A close call for rugby champion

Press, 10 April 1978, Page 17

A close call for rugby champion

The champion club rugby side of last season, University A. had the narrowest of wins against Suburbs and lost a forward through an orderingoff in the first round of the Canterbury Savings Bank Cup competition on Saturday.

Suburbs has lost the ser-i vices of its three All| Blacks since last season, but played with vigour and! confidence against its high-, ly-regarded rival. The deter-] mined play of the University | forwards and the assured ef-| forts of the five-eighths, Kieran Keane and Kevin i Jennings, enabled the champion to survive. The man sent off was j Wayne Wooster, a former; Dunedin footballer, who was! making his first appearance for University. Mr T. K. Armstrong dispatched him from the field far misconduct. Christchurch, the cham- i pionship winner in six of! the last eight seasons, had! little to spare in beating a| light but lively New Brigh-| ton XV; Old Boys made! heavy weather of beating! Hornby; and Marist was | held to a draw by Burnside. ■ But in the biggest surprise | of all, Sydenham, so often i the wooden spoon winner in recent seasons, downed Lin- f coin College and kept the students scoreless into the bargain.

Linwood, with Terry Mitchell on the come-back trail, accounted for Merivale-Pa-panui without much bother, and Shirley, so often disappointing in 1977, began with a flourish by out-run-ning University B. Albion, joint winner of the D. C. L. Shield last season, survived Belfast’s powerful attacks and won, a little luckily, by a point. Belfast’s big gain, the Maori half-back, Teddy Davis, had an encouraging debut in Christchurch rugby. Spectators at Rugby Park took a keen interest in his display, and were even more fascinated by the sight of the 10-year-old daughter of the coach. Andy Holland, attending the team talk at half-time. She did not appear to have a speaking part. The other notable new arrival in Christchurch, the 1977 North Island full-back, Clive Currie, had little to do on defence for Old Boys, but fielded surely and linked smoothly with the threequarters. Old Boys, the runners-up last season, had difficulties in getting started against a bustling Hornby side. But Hornby presented its rival with three gift goals from avoidable penalties, and Old Boys took it from there. Gary Cookson took the] kicks at goal in preference! to Currie and Richard! Wixon. The winner of the first! Fletcher Humphreys “Player] of the Day” award was] Graeme Ellis, the talented' New Brighton and Canter-1 bury B half-back. Matches were played on hard grounds in mild weath-! er, and the encounters, in! the main, were free from in-! cident. Perhaps the Rugby! Union’s stern warnings are] being heeded. Results were:— University A 10 Suburbs 9. | Old Boys 20, Hornby 3. Christchurch 12, New Brighton | Sydenham 12, Lincoln College < 0. Shirley 21, University B 3. Burnside 9, Marist 9. Albion 13. Belfast 12. Linwood 21, Merivale-Papanui 0. CLOSE GAME New Brighton did very much ; better than expected in irs I match against Christchurch, and although it went down i bv three points, it must have ; won encouragement from the ■ determination of its forwards | and the dedicated defence c» I its backs. .Although Christchurch, ma’nty through the sterling efforts of Peter Coleman, had a distinct line-out advantage in the second spell, possession was shared al most evenly from all sources,

and had New Brighton had i. little more pace in its threequarters. it could well have caused an upset. On the other hand, the Christ church back-line, faster and more purposeful than New Brighton’s, suffered somewhat from the halfback. Tony Pennv, having a rare off-day with his passing. When the ball went through cleanly, Christchurch was quick in the transfer and it took some fine defensive covering to keep Christchurch down to two tries. It was a tremendous battle in the forwards, with New Brighton yielding nothing in tiie rucks and mauls.

The star player was the New Brighton half-back, Graeme Ellis. He made one bad enor of judgment. Going back io capture a long Christchurch kick, he kept the ball in play with a wild in-field pass near his own line. This led to a vigorous Christchurch attack which culminated in .Mark Treweek. in a splendid imitation of a robust centre, scoring a fine try. Otherwise Ellis was superb. His uncanny anticipation, his patient tackling, his tactical and defensive kicking, and his passing served his side well time and time again. But some Gf those outside him did not always seem to know when to run and when to kick, and sometimes made the wrong choice, running into trouble.

