Seasiders too dedicated for mighty Marist

Press, 23 May 1977, Page 17

Seasiders too dedicated for mighty Marist

The F.A. Cup final was not played until 12 hours later, but New Brighton rugby supporters had the whiff of a W embley win in their nostrils as they streamed from Lancaster Park on Saturday afternoon.

The seasiders — part of a crowd of nearly 5000 — had been their heroes take an eutright lead in the Canterbury Savings Bank competition by stopping the previously rampant Marist in its tracks.

New Brighton has certainly not been the force of Marist this season, and this top-of-the-table match followed that pattern. But dedication to the task in hand brought it a notable win. It was certainly a day full of interest. Old Boys, demolished by University A, conceded almost as many points as it had in the seven previous matches. And although losing, by a single point, to Belfast, Burnside demonstrated again it is ar. emerging force. Of its four losses, none has been more than by seven points.

The other matches produced expected results — Christchurch and University B won shakily, against Suburbs and Hornby respectively; Linwood showed something more of its old form against Shirley, and Albion beat MerivalePapanui. Basult*:— New Brighten 14, Meritt 1 Belfast t. Bumside 7 Christchurch 15, Suburbs 9 University A 41, Old Boys 1 Linwood 11, Shirley 13 Albion It, Merivalo-Fapanul 4 Lincoln College 31, Sydenham 9 University B IS, Hornby 9 Points table:—

The Fletcher Humphreys "player, of the day” was a first year senior for New Brighton, Wayne Burleigh, its first fiveeighths. Other Individuals took the eye too. Mike O’Donovan, scoring Marlst’s only try, advanced his tally, the best in the competition, to eight; and the Burnside hooker, Paul McKay, achieved the unusual feat of scoring a try for the fourth successive match. The neck and neck struggle at the head ef the individual scoring table continued between Richard Wilson (Christchurch) and its ability to grasp fleeting son. with 11 points against Suburbs, went to 79. including 17 penalty goals. Stewart, with 18 conversions in his total, is now a point behind Wilson; and Dave Bowick (New Brighton) has 69 points. Two other players passed 30 points—Brett Codlln (Lincoln College), and Aynsley Quested (Albion, both went to 51. DEFENCE TELLS Marist won all the battles but lost the war In Its eagerlyawaited struggle against New Brighten on the oval. With a glut of possession at Its command and a cool and canny first five-eighths in Bernie Stewart to cad the moves, Marist should have won comfortably. But Brighton’s tenacious defence and its ability to grasp fleeting cliances with certalny decided the outcome. Vance Stewart and his fellow Marist forwards were taUer and heavier than their rivals and they achieved stunning success. The line-out count favoured them bv 23-6, they were ahead by 15-8 in the rucks, and Geoff Collins won five tight heads to Bob Davison’s three. Yet there was not a great deal of subtlety or variation in the Marist back moves; NewBrighton’s problem was that they just kept coming. Only once, however, did tbe yellow jerseyed team’s defence show a flicker of fallibility, and Marist’s top scoring O’Donovan was able to force the ball In the last patch of turf In the right hand corner. The rest of the time New Brighton put the ball carriers non to gracefully to ground, with Trevor Keats, a diminutive centre, setting the standard with some courageous head-on tackles. John Te Amo, always alert, worked overtime on cover, and the rest of the side weighed in zealously. Graham Ells produced another excellent display at half-back for Brighton, and scored a clever trv bv adroit use of the blindside and a supporting flanker, Jtm Findiater. The first fiveeighths, Burleigh, made three errors of judgment which stopped New Brighton attacks, but he made amends with a confident dropped goal from 30 metres with Bmln remaining. This put Brighton ahead, 10-7, and Trevor White supplied the finishing touch with a kick-and-cha.se for a try after the Marist backs had dropped the ball. In the Marist pack, Mick Bradlev and Collins were effective In the tight, and Simon O’Gorman looked even better than Vance Stewart In the line-outs. Pau! Kell was a powerful figure for Brighton, and he did not want fo- support. Kevin Lawler and Bernie Stewart nlayed serviceable games In the Marist backs. The rest kept picking themselves up off, the ground. McKAY SHINES A cheeky move from a penalty three minutes from the end gave Belfast a fortuitous win against the Improving Burnside XV. Belfast won by a slender point after plundering about 73 per cent of possession. Its dominance of seeond-ohase ball was most marked; twice it won four consecutive nicks tn a single move--111 But the team did not have much to show for its efforts, as Burnside’s defence was ’n the New Brighton class. Belfast played into its opponent’s hands bv pursuing a basic p’an of either passing the ball through the chain or booting It high in the air Through constant exposure to these tactics. Burnside became very good at countering them. . Blllv Bush, Dave Thompson and Tony Burrows were notable performers In a strong Belfast pack, and Brent Harris was the most dashine attaeker In the backs. But although Burnside was called on to do half as much tackling!

again as the average senior side each Saturday it handled the heavy defence load well through the willing assistance of all hands.

