Mixed rugby fortunes for Canterbury

Press, 29 September 1979, Page 20

Mixed rugby fortunes for Canterbury

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

The end of a decade does not necessarily mean the end of an era, but with the retirements of the long-serving captain, Alex Wyllie, and the chief coach for the last five years, Stan Hill, the 1980 s present a new dawning for Canterbury rugby.

Neil Cornelius, if available. will almost certainly succeed Mr Hill, but finding a new captain is not going to be easy. Within the present side, there is no obvious choice and the search may be on next year for someone with leadership potential.

The 1970 s have been mixed years for Canterbury. The decade began with a truly memorable season when Canterbury -etained the Ranfurly Shield despite having five of its top players away with the All Blacks in South Africa. The shield went north to Auckland in 1971. but that season will not be quickly forgotten, either. The coals of Canterbury’s match against the British Lions will be raked over as long as witnesses to that torrid encounter survive. The British press might continue even longer.

Canterbury regained the shield from Auckland in 1972 and it was in this season that Wyllie took over the captaincy from Lyn Davis. who had briefly succeeded lan Penrose.

It was a good year for the side and hopes were high that a long shield tenure might be in store. But early in 1973 Marlbor-

ough slipped quietly across the redrawn border south of Kaikoura. and it was a Kaikoura, and former Canterbury man, Brian Ford, who scored the vital try in Marlborough’s shock victory. Oddly enough, Canterbury w’ent on to have a great year, winning its last 11 games, including a victory over England. That season was also notable for the record scoring achievements and outstanding play of Ferg'.e McCormick, then at 34 in the twilight of his long < reer. Another highly successful year followed in 1974, with only three end-of-the-season games lost.

McCormick was put out to pasture in 1975, and perhaps not coincidentally, the team started to slip back that year. Still, there were handsome wins over Scotland and Tonga. Another international scalp was added to the belt in 1976 when Ireland toured New Zealand, but the side again struggled and it finished unplaced in the national championship, introduced that year. Things took a turn for the better in 1977 when Canterbury won the national title undefeated, the only blots being losses to Queensland and. in the last minute, to the British Lions. However, it was only a brief revival and for the last two seasons, despite having good players,

Canterbury has not been the force expected. Both this year and last, early winning sequences gave way to despairing losing streaks. But if Canterbury has not always performed up to expectations through the ’7os the side has never lacked colourful players. McCormick and Wyllie lasted longer than any previous Canterbury representatives and each, in his own way, has left an enduring mark on the game. There have been plenty of others, too. and in -a year when picking Canterbury teams of different periods has been a popular pursuit a “character”

team of the '7os might not be out of order. It could go something like this: McCormick, Terry Mitchell, lan Hurst, Scott Cartwright; Kevin Ginblett, Doug Bruce; Brent Elder; Penrose; Wyllie. Jake Burns, Hamish Macdonald, John Phillips: Kerry Tanner. Tane Norton, Alister Hopkinson. Bill Bush need be the only reserve, for there have been times when Billy has played like a forward who longs to be a back. It would not be the strongest Canterbury side of the last 10 years, but it would be one that would never have an idle moment — on or off the field. Jim Stewart and Mr Hill

have been the dominant coaches and each had an able sidekick in Morrie Dixon'(Dr R. Stewart) and Gerald Wilson. The Stew-art-Dixon partnership is possibly one of the best Canterbury has ever had. Dr Stewart was an outstanding coach, combining the essential ingredients of basic knowledge and the ability to communicate. He proved his worth in 1970 when he fashioned a champion team out of so many second stringers. Mr Hill has been criticised — unavoidable in leaner years — because he was not flexible enough. This might be true, but like Dr Stewart before him Mr Hill pursued his goals with total dedication. It was. perhaps. MiHill’s misfortune to have better forwards than he had backs: Dr Stewart was blessed with strength in both departments.

Canterbury can look back on its rugby teams of the ’7os with a fair measure of satisfaction. There have been the good years and the not so good, as must be expected in any 10-year span, but for producing consistently strong sidei Canterbury still leads the country.

One thing, hopefully, the 1980 s will quickly bring is a Ranfurly Shield challenge. It is disheartening, to say the least, that Canterbury, as one of the strongest provinces, has had to go for seven years without a chance to win what remains the country’s premier rugby trophy.