. John Te Amo. leading New Brighton was not often able to ( 1 show his attacking flair, but he set a good example in his willingness to get through the heavy work and he had an earnest pack with him. The Christchurch forwards had their hands full, but seldom, weakened. Treweek was strong, especially in the first half, and Coleman had yet another outstandingly good game. Richard Wilson at full-back, was very capable, and his goal-kicking form looked good. His misses, from very long range, were ex- , tremely close. John Collinson was quick to seize a chance, and was a sharp runner. New Brighton scored its try only a minute or so from time,i but it showed with its interchange of passing among forwards and backs what it might . produce in a week or so. NO EASY TASK Old Boys experienced a good deal of pain and misery cn the way to beating Hornby ir a bruising and occasionally boisterous match at Denton Oval. As befitting their second placing in last season’s championship. Old Boys controlled the ball well and set up several moves efficiently. But they gave only tantalising glimpses of their attacking qualities in the backs because of the bustling attentiveness of the Hornby defenders. Simon Bloomberg. Old Boys’ sturdy new half-back, displayed a studied service, and with the Old Boys’ pack giving ground to their eager rivals on occasions, ! the marauding of Neville and Howard Wilson for Hornby cut into Old Boys’ two-to-one posI session advantage. Robert Webster was a dashing leader of a spirited if not always well disciplined Hornby . pack, and Neville Wilson and Anton Wils directed the attack j capably in the first half. In the 1 second, however, Wils kicked too 1 much when counter-attacks were i called for. Barn- Newfield played an out- • standing game in the forwards * i for Old Boys, and he was particularly good in reaching the . i break-down swiftly and freeing 1 the ball. Rob van Lent soldiered on well at lock and the j new No. 8. Peter Kirk, ably the play of the flankers, Alwyn Harvey and Mike , 1 Toner. In the backs, Gary Cookson displayed smart acceleration and made light of some inaccurate passes by Bloomberg. lan Mather was a sharp centre and Clive Currie chimed in as the extra man with admirable timing. But 1 the match was into its final quarter before this good-looking i back-line was able to score its two tries. SYDENHAM'S SUCCESS The hardest hit person in i the Sydenham and Lincoln College encounter at Sydenham Park was the referee, Mr D. | W. Priest, who was felled in I the final minute. I But it was not through any j foul deed that Mr Priest was I doored. He was unable to avoid j a ball kicked directly in front I of him and he was struck a hard blow in the face. After St John ! Ambulance attention he was I back on his feet in time to sigI nal the end of the game which j was won by a determined Sydenham XV. Wins have been scarce for I Sydenham in recent years. In I fact, its supporters could not recall the last time Sydenham opened the season with a victory. | However, its success was deserted. Fitness and application, areas in which Sydenham has been deficient in past seasons, : were evident, and only twice did Lincoln College appear likely to . breach a strong defence.

Lincoln College had enough possession but squandered most of it with slow and sloppy passing. The kicks ahead also brought little reward, for Sydenham had a reliable and resourceful full-back in Ken Taylor, a newcomer to the team.

Although it was not reallv a display of rugby at its best,'the match was fought hard and fairly. Royce King had a splendid game on the wing for Sydenham and his centring kick led to the only try when Colin King was rewarded for his diligent pursuit of the ball. Brent Oetgen tackled tigerishly, and Wayne Tinker and Ivan Williamson were an efficient combination.

A hardened campaigner. Roger Higgs, shouldered the work in the line-outs for Sydenham, and the loose forward trio, Allan Duffin, Tom Chandler and Tony Lange, worked effectively. A new-look Lincoln back-line failed to flatter, but the strenuous deeds of Andy Hollander, Don Gillanders and John Patterson, should have led to some tangible return for College. NARROW WIN Errors were the order of the day at Ham grounds when the playing-through champion, University A beat Suburbs by a single point. Injuries on both sides coupled with needless action after the whistle led to the game being rather more disjointed than most early round encounters. The game was willing with both sides giving their all. University, in the absence of Wayne Wooster. sent off for misconduct after a penalty had been awarded to his side, laboured hard and long and showed that with a full complement it wiU again be a force to reckon with. Ably led by Ray Scott, Gary Brown, and John Edmonson, the forwards provided good ball for the backs. The Suburbs forwards, through an excellent total effort, covered vast areas of ground in the pursuit of man and ball; almost as much, as one wag said, as Laurie O’Reilly, the University coach, who certainly had his worries. Some excellent covering by Eddie Cutts, and Craig Whale, and a solid game by Stuart Munroe, combined with a total effort from the other five forwards, raised the hopes of the Suburbs supporters for the ensuing matches. The Suburbs backs too often let the University backs, particularly the half-back, Mark Romans, run from untidy situations, which, if corrected, would have brought more pressure to bear. Romans had one of his poorer games in the maroon jersey, but his opposite, Mike Le Lievre, played very soundly in taking over the mantle of Lyn Davis — just another to add to the heap of half-back talent in Christchurch. The game was won in the University back by Kieran Keane, the first five-eighths, who should go on to higher honours. Kevin Jennings stamped his mark on the game with some excellent kicking and penetrative running. The Suburbs backs did not seem quite so well organised. The highlight of the game was the depleted University pack supporting, driving in the rucks and mauls and gaining scrummaging parity. GOOD START Albion started the season well with its win over Belfast, but even its most ardent supporters might have agreed that a draw would have been a proper result. It was an extraordinarily eevn match and if it lacked any hint of flow or fluency in the first spell, it was much more lively in the second. Understandably and almost inevitably, there were many mechanical errors by both sides, but Albion did very well, hanging on through a period of strong Belfast pressure in the second half to take the lead 13 minutes from time, and then withstanding more determined Belfast assaults.

