Canterbury goes north seeking four points

Press, 29 August 1978, Page 28

Canterbury goes north seeking four points

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

After a break of nearly a month, Canterbury will tomorrow resume its defence of the Lion national rugby championship and there are incentives aplenty for it to strive for an unbeaten visit to the far north.

The tour takes in two games, against North Auckland at Whangarei tomorrow and against Auckland at Eden Park on Saturday. Canterbury would increase even further in favouritism if it can return home on Sunday with four more points. There are, however, other considerations. A win tomorrow will bring Canterbury level with past Wellington and Taranaki sides for the record number of successive wins by a province against other unions, the record being 21. And, furthermore, Canterbury has now had 18 successive wins in all games and it needs just two more to beat the record of 20 which it shares with Auckland.

Records, according to the team’s management, are paid little heed by the players, but if the coaches, Messrs Stan Hill and Gerald Wilson, want a more personal topic for their team-talk before tomorrow’s game they could well rouse the players to considerable heights by pointing out that the day holds special significance for their captain, Alex Wyllie. Tomorrow is, in fact, Wyllie’s thirty-fourth birthday and it is inconceivable that the players could give

him any better present than a handsome victory.

Canterbury has already suffered two setbacks, one of which could be espescially damaging. The very talented Linwood three-quarter, Shane Gibbons, has still not recovered from the hamstring injury he received against South Canterbury three weeks ago and he is staying behind.

It is a great pity for Gibbons, who needs exposure in the north to further his chances of getting to Britain with the All Blacks in October. However, he has wisely decided that rest is the only cure.

The promising flanker, Alwyn Harvey, is also not travelling. He began a new career this week as a trainee pilot with the R.N.Z.A.F., and cannot spare the time away. However, with John Phillips in such fine form this year Harvey’s absence as an open-side flanker is not so serious. The New Zealand colt this winter, John Collinson, will take Gibbons’ place at centre tomorrow, and the Glenmark midfield back, Andrew Munro, has been added to the reserves. Steve Scott will be at half-back, with Gary Barkle the second back reserve.

The pack will be at full strength, with Bruce Fanner and the newcomer, Murray Davie the two reserves. A decision will be made later in the week as to whether Doug Bruce will join the team for the game against Auckland. However, it seems unlikely that Bruce will be over the knee injury he suffered in Saturday’s test and this means that Keiran Keane will be at first fiveseighths in both games. '‘Not having Bruce will be a loss, but we are very lucky to have Keane and as he has been with us from the start of the season he is familiar with all the moves. I think we should still be efficient behind the scrums,” said Mr Wilson yesterday.

Both Mr Wilson and Mr Hill agreed that while North Auckland might not seem a particularly strong opponent the game is of vita! importance to Canterbury. “We have had just one practice game together since August 5 and getting back in the groove will be the first priority. The first game after a spell always presents difficulties,” said Mr Hill.

He said he had given no thoughts yet to the Auckland game. “I will start thinking about that after tomorrow’s match, but the

team is in good heart and I believe we can quickly pick up the threads again. But our programme (eight games in the next month is not an easy one.”