Canty rugby win tomorrow in ‘national interest’?

Press, 9 August 1980, Page 56

Canty rugby win tomorrow in ‘national interest’?

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

Canterbury’s proud rugby record against overseas teams will not be the only matter at stake at Lancaster Park tomorrow.

In a season when the Wallabies have so conclusively beaten the All Blacks even a trans-Tasman victory at a lower level might be seen as in the “national interest.” However, Canterbury, notwithstanding the advantage a wet ground could give it, is still likely to be hard pressed to beat the New South Wales side that arrived in Christchurch last evening and almost immediately headed off for a training run under the lights at Denton Oval.

us and I think we should adapt-all right. We will still endeavour to move the ball as much as possible."

Mr Phelps supported his captain’s assertion that the side was intent on playing fast, open rugby. “Provided our tight five can get enough possession we will run the ball, just as we did against the All Blacks,” fie said.

Nor are the New South Welshmen taking the second game of their brief visit, against Mid-Canterbury, at Ashburton on Wednesday, lightly. “We have heard all about Mid-Canterbury and know it beat Canterbury recently. It must, therefore, be a good team,” said Mathers. Although the New South Welshmen have had a good deal of rugby recently, there are, according to Mathers, no serious injuries among the 22-man squad. There is a possibility, however, that Philip Cox will replace Peter Carson at half-back tomorrow, Carson being not quite over a neck injury. The coach, Rod Phelps, said it was his intention to give all 22 players a game, although the side , will be down to 20 when the Ella brothers, Mark and Gleri, return home. on Tuesday to play for their club, Randwick, against the English county side, Leicester, the following day. . .

The Canterbury side also trained last evening and the chief coach, Gerald Wilson, later expressed optimism that the team would run the New South Welshmen close.

“The players are taking the game very seriously and anything, such as a heavy ground that slows down their backs must be to our advantage,” said Mr Wilson. Footnote.— It was reported yesterday that tomorrow’s game would .be the first appearance in New Zealand by the Ella brothers. They .were, in fact, in Christchurch in 1976 with a combined New South Wales secondary schools’ team — a. team which was beaten, 2311, by Canterbury under-19 on a very heavy Burnside Park. History, therefore, just might be on Canterbury’s side.

The visiting captain, Mick Mathers, dismissed any suggestion that his team was looking purely for a build-up to its match, on which it places much importance, against Queensland next week-end. ' “We are here to win, have no doubts about that. We know of Canterbury’s great record against touring sides and we expect a very hard game,” said Mathers. He was not unduly worried by the likelihood of a soft ground. “We might prefer hard grounds, but wet grounds are. not foreign tb