Rugby Colts come from behind for narrow win

Press, 1 October 1979, Page 27

Rugby Colts come from behind for narrow win

The Canterbury Colts■ I rugby team finished its pro-| [gramme with the com-1 imendable record of five! (wins from six games when lit came from behind to beat [Wellington Colts, 7-4, at i Lancaster Park on Saturday, i Canterbury’s chances looked fairly forlorn in the first-half, which Wellington dominated. The visiting forwards won the line-outs one after another and along with • their backs they seemed a yard or two faster than their opponents. I Although constantly on attack, all Wellington could [manage was one try, and while Canterbury achieved Ino more than parity in the second spell, it did last the game out a little better and this was reflected in the efficiency of its cover defence. Wellington always looked to have the more enterprising backs, but once their supply of ball was reduced, the pressure was not so great on Canterbury. The home team drew level with a good try, conceived when the forwards pushed Wellington off the ball and scored by the right wing threequarter, Mark Mclntosh, after some finger-tip passing through the chain. The first five-eights, Phil Holstein, put Canterbury in front when he kicked a dropped goal ■ — the ball rebounding off a Wellington player — with about 10 minutes remaining. Twice in the last few minutes Wellington’s Evan Hopkin, had chances from penalties to tie the scores, but he was astray both times. However, in all other respects Hopkin had an outstanding game, particularly when he came into the line.

[ It would be no exagger-1 [ation to say that the long-! [legged Hopkin was the best [full-back seen on the park’ this year. His Canterbury, rival, Rob Leathern, was not! too bad either. Wellington had a number of very’ good players. The wing threequarter, Wayme Tweedie, showed a good turn of speed, and the inside backs, Honi Tonuu and! Grant Cederwall, made few! mistakes. Tonuu used his strength extremely well when breaking from scrum. Rob McGregor was the pick of the Canterbury backs, who collectively had fewer attacking chances. Nick Frankish and Kenj Pope worked hard in the[ Canterbury scrum, but once! again the’ forward to stand' out was the tearaway’ flan-I ker, Adrian Muir. Muir fully lived up to his!

i reputation of being the fastjest flanker in Canterbury and he gilded his perforrri'ance with some very tidy i work on defence. I Alan Mexted, a young [brother of the All Black. Murray Mexted, was a livelyloose forward for Wellington, while Peter Lawson and Andy Larsen also had sound games. i On the run of play, [Canterbury was a little fortunate to win, but it came back well after a slow start and the play of the forwards in the final quarter suggested that the future of Canterbury rugby is in safe jhands. ■ For Canterbury, a try by Mark Mclntosh and a [dropped goal by Phil Hollstein. i For Wellington, a try by [Honi Tonuu.