Auckland comes from behind in thrilling rugby shield cliffhanger

Press, 1 October 1979, Page 38

Auckland comes from behind in thrilling rugby shield cliffhanger

PA Auckland I here have been few more stirring, more spirited recoveries in Ranfurh Shield rugby than that achieved by Auckland coming back from 0-9 to defeat Counties, 11-9 before 49.000 frenzied spectators at Eden Park on Saturdav.

Nor have there ever been t so many ’ears spilled on i that incredible trophv which t has so often turned ordinary players and occasions into ; treat ones. } For Auckland there were t tears of relief, and of pride, ■ s that a team that had played t upwind staunchly enough to ( trail only 0-3, and on the t verge of despair at 0-9, I should come back with 11 t points between the sixtyfifth and -eventv-fourth min- ■ t a r es of the game, and hold 1 that two point lead through c the last dramatic minutes of < tn 'inforoettahle match. 1 Counties’ tears, ard there £ Fere few drv eves in their £ pressing room afterwards, t had the bitter taste of frus-l tration — of a tremendous r effort, which promised a > Kin. being foiled as Auck- t land marched magnificently s Jo victory. ( Counties’ half-time lead of 1-0 from a penaltv by Mark 1 Codli.n still left their legion f Ji supporters uneasy. s Auckland had offered c Counties first use of a fresh t ►reeze but bv well con-1 c f-nlled forward play kept t Coun-'es squeezed in bv the i Ijiichiine. Dur ng that half Codiin « ►as denied the quick and f ton«istent possession he 1 jeeded and the Counties t iackline. after the cripnling j pss of Bruce Robertson in I

the eleventh minute, had neither the wit nor the wish to run the ball at Auckland. It was as stirring a display as the Auckland pack have managed for years, and as Richard Dunn and Lindsay Harris prudently kept the ball near the touchline, Counties were seldom able to counter-attack in midfield from Auckland’s mistakes. So when Auckland took the breeze, softening in the late afternoon, and camped on the Counties’ 22, it seemed inevitable that Auckland should pick up a penalty goal or two, perhaps even a try. and force Counties to try to make the plav. So the Auckland throats roared in hope when the Auckland forwards poured in to yet another attacking scramble at the right of the Counties 22. The cheers died in Auckland throats, and poured from Counties when Codiin, after selling yet another dummy, broke down the touchline, thudded past a couple of faint tackles and then cracked a left foot punt infield. The ball bounced awkwardly for the scrambling Auckland defence, Peter Reilly plucked it down, broke a tackle, ran a few yards, and there was Hank Habracken. who can sniff a

d scoring chance a mile away,| h with the ball and with an { I artful weave behind the ref- [£ eree, (which gave Tim Twig-, d den no chance of a tackle) '■Habracken scored the try 5 i close enough to the posts g’ifor Codlin’s conversion. I_l How the Counties crowd, J roared; how confident looked | I their players and, under-1 klstandably enough, howl e ] shocked "seemed Auckland. I The shock of the 0-9 defi-l t' cit showed. Harris fumbled a .pass or two, Dunn was J twice swept up by the Coun-i s I ties forwards. Colin Farrell I (.iwas reduced to fumbles and. ■to hopeful fly kicks at the 'shrewd punts Codiin sent p through. By all acounts the shield! have been on its ! way. Vet som how Brad John-1 jstone stoked up the fire ini j his forwards again. They needed an inspired ’ touch and their backs pror vided it. | Dunn jigged about before j he passed, possibly slowing JI the Counties’ defence in 1 mid-field; Harris and then Mike Mills ran. the latter ’curling away from his ■ Imarker as Twigden straightriened his run. ■' At precisely the perfect l ’ moment Mills gave Twigden i the short pass which put J him full speed through the

gap. around Graham Taylor s despairing tackle and over for the try. Dunn could not convert, but that try brought Auckland back to life, and

seemed to break Counties’ confidence. For then came the first of four mistakes which led to Counties’ sombre lament.

Bob Lendrum’s kick-off went out on the full, Auckland had the scrum and a long punt deep into Counties territory again. I Lendrum muddled about after a high kick to his line, i Dunn and Harris out right from the five yard scrum. ■ Bryan Williams hurtled up, I but Harris’s long pass cut :out Williams and carried Farrell unmarked as he scored in the corner. This Itime Farrell missed the kick.

i Again Lendrum made a mess of the kick out, Auckland punted back into Counities territory, and soon another high punt lobbed down ion the Counties line. i This time Alan Dawson, I the Counties back row forward, made the catch. Dawson had several options, but his main duty was to put the ball out. Instead he ran, uncertainly, and passed even more uncertainly. The ball dropped in front of Brian Morris. Ramsay and then Williams piled into him and just as Auckland seemed likely fo win the ruck Counties were penalised. and from short range, Dunn, outwardly calm, nudged over the winning penalty goal.

Scorers — Auckland 11 (Tim Twigden, Colin Farrell, tries, Richard Dunn, penalty goal); Counties 9 (Hank Habracken, try, Mark Codiin, conversion, penalty goal.