Too many errors by Canty

Press, 18 June 1979, Page 30

Too many errors by Canty

By 808 SCHUMACHER Alex Wyllie is not a man to mince words. The captain of the Canterbury Subunions rugby team summed up his team’s performance against Otago Sub-unions at Alexandra on Saturday simply but accurately: “We made far too many mistakes.”

Otago prevented Canterbury from completing its southern tour with a 100 per cent record, winning 10-6 on a good surface at Molyneux Park.

Canterbury had its chances to win the match. The forwards won ample possession and Graeme Hig-

ginson was again outstanding in his line-out play. He had plenty of practice, for the match seldom flowed and it became a series of line-outs and mauls. Of 40 decisive line-outs, Canterbury won 23 and Higginson was the principal in almost every one. The Canterbury forwards played their part, driving strongly and gaining a high percentage of put-ins to the scrum by moving forward. However, the Otago scrum held firm and even mastered the Canterbury pack in scrummaging. Ken Bloxham, an All Black trialist this year, captured two tightheads in the first half.

But much of the ball won by the Canterbury forwards was wasted by the backs. David Carter did not have the happiest of games at first five-eighths. Although Andrew Munro showed an ability to beat his marker he was inclined to cramp his outside backs and they often received the ball and a tackle at the same time.

Otago led 3-0 at half-time, the result of a great angled kick from 45m by Bevan Wilson, who looked very much an All Black full-back.

Although Otago had speedy and talented threequarters, they saw little of the ball. When Otago did

win several quick rucks and sped the ball rapidly along the chain, with Wilson in as an extra man, a try resulted. The Otago try was scored after only two minutes in the second half. Canterbury spent 15 minutes on attack and was rewarded when Barry Thompson scooped up the ball and scored between the posts after Wyllie had made the initial charge. Otago rallied strongly in the last quarter and strong cover defence and intelligent kicking snuffed out the desperate attempts by Canterbury to gain the lead. Another fine long-range kick by Wilson, three minutes from the finish, sealed the issue.