Last-minute try gives victory to Mid-Canterbury

Press, 14 August 1980, Page 30

Last-minute try gives victory to Mid-Canterbury

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

The visiting New South Wales rugby team fell victim to yet another spirited second-half revival when it was beaten, 20-18, by Mid-Canterbury at Ashburton yesterday after being in front, 14-7, at half-time.

The match ended in storybook fashion—the Mid-Can-terbury half-back, Paul Williams, scoring a fine try right on full-time to level the scores at 18-18 and then Murray Holmes, who had kicked only one goal in five previous attempts, placing the distant conversion straight and true between the posts. .

Thirteen minutes earlier Mid-Canterbury had levelled the scores at 14-14, but then a try in the corner by the New South Wales right wing, Stephen Streeter, with just six minutes remaining looked likely to give the visitors one victory from their two-matcb tour.

This exciting finish helped save a game which had little of the quality rugby that the New South Wales-Canter-bury game last Sunday provided. Mid-Canterbury deserved its win, if only for the vast improvement that it brought to its play in the second spell, when it had the advantage of the north-west breeze. Each team scored three tries, and Mid-Canterbury’s were the better efforts. However, the home side could have kept New South Wales tryless if it had tackled better, the scorers on each occassion shrugging off defenders on their way to the line. It was a rather disappointing performance by New South Wales. The forwards held a clear advantage in the line-outs, but that was about all and their inability to dig the ball out of rucks denied them valuable second-phase possession.

The backs, without the Ella brothers to initiate attacks, looked fairly ordinary, although the Mid-Canterbury tackling, apart from the tryscoring instances, was quick and eager. In the first spell Mid-Can-terbury lacked the fire and purpose that has marked its play this season. New South Wales was not playing a great deal better, but was allowed to get away with a lot of mistakes. However, in the second spell the “mighty midgets of Mid” rediscovered themselves. The' forwards had a tremendous third quarter, virtually camping inside the New South Wales 22 despite the fact that the count was well against them on balls into the scrum.

Twice in this period tries were missed by the barest margins, firstly when Alan Faith made a run of huge sidesteps that was stopped right on the line and, secondly, when Murray McLeod cut loose on a solo dash which was similarly thwarted.

It is noteworthy that none of the New South Wales backs produced a break anywhere near as good, although the line made useful progress by the fullness of its support play. Michael Hawker, at first five-eighths, looked the most dangerous Holmes may have finished the game as Mid-Canter-bury’s most popular player, but there would be others queued behind him. The inside pair, Williams and Murray Roulston, barely put a foot wrong and Williams’s

last-minute try bore the “I’ll get there if it kills me” stamp.

McLeod had a very good game, being quick on his feet and kicking most efficiently. The three-quarters, too, all chimed in with useful efforts, Geoff Frew coming' from the right wing on one occasion to save a try in the left-hand corner.

Onoe they got down to business, the Mid-Canterbury forwards were as impressive as their backs. Bruce Parkin offered leadeiship that the others followed and Parkin, with assistance from Bruce Polson, got the second spell off on the right with an excellent forward’s try.

Mick Mathers and Peter Medway dominated the lineouts for New South Wales, but the pack was generally sluggish in its actions. It was late in the match before even the well-regarded flankers, Andy Stewart and Simon Poidevin, showed up at all.

For Mid-Canterbury, tries by Geoff Frew, Bruce Parkin, and Paul Williams; Murray Roulston a dropped goal; Murray Holmes a conversