77 132 2 N. Ak. . 4 4 26 68 0 STand . 2 • — 2 18 33 0 SECOND DIVISION Northern P W D L F A pts East C. . 3 2 1 24 37 4 Wang. . 3 2 — 1 85 45 4 K. City . 3 1 1 1 24 40 3 T.V. . 4 1 1 2 32 55 3 Tar. . 1 1 — — 32 12 2 Waik. . 2 1 — 1 30 11 2 P. Bay . 1 1 — — 22 0 2 W. Bush . 2 1 —* 1 II 13 2 Horo. . 3 - 3 26 73 0 Southern P W D L F A pts N. Bays . 3 3 — * 55 26 6 Mid C. . 3 1 1 1 30 32 3 Bull. . 3 1 2 31 27 2 West C. . 2 1 1 15 25 1 Nth O. . 1 - — 1 3 24 0