Decisive league win for South Island

Press, 18 June 1979, Page 18

Decisive league win for South Island

By

JOHN COFFEY

South Island proved that it will be a formidable contender to win the first national inter-district rugby league championship when it out-classed Northern Districts, 42-8, at the Show Grounds on Saturday.

The southern side required 45 minutes to get its act together —at that stage it led by only three points — but once the handling errors were, eliminated and the back-line brought into play Northern was simply swept aside.

A tight forward struggle occupied all of the first half, as South sought to gain ascendancy over the heavier Northern pack. With the Northern hooker. Paul Ravlich, striking successfully in the scrums and South frittering away much of the possession it did gain, the South backs were quite anonymous.

Northern, which at times displayed slick distribution and determined running, might well have caused an upset had South not changed its tactics. The Northern defence had been able to handle most of South’s attempts to penetrate close to the play-the-balls, but the cover could not counter the pace of the South threequarters after the interval.

Not only did South Island make an auspicious return to representative football,

but the 34-point margin was its highest in more than 50 years of inter-island and other first-class appearances. Several members of the squad, notably the hardworking forwards, Alan Rushton, Tony Coll and Mark Broadhurst, the scrumhalf, Gordon Smith, and the outside backs, Lewis Hudson and Robin Alfeld. must have made a favourable impression on the convener of the New Zealand selection panel, Mr W. Telford.

Alfred (three), Coll (three), Smith, Rushton, Hudson and Paul Truscott scored tries for South Island and Hudson (four) and Cliff Leney (two) kicked goals. The Northern tries were claimed by Steve Thompson and Mike Tahu, with Trevor Bayley adding one goal. Although he conceded the scrums, 14-10, to Ravlich, Rushton was outstanding in the forward exchanges, and was the recipient of the “player of the match’’ award. Rushton’s passing and occasional runs were timed to near-perfection and he sent Hudson away for the try which swung the balance towards South.

Coll was often in command in centre-field. It was a typically surging burst past the Northern forwards which provided Coll with his first try, and his others were the products of astute backing up. Broadhurst and Truscott were also eager to take advantage of Rushton’s distribution.

The South pack lost none of its momentum when Rex Dalzell replaced Ray Baxendale, wh n required hospital treatment for head and hand injuries, at half-time and Barry Edkins became increasingly prominent as his handling improved.

But it was the South backs, when given rein, who were most clearly superior to their rivals. Dave Barlow, the Northern scrum-half, was a lively figure throughout, but even he could not keep up with his marker, Smith.

Very adept at spotting defensive weaknesses, whether from the scrumbasc or in loose situations, Smith had a hand in several of South’s try-scoring manoeuvres. Hudson was equally penetrative in the centres and if he provided Alfeld with two over-laps, Alfeld had earlier stamped his mark by forcing his v.ay around two defenders for South’s opening try. Two of South’s 10 tries were particularly memorable. Smith was perfectly positioned in mid-field after six of his team-mates had drawn the cover to the right flank and then reversed the direction of the movement, and brisk delivery by Smith, Mocky Brereton, "and Hudson lift Alfeld in the clear-

Northern was very competitive in the first half, with Pat Poasa and Paddy Matthews, two very sturdy props, requiring close attention, and the loose forward, Steve Dunstan, ranging up to make capital of any tackling deficiencies by South.

Barlow and Bill Kells combined reasonably well in the halves, and Charles Morgan, at centre, and the fullback, Thompson, were responsible for some o. lorthem’s more promising thrusts. It was disappointing, though, that the former Kiwi wing, Kevin Fisher, had no chance to show the speed for which he is renowned.