Counties shine

Press, 22 June 1978, Page 4

Counties shine

PA Auckland Counties outplayed Manawatu, holder of the Ranfurly Shield, by the staggering margin of 21 points to four at Pukekohe yesterday. The kindest things that could be said about Manawatu were that its forwards played with both spirit and control in the first half an hour and that the final try count was one-ail. Otherwise the day belonged completely with this astonishing Counties side, which has the old fashioned idea that rugby can, if played properly, almost be a work of art.

I It reached half-time leading 6-4 and in the very difficult conditions still made rugby into a game of adventure and skill, of enterprise and excitement.

Then in the second half things started happening for Counties. Mark Codlin, the Counties halfback. kicked the heavy, slippery bail 41 yards for the first Counties penalty goal. By the end of the day Codlin had cracked over five penalty goals and a conversion, with no misses.

Chris Wirepa scored Counties’ try, Mark Codlin kicked the conversion and five penalty goal* while Hugh Blair scored Manawatu’s try.