Canterbury rugby league team still unbeaten

Press, 28 May 1979, Page 19

Canterbury rugby league team still unbeaten

By

JOHN COFFEY

Canterbury maintained its unbeaten rugby league record at the Show Grounds on Saturday, but it required two late tries before a particularly tenacious challenge from Wellington was repulsed, 38-31. Although Canterbury began with the vim that has marked its performances this season and was 10 points ahead in the opening quarter, Wellington fought back so resolutely that it led twice in the second half and was still in front 7min from the end. The final turning point in a match of fluctuating fortunes came when Wellington was clinging desperately to a 31-30 advantage.

Canterbury, which had seldom succeeded in its bid to attack Wellington through its outside backs, fround some freedom from the defence near the left flank. Mocky Brereton linked with his full-back, Michael O'Donnell, and O’Donnell superbly drew the last tackler and reverse-passed to give the wing, Cliff Leney, a clear passage to the try-line. That perfectly-timed manoeuvre swung the balance in Canterbury’s favour and Mark Vincent, from a scrum, brushed through a weak cover just before the finish to clinch victory. Leney’s conversion was his seventh goal of the day — and his twentieth in three representative games this winter — and he also scored two tries. It was yet another memorable afternoon for Brereton, who was making a record fifty-first appearance for Canterbury. Brereton touched down twice to extend his provincial career try-scoring total to 45, and it was a spectacular 80metres run by him which set the scene for Leney’s first trv.

The other Canterbury tries were contributed by Rex Dalzell, Wally Wilson and the replacement forward, Kerry Corkran. Nolan Tupaea, the lively Wellington stand-off half who was not originally chosen for the match, celebrated his return to first-class football with three tries. Mark Brandon, Mark Peterson, Twiss Wharekura and Warren Collicoat also claimed tries and Collicoat added Jive goals.

of his side’s defensive efforts in failing to smother the ball in tackles. Many of Wellington’s manoeuvres were of an orthodox nature and the Canterbury players were often guilty of hesitating and of failing to tackle With sufficient .purpose. Whetu Henry, the powerful Wellington prop, was especially adept at slipping possession to his supports: he retired with an injury and John Whittaker assumed his role. Whittaker, ever a stylish mover on the football field, glided through gaps and was fully aware of the value of linking with his team-mates.

The Canterbury coach (Mr Trevor Bisman) was critical Wellington’s seven tries might have all been credited to the backs, but most were instigated among the forwards. The second-row pair, Kevin Tamati and Whare Henry, were enthusiastic and effective in their running, and Tupaea had a happy knack of being able to position himself to best advantage once a break had been made.

The Wellington three-quar-ters also made the most of their chances. Brandon, one of the fastest wings in the code, and Peterson both made capital of overlaps, and the centres, James Porter and Wharekura, showed their speed and strength. Such was the pace at which the game was played that neither cover defence was able consistently to snuff out the thrusts of its rival. Both teams mustered and maintained a positive attitude, as testified by the 69 points that were accumulated. Surprisingly, that was not even a recent record: in 1975 Canterbury beat Wellington, 50-23.

| Inevitably in such an open

encounter, none of the Canterbury team members earned many merit marks for their tackling. The Wellington pack was securely held for the first 20min, but once the floodgates opened they were never completely closed. The visiting backs also proved that more than a hopefully-extended arm is needed to bolster a defence. However, there were quite a number of outstanding tries, the products of ploys that would have stretched and probably broken the firmest of defences. Tupaea’s first try was of such quality, Whetu Henry drawing the cover, the loose forwards breaking away, Porter sprinting 40 metres, and Tupaea ranging up inside him for the last pass.

Canterbury was seen in a far more favourable light when it had the ball. But it did not have frequent possession at any stage, and the Wellington hooker, Bruce Tatnell, had a 13-9 scrummaging superiority over the two men that he marked, Alan Rushton and Paul Truscott.

Dalzell was particularly prominent in the forwards, refusing to bow to the forceful and physical tackles of his opponents. He was used as a virtual battering ram from the play-the-balls and it was a typically surging burst which carried him to and through two defenders for his try.

The other prop, Mark Broadhurst, also had a high work-rate, and Wayne Wallace continued his advancement until he was injured in a heavy tackle 12min after the interval.

Similarly, the backs were also more impressive when moving forward. Their opportunities were created largely in loose phases, rather than from set play, and Brereton and Leney once again stamped their mark as finishers.

If Mr Bisman and his team had cause for relief that Canterbury had the fitness and the fortitude to recover from the 17-23 deficit which resulted from Wellington’s stunning start in the second half, there was also a vast improvement in the limitation of penalties. The referee (Mr D. Wilson) had need to award only 12 penalties in the match, nine of them against Wellington.