Sydenham leads rugby league

Press, 14 July 1980, Page 3

Sydenham leads rugby league

By JOHN COFFEY Had there not been such a series of outstanding exhibitions of wet-weather rugby league from the top five clubs, it would have been Halswell’s day when the fourteenth round of the Canterbury N.Z.I.G. premiership was played yesterday. While the trophy contenders were battling against greasy conditions and doughty opposition at the Show Grounds, Halswell was enjoying its hour of prominence against Kaiapoi at the Halswell Domain.

Halswell’s first victory in the competition was decisive, and the 20-point margin might go a long way towards muffling 'suggestions oi a return to an eight-club contest. It was a spectacular try by Halswell’s impressive young loose forward, Andrew McDougall, which highlighted the result.

At the Show Grounds Papanui kept the lan Barr Memorial Cup by coming from behind to beat MaristWestern Suburbs, 10-7, and Sydenham went into a clear lead in the premiership when it nudged out Eastern Suburbs, 22-21. Addington stayed within range of a semi-final spot by keeping Linwood scoreless.

The six-four try-scoring supremacy of Sydenham should have enabled it to repulse Eastern’s challenge, but the Sydenham goal-kick-

er, Karl Siave, missed seven of his first eight attempts. However, he eventually restored his side to the lead with a penalty from 25m in the last minute. Y

Sydenham still has to sit out the bye and to meet Papanui, Addington and Hornby, but is well placed to win the Massetti Cup. Marist, Eastern and Papanui are favoured to be the other championship qualifiers, for Addington still has to clash with three clubs ahead of it on the table. Results.— Sydenham 22, Eastern Suburbs 21 Papanui 10, MaristWestern Suburbs 7. Halswell 35, Kaiapoi 5. Addington 13, Linwood 0. Hornby a bye.

Sydenham’s. encounter with Eastern had all the tension of a cup final. Sydenham was ahead for a little more than an hour, but it seemed all its good work would be wasted when two quick tries placed Eastern 21-17 in front with 13min left.

One of many Eastern

handling errors enabled the Svdenham wing, Paul Griffiths, to kick ahead twice in a 50m movement. Two Eastern defenders were leading the chase to the try-line but both over-ran the ball and allowed a gleeful Griffths to score. To the horror of Sydenham's supporters, Karl Siave duffed a simple conversion.

Sydenham is fortunate to have a cool leader in Bruce Dickison and he cleverly schemed a return deep into Eastern’s territory. Siave made amends for his earlier failure after an Eastern player ;was penalised for obstruction at a play-the-ball.

There is no doubt that Sydenham deserved success. It was decidedly the better team when the ball could still be moved with some confidence, and Dickison deployed his resources expertly. Tai Mene, running wide, and Paul Vili penetrated regularly, and, in the three-quarters, Rob Uati and Griffiths eagerly grasped their attacking chances. McLaughlan, clearly “man of the match” even though forced to retire injured be-; fore full-time, complemented his typically aggressive defensive work for Eastern with a try that was the product of "surprisingly dextrous foot-work and considerable pace. Peter Klink made an effective return in the Eastern backs, and Jim

Churcher worked with a will in the tight exchanges.

But the honours lay with Sydenham, which last held the Massetti Cup in 1956 and has never won it under the present competition format.

A deficiency in scrummaging possession cost Marist a seven-point advantage and any chance of relieving Papanui of the Barr Cup in the curtain raiser. Papanui’s two tries were claimed during a period in which its hooker, Mike Godinet, heeled from 15 of 18 scrums. While the ball was dry, and Marist had something of an equal share of its use, Papanui was scrambling to contain its rival. Gradually, •hough, the incessant tackling drained Marist’s energies.

Papanui should have been in front — instead of two points behind — by the interval. Breaks were being made on the flanks, only to be nullified by poor finishing.

The free-flowing nature of the match was only partly disrupted as conditions worsened. Papanui was given particularly good service by

Ken Tait, Colin Archer, Rod Walker. Doug Thompson and. when running straight from full-back, Russell Seaward.

Grant Cooper, covering doggedly against his old tea m-m a t e s , Michael Mclntyre. Terry Gillman, Michael O'Donnell and Tony Wildennonth had fine individual games for Marist. Addington was never seriously threatened by a lethargic Linwood side. Linwood’s basic errors prevented it from staging a revival in the face of the greater consistency which produced three tries for its opponent. There is much promise that the semi-finals will be evenly and fiercely contested next month, when all clubs will also be free of representative commitments. The only annoying aspect yesterday was the unnecessary influence of South Island’s match at Huntly the previous afternoon: three Marist players and one from Papanui arrived only minutes before the kick-off and Eastern was without Barry Edkins because of an injury.

PREMIERSHIP POINTS P W D L F A Pts Svd. 13 10 0 3 282 208 20 Alarist 13 8 2 3 23(1 173 18 Eastern 12 7 2 3 2.51 164 16 Papanui 13 8 0 5 257 212 16 Add. 12 7 1 4 256 167 1) Linwood 12 .1 1 6 170 187 11 Hornby 12 4 0 8 222 229 8 Kaiapoi 13 3 0 0 148 262 6 Halswell 12 0 0 2 149 363 2