Mid-Canterbury errors help Sub-unions

Press, 26 May 1977, Page 36

Mid-Canterbury errors help Sub-unions

Better use of the ball by[its backs and an ability to} }capitalise on errors by its [opponent allowed Canterbury } Sub-unions to beat Mid|Canterbury 25-12 in a repreisentative rugby match at I Ashburton yesterday. i The first half was more [even than the 16-3 score indicated largely because of the [number of penalties against 'the visitors. These helped Itake pressure from the home |side whose backs played with ’little spirit. } Andrew Munro was the • danger man in midfield for ' the visitors, running hard and ’straight and creating gaps. It [took some improved tackling (by Michael Wilson and Alan Grieve to hold the midfield defence intact later in the game.

Stewart Bray tackled well against a determined John Greenslade and Murray Cameron excelled with his i taking of the high ball when | Mid-Canterbury was dotninant in the dying stages.

i In the forwards Ross Loffihagen had a fine game at

Ranker while Barney and [Geoff Henderson supported ■the backs well. Bruce Farmer and Alan Martin got high in line-outs and the strength of |Jim Stubbs, Hugh Taylor and [Barry Thompson was always 'evident in the front row. John Ross celebrated his fiftieth game for the home side by kicking eight points and bringing up his 100 for MidCanterbury. For Sub-unions, tries to Bruce Dunbar, Denis Smolensk!, Peter Curnow and Hugh Taylor with Murray Cameron kicking three conversions and I a penalty goal. For Mid-Canterbury, John Ross kicked two penalty goals and converted a try. Geoff Bryant scored late in the game.

Table tennis.—AustraUa has agreed to act as a replacement for the cancelled Hungarian table tennis tour of New Zealand.

League.—The Sydney rugby league prop, Arthur Beetson, will fly to New Zealand to report on Sunday’s Australia-New Zealand International, for a Sydney afternoon newspaper. Beetson made a last-minute withdrawal as captain of the Australian side which will play the Kiwis on Sunday.