Rugby youth

Press, 21 August 1976, Page 21

Rugby youth

The Junior Advisory Board rugby competitions ended last "Saturday on a typical winter’s morning ■ — heavy, muddy grounds and a frosty nip in the air.

But if the air was invigorating so was the rugby as the top two teams in many grades faced each other for the last time and with the competition at stake. In the three matches watched, the rugby was uncompromising and there were several brilliant individual efforts.

At Cuthberts Green, Meri-yale-Papanui was placed at immediate disadvantage against Linwood in an under 13, sst 7ib match. Merivale had only 13 players and Linwood capitalised on the opposition’s shortage in the forwards to shove the combined team backwards in the scrums.

Linwood, which had been equal second in the competition, had suffered some injuries during the season which had affected the side in some matches, but it. had shown considerable improvement in the final games. The main scorer for the team, Peter Davidson, looks destined for higher honours. The strong, quick thinking flanker beat the Merivale defence in one determined 75m run to the line and he posed many problems for the opposition half-back, who was handicapped by lack of protection from his forwards.

On the other side of the Linwood scrum, Andrew Nicholas hunted the ball with enthusiasm and was one of the quickest to breakdowns. In a well-knit pack, Mark Fuller, at prop, provided strength and was a tireless worker. Unfortunately, Fuller had not always been available, as some Saturdays he was involved in boxing, a sport in which he is also showing promise. To complement the sterling endeavours of the forwards, Linwood had a very capable inside back trio. Graeme Gallagher, astute with his kicking, nimble on the blind-side and accurate with his passing, was an important member of the team, and outside him, Brian Burgess, directed play confidently and made several crunching tackles. The utility player, Gary Miller, playing at second five-eighths, impressed with his sound all-round game. With many first-year players in the side, the coach was pleased at the manner in which the team had learned through experience and had progressed throughout the season.

Merivale-Papanui started the season with 18 players, but two moved to the other side of town and others dropped out through injury until the coach was left with only 13 for Saturday’s match. The team has ability

but lacks motivation — “I have to keep driving them otherwise they slacken,” the coach said. Indeed, Merivale gave a dispirited display in the first half; the forwards hardly attempted to win possession and the backs had to leave their positions in an endeavour to gain the ball. But a severe lecture at half-time worked wonders, for the team fired as a unit in the second spell, although it was then too late. The star of the side was the diminutive centre, Grant Davidson, whose ability to side-step of either foot had Linwood’s defence stretched whenever he had room to move. However, those opportunities were few and far between. Davidson, as well as his elusiveness, made some courageous tackles on bigger boys. Another back to give of his best was Shane Philpott, who ran hard and who was unremitting with his tackles. Although outclassed in the forwards, the captain, Lance McCarthy, normally a flanker but substituting as lock, tried hard and was the only Merivale player to contest possession with the Linwood forwards. David Grant, at half-back, when escaping the attentions of the marauding Linwood loose forwards, looked a competent player.

New Brighton, the competition leader in the twelfth grade, was engaged in a vital match against Albion. New Brighton had to win to stay ahead in the grade and the team, which had lost only twice and had played well throughout the season, did so, but only after a magnificent solo try by the fullback, Mason Plato. Plato, who had played exceptionally well, counter-at-tacked from his own 22m. He kicked ahead at half-way, chased hard and caught the full-back in possession near the line. The ball went loose and Plato was first to the touchdown. His last-minute effort gave New Brighton victory, 12-10. Both teams gave a good exhibition of solid and sensible rugby. New Brighton’s half-back, Alan Hyett, made some probing runs, and he cleared the ball quickly and efficiently. The first' fiveeighths, Paul Glassey, handled assuredly and was invaluable on cover defence. The tall wing, Ray Jacobs, revealed speed and flair, and he showed good judgment with his centre kicks when he was trapped for room. In the pack which gave a whole-hearted effort, Anthony Hammond was a tigerish workhorse and the alert flankers, Craig Hubert and Peter Burleigh, harrassed and hounded the opposing backs. The Albion coach was pleased with the response he had had from his team. “They came together as

strangers, but were soon united and a fine team spirit developed.” The five-eighths, Glenj Whisker and Guy Chapman, were steady and astute play-j ers who kicked and ran in-! telligently. On the wing,! Dale Lynn was alert for the! intercept. He scored both his i team’s tries and had a good! turn of speed. The red-headed Malcolms Anderson led a hard-working! loose forward trio. Bill’ Buchanan, at No. 8, John Detmer and Anderson produced the same consistent, sustained effort that had been their trade-mark throughout the season. New Brighton wrapped up another competition grade at Queen Elizabeth IT Park when the under 14 open team drew 10-all with Christchurch Boys’ High School. New Brighton had chalked up several half-cen-j tury scores in accumulating 430 points to their opposition’s 100. The team’s top scorer, Wille Manuel, scored a runaway try and advanced his season’s tally to 180. The strong centre had also proved a reliable kicker. Greg Radcliffe, a stronglybuilt first five-eighths, used his shoulders to power through many tackles and set up second" phase ball. At half-back, Peter Harrison provided consistent and accurate service. Brighton’s main weakness was a lack of pace and penetration on the wings. In the forwards, Peter Smalley, leapt like a gazelle to gain valuable ball, and the captain, Tony Hall, and Jim Reeves fulfilled their roles as flankers with a high degree of success. Greg Allfrey gave strong support in the tight. The forwards were needed, to supply ball to meet the strength of the team in its back. They did! their job well. Boys’ High had a mixed! season, winning six and losing six, but it did have the' satisfaction of beating the other school sides in the! grade. Matthew Stone was a tenacious and intelligent halfback who was hard to bring, down on the burst. Warwick Norton distinguished himself with his unyielding tackling and Stuart Davenport, a top Canterbury squash junior, adjusted to the demands of the first five-eighths position. Although the forwards were handicapped through a lack of height, the robust lock and captain, Richard Orsboum, was a good ball winner and he impressed with his mobility around the field. Kim Brown, a reliable tackler worked well in the tight exchanges as well as doing his duties as flanker effectively. Stephen Tobeck was an honest toiler who developed with each match, and Greg Willman made his ■ mark in loose play.