There were brisk, bright movements now and then, but in the main it was a hard grind. Albion was well served by its full-back, Aynsley Quested, who was admirably steady under the high ball, and who showed his usual aptitude for counter-attack. The halfback, Ralph Robertson, and his first five-eighths, Mike Dolan, were not a happy combination, however. Murray Straight, Richard Hawkes and Murray Eagle were among the most regularly industrious of the Albion forwards and Belfast was well led by Dave Thompson. Tim Ashworth, at lock, made a good impression, and the rugged Bill Bush looked very fit and full of business in some crashing runs. There was much interest in the New Zealand Maoris and Bay of Plenty half-back, Teddy Davis. He has a fine pass, he was cool and thoughtful and his tactical kicking, from either foot, often tested Albion. Of the others, Ray Eustace looked the most enterprising and skilful.

EVEN ENCOUNTER In a tense encounter at Burnside Park, Marist managed to hold off a do-or-die Burnside challenge in the final 20 minutes. The first half clearly belonged to Marist. It won most of the possession and the loose forwards were far quicker to the ball than their opponents. ■ Moreover, the Burnside tackling was often unconvincing. The second half of the match produced a different story. Marist lost its rather flimsy grip on the proceedings because of a determined recovery by Burnside. The Marist outside . backs troubled the Burnside defence and the wings, Dave Direen and IMike O’Donovan, were particularly penetrative. Marist won a [lion’s share of ball from the lineouts.

Adrian Young, the Marist halfback, was given good protection by his forwards. He had, for most of the game, plenty of room in which to send his long passes to tiie five-eighths. Young also made some fine individual runs, linking up with his loose forwards, and kicked shrewdly.

In the first half Burnside’s performance was rather laboured. Marist could well have crossed the line more than once — the Burnside tackling and loose forward play was below standard. However, in the second half, Phil Walters sent his backs away with some good passes. Much of the credit for the (Burnside revival must go to the line-out men, Ken Hughey and Paul Smart, the captain, Graham Church, and the full-back, John Lindsay. Church was an inspiring leader, making some valuable bursts from the rucks, and also j tackling well. MITCHELL IN FORM Once some early difficulties were overcome, Linwood cruised to an easy victory over Merivale-Papanui. For the first 20 minutes of the game was a bitterly contested affair, with Merivale-Papanui extending its able opponents to the full. As the game progressed, however, the Linwood side functioned more efficiently, with both the forwards and the backs gaining complete control. The Merivale forwards held out for some time, even though the backs let them down sadly, but eventually the Linwood power was felt, especailly in the scrums, where Tane Norton appeared to take tight-heads at will. Merivale’s defence held things together for a time, but once this was broken Linwood’s score advanced from 3-0 at half-time to 21-0 at the end.

Although Terry Mitchell stood out as Linwood’s most prominent plaver with his two fine tries, the efforts of the half-back, Graham Paratt, and the second fiveeighths, Shane Gibbons, were of the utmost importance. Up front John Phillips, Norton and Dave Rowe all gave solid displays. John Harwood (although suffering from a bad back) and Steve Barnden gave solid disolays up front for Merivale, while the new half-back, Allen de Joux, looks like fulfilling his reputation. Outside him, however, the Merivale backs were disappointing. They had little attacking ability, they rarely played as aunit, and their tackling constantly let them down. Until these areas are improved, the Merivale-Papanui side will be iiard pressed to put points on the board. SHIRLEY SPARKLES With the backs handling surely and running strongly and forwards who played with fire and purpose, Shirley scored a convincing win over University B. Although all points were scored in the first half, Shirley still held a commanding territorial advantage in the second spell, and only desperate defence kept the University line intact. The foundation of the Shirley win was laid by the forwards who held a distinct advantage in all phases of play. Roger Smith and Stewart Lockie worked stronglj’ in the line-outs and Smith showed up also in the tight-loose. Another to play well was Lyall Hood who controlled the end of the line-out and ran strongly with the ball. The backs were given good service by the half-back, Steve Scott, and outside him the backs passed crisply to frequently outflank the University defence and give the speedy wings, Graham Fleck and Tawhai Taite, the opportunity to test the defence.

Frank Jack was an aggressive second five-eighths whose hard running and sure tackling upset the opposing backs. The University forwards tried hard, with Geoff Hipkin showing up in the loose and the captain, Hugh Barnes, being outstanding in all play. But they lacked the cohesion and control of the Shirley eight. Gary Barkle had a difficult day at half-back, getting little protection from lineout play and receiving the ball badly from set play. But he was solid on defence, as was the first fiveeighths, Phil Holstein.