Mid-Canterbury below full strength for today’s match

Press, 13 August 1980, Page 36

Mid-Canterbury below full strength for today’s match

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

Mid-Canterbury has been caught at a bad time for its match against the visiting New South Wales team at Ashburton today.

A torrid club final last Saturday between Allenton and Mayfield (won, 13-4, by Allenton) has left the provincial side with a number of injured players, players it wants fully fit for its national championship, second division, game against North Otago this Saturday.

One. of the coaches, Brian Sampson, said yesterday that the team must be mindful of its division two programme. “Winning the South Island section must be our top priority,” he added. Mid-Cahterbury is so far unbeaten after three division two games and while it can confidently expect to maintain this record against North Otago the size of the win may become important if it fails next month against its strongest rival, Marlborough and the top team is decided on points for and against. However, Mr Sampson was adamant that Mid-Canterbury was not treating today’s game lightly by “resting”

some of its best players. The strongest available side had been selected.

John McLay, Steve McAtamney, Alistair Morrison, Craig Green and Grant Perry (still getting over the shoulder injury he suffered while in Fiji with the All Blacks) are usual first-choices on the injured list, although Green is fit enough to take a place in the reserves. .

There is also some doubt about Bruce Parkin, who was sprigged in the back while playing in the inter - island match two weeks ago. If Parkin cannot take his place on the side of the scrum he will be replaced by the former New Zealand Colt, Gordon McCormick. All the newcomers, seven from the side that beat Canterbury last month, come from within the squad and Mr Sampson said he was confident that Mid - Canterbury would give a good account of itself. “New South Wales has

some good backs, but so do we and we will be spinning good ball. There are certainly no thoughts of trying to tie New South Wales down with a defensive game.” Mid - Canterbury has never met a full New South Wales side, although it has played

and beaten New South Wales Country three times since 1954. It will also be trying to build on its fine record this winter of only two losses in 10 games. In these 10 games it has conceded only six tries, while scoring 21, and this may suggest a defence that will hold up stoutly against the smartmoving New South Wales backs, who will have no Ella magic at their disposal this time.

The ground, however, is likely to provide compensations. The heavy rain that Christchurch experienced last week completely missed Ashburton and the Show Grounds oval was hard and fast yesterday. If Mid-Canterbury, in spite of its weakened state, can capture the same sense of urgency that carried it to victories over Canterbury and Southland in recent weeks then it could give the visitors a close battle.

Logic would certainly sug

gest so — Mid Canterbury having beaten Canterbury and Canterbury having beaten a stronger New South Wales side than the state will field today. But even Mid Canterbury’s rejuvenated followers might willingly accept a loss, they get a game anywhere near as good as the one at Lancaster Park on Sunday. The teams are:—

Mid-Canterbury. — Murray Holmes; Allan Faith, Alan Grieve, Geoff Frew; Murray McLeod, Murray Roulston; Paul Williams, Bruce Polson; Warren Frew, Alan Hill, Tom Richards, Bruce Parkin; Ray Church, Noel Sutton, Huia Gordon. New South Wales. — Mike Ellem; Stephen Streeter, Glen Da Vanza, Dave Cowlishaw; Mitchell Cox, Michael Hawker; Peter Carson; Peter Midway; Andy Stewart, Mick Mathers, Graeme Ewens, Simon Poidevin; Bill Lyons, Warwick Watkins, Lance Walker.