Paul McKay was outhooked by Belfast’s Murray Hall, but in all other respects he was the game’s outstanding player. He played himself into the ground on defence, and he was quick and adept at launching moves. In the individual highlight of the afternoon he emerged from a scrum to rob Peter Sheehan of the ball and then ran 50 metres for a brilliant solo try.

Ron Grossi showed compelling I form for Burnside and made a good job of marking Bush. Although Bumside failed to match Belfast in driving hard, low and in concert over the ball, its devoted defence kept it very much in the game. GOOD BEGINNINGS In a game full of flaws and excessive errors, Albion managed to get on top of an energetic Merivale-Papanul pack. The first 15 minutes saw some bright and Intelligent football; both teams threw the ball along the back-line, and the result was some hard running and tackling. For Merivale-Papanui it was a disappointing result after a concerted effort in the first half. From the opening whistle it showed it meant business. The forwards were quick to the loose ball and possession was won well from the lineouts and rucks. They were ably led by John Harwood and Dennis Skipper. Skipper made some fine individual bursts from the rucks and Hirwood took some nice takes in the lineout. As time went on so did the standard of play—by both teams —deteriorate. Play had to be restarted again and again because of silly infringements. In the rucks, both teams decided to play stacks on the mill and tried to deny each other possession. The result was that the ball rareiy came out. On the occasions that Albion gained possession the backs sparkled, and the five-eighths, Mike Dolan and lan Barr were particularly Impressive. Barr was a very strong runner and formidable tackler on occasions; Dolan used the ball well, kicking into the gaps accurately and passing accurately. Merivale-Papanui could have had more points on the board if its first five-eighths Paul Hammrnt had passed on instead of trying to test the resolute Aynsley Quested with the up and under. COLLAPSE No-one in his right mind would have predicted the margin of University A’s win over Old Boys; the score, 41-3, was one of the maior upsets In a season which has already yielded an interesting collection. University looked far the stronger and more enterprising side in the first half, at the end of which it led 11 points to three. As it added five more tries, and 30 points in the second half, the Old Boys’ defence collapsed badly. This Old Boys team was but a shadow of the side which had played good and aggressive football in most of its early matches. It was without one of its star forwards, Alwyn Harvey; but University had to replace Doug Heffernan and John Matenga. University’s domination of. the line-outs—five to one in the first spell—set a pattern which became more decided as the game progressed. Perhaps fitness counted too—the first spell covered 52 minutes. At the end. University had taken 75 per cent of the line-outs, two-thirds of the rucks and mauls, and John Black had taken the tight heads three to none.

Even as much possession as this would not have led to runaway score against well-organised defence. But the Old Boys’ backs were often found in strange positions, and the tackling at times was incredibly bad. Indeed, University would have won by more if Heffernan had been playing. There were goal-kicking problems. and of 11 kicks at goal, nearlv all of them from reasonable positions, only three succeeded.

Although Old Boys were hardly in tbe game, there was no mistaking the quality of University’s performance. A pack which, on a wet ground, had been thoroughly out-played by Marist. looked verv strong and aggressive on the dry surface at Rugby Park. University looks capable of making a bold bld yet for the C.S.B. Cup. The power of the pack, its dominance of the line-outs gave the backs a field day and they must have enjoyed themselves thoroughly. But audacity gave way almost to insolence when one of them chip-kicked to his wing, when In a defensive position, instead of passing the ball. Just about everything went right for University, and with Mark Romans distributing the ball ably, there was assertive running from all the others. But Randall Scott stood out for his pace and strength, Wayne Lewis for his elusiveness, Nigel Mackie for hard straight running and shattering tackling. University took the ball all down the lineout, but Mark Hammond and Gary Brown did more than a fafr share, Ray Scott and lan Stewart were lively in the loose, often starting powerful forward surges. LATE MOVE Christchurch was a luckv winner against Suburbs at Rugby Park: only three minutes of the game remained when It took the lead for the first time with the only try of the match. Christchurch seemed an out-of-sorts team for nearly all of a game which rarely produced good rugby. It made many crude and critical errors. But Suburbs, which had almost complete control in the first spell, and more than held its own in the second, lost Its chance with spilled passes and other minor infringements. It was incredible that each side should have to concede a scrum in front of its posts three times through players being ahead of the kicker at dropouts. Suburb’s third offence led to a drooped goal by Richard Wilson, which levelled the scores at nine-all.

Christchurch did play some good football In the last 15 minutes, with the forwards quick and purposeful at the ruck, blit Suburbs certainly d’d not deserve to lose. Starting the second roell into a stiff breeze it mounted some useful attacksbut five penalties In the first 11 minutes ruined Suburbs’ chance. It was not a notable occasion for some of the best-known players. Lyn Davis had a patchy game behind the Suburbs pack; Scott Carty-right’s defence looked very sketchy; and Richard

Wilson could not have been happy with his line-kicking.

But there were some stars in a muddling game. Tony Penny s service as half-back for Christ church was immaculate, even ii he had the advantage of better protection than Davis enjoyed. Barry Thomas made a few brilliant attacking runs, before becoming the second of. Christ church’s five-eighths to retire with Injury. Stewart Cron played supremely well on the flank foi Suburbs, and Peter Molloy. the left wing, showed plenty of dash. Wilson kicked one particularly fine goal from 52m, and Graham Sims, taking over the kicking for Suburbs, landed one from almost 50 metres. But it was a match neither winner or loser would want to remember.

WILLING PLAY More positive attacking play and surer handling gave Lincoln College victory over Sydenham on the firm Lancaster Park South ground.

Both teams showed a willingness to play a passing and running game and in this Lincoln was clearly superior. The backs ran with confidence and passed with skill and continual backing up was a feature of their play. The Sydenham backs, although enthusiastic, lacked the skill of their opposites. Where Lincoln ran straight, too often the Sydenham backs were forced across field and the ball carrier lacked support. The tackling was also ineffective but Sydenham's approach was refreshing and the Same was a lively spectacle. The tight forward play was even with Lincoln showing greater mobility In the loose. Codlln was an enterprising fullback for Lincoln and Phil Hart was an able half-back, with Brian Dlcklson and Paul Macfie Incisive runners.

The Sydenham half-back, Wayne Tinker, played well, as aid the second five-eighths, Brent Oetgen. Rob Crawford and Evan Lane were the best of the Lincoln foniards, while Roger Higgs and Colin King showed up in the Sydenham pack. . MCCORMICK AGAIN it was a day for pullovers and peppermints, when a lusty Linwood team beat the struggling Shirley side at Richmond Park. The rugby in the main lacked the crispness of the weather but Linwood thanks to the efforts of its backs carried the day. „ In • Linwood back-line, fOrS'c McCormick was In everything, even the goal-kicking, with the regular kicker, Peter Jellyman, itching on the wings. Gary Overend, the Linwood half-back, provided good service to a promising line: Bret Nahkies, the second five-eighths, capped a good game with two fine tries, while Shane Gibbons showed great footwork and timing. Dave McGuigan showed a welcome returns to the game with two good tries, an d looked for work at all times. Shirlev was in the game up until the last 15 minutes. Its forwards were useful in the lineouts, solid in the scrums and lost momentum only in the rucks in the latter stages. Graham Pulley and Kerry Mitchell were the pick of the Shirley forwards, none of whom gave uo.

The Shirlev back-line lacked a little pace—although It managed one good tri' from a nice tactical kick—and real purpose or poise. Robert Lodge, at full-hack, did everything well, kicking, handling, and tackling in great stvie.

Linwood supporters would <?aln some heart from their team’s improved Performance; it just mav be on the way back. GOOD QUALITY A much Improved secondhalf display by both sides produced rugby of surprising quality at Denton Oval. University B probably deserved its victory because it not only scored the one try of the match, but actually crossed the line on two other occasions. On one of these the University centre, Bruce Grantham, raced over the goal-line unopposed but forced the ball over the deadball line, which is only about five metres into the in-goal area. Hornbv looked in trouble at half-time, with a lead of only three points, and the propect of Playing into a fresh second half breeze. However, the forwards responded extremely well, and!

dominated possession for much of this period. Hornby was at its best In second-phase play and a flanker, Robert Webster, was extremely difficult to bring down in the loose. He was well supported by the hooker, Gary Cook. Cook also took several tight heads to complete a fine allround game. University looked more dangerous in the back-line but a combination of good tackling and bad handling prevented tries. Neville Brown played a useful game at full-back for University, and his left footed, around-the-corner style of goal-kicking was impressive.

W L D F A pts New Brl 8 0 0 149 40 16 Marist 7 1 0 214 66 14 Univ. A 6 1 1 179 53 13 Old Boys 6 2 0 133 66 12 Ch ch 6 2 0 156 71 12 Line Cea 4 2 2 107 73 10 Ballas*. 4 3 1 79 60 9 Burnside 4 4 0 88 82 8 Linwood 4 4 0 126 112 8 Albion 4 4 0 90 133 8 Suburbs 3 4 1 97 97 7 Univ. B 2 6 0 68 147 4 Shirley 1 6 1 34 153 3 Men.-Pap. I 7 0 56 156 *7 Hornby 1 7 0 59 164 2 Sydenham 0 8 0 35 197 0