Record 5 tries to Bryant

Press, 31 August 1977, Page 52

Record 5 tries to Bryant

Ashburton reporter

The Mid-Canterbury wing,! Geoff Bryant, rewrote local! rugby records when he! scored five tries as his side: beat Nelson Bays, 29-13, in a[ second division match in: Ashburton yesterday. His 201 points also represented the; highest score ever recorded by an- individual in the; union’s 50 year history. Brian Sampson, now Midi Canterbury selector, twice I scored four tries in a game and his record try total of '4l was vanquished by Bryant yesterday as Bryant took his total to 44 from 88 games. i Bruce Sampson held the i previous record of 17 points [by an individual in a game with Trevor Gallagher, who played when a try was worth three points. Bryant’s | five tries took his total number of points for Mid-; Canterbury to 160, which is; headed only by Gallagher! and Alan Smith, both fullbacks.

The Nelson Bays team yesterday was disappointing, particularly in the backs, until it pulled out a loose forward to make an extra man. Only then did a ball negotiate the path to a wing without mishap and shortly afterwards a try resulted.

It had chances to stay in the game through kicking, as it was awarded 14 penalties to three, but landed only two from eight attempts at goal. Its major problem, however, was in containing a back line prepared to run the bal 1 and here Nelson Bays paid dearly for not having a quick loose forward. Of its backs, Bob Neighbours was the only one to impress and it was he who finally found a gap and set up Colin Haigh for the only; try. Even then the line' umpire half-lifted his flag! before clearing the try to; the referee. In the forwards, the number eight Colin Baynes covered tirelessly in defence, [but he was no match for the Strack soeed of Bryant, who

was given far too much room by Haigh. Bruce Smith won valuable line-out ball but apart from the front row men Kerry Lynch and Joe Baryluk, Nelson Bays’ forwards inclined towards looseness.

Mid-Canterbury had no reason to be happy with its form in rucks and mauls. However, the loose forwards still managed to give it an edge in this facet even though too often players lost the ball in these exchanges. The side’s hero was obviously Bryant, who used his considerable speed to the full. He might have got a sixth try if a pass had not been reversed inside with; Bryant in the clear. Inside him Murray Roulston and Peter Keenan distributed good ball and kicked only when going backwards. [ The surprising feature was| that Alan Grieve, at centre, was able to draw the visitling wing so easily before I putting Bryant clear. Their I inclination to drift infield ; proved costly. I Of the home forwards.

Brian Higginson, John Ross, Murray Straight and Bernie Davidson gave a two to one majority in clean line-out ball and Higginson was the best tight forward on the [ ground. However, the loose! forward Alistair Morrison! was the one who kept thel : Nelson Bays backs in check 1 and his presence often I forced attacks across-field. For Mid-Canterbury, in addition to Bryant’s five tries, lan McLenaghen kicked one penalty goal and Murray Roulston kicked a field goal and one from a mark, only the second time in Mid-Canterbury history. Jim Speedy kicked two peI nalty goals and a field goal for Nelson Bays and Haigh scored the try. Mid-Canterbury Colts beat a Marist Colts XV 19-10, in the early game. Murray, [Holmes, Murray McLeod and I John Bennett scored tries! and Holmes added a field; goal and two conversionsfor Mid-Canterbury. Fori Marist, John Tupa scored a try and Bill Te Oka added a field goal and penalty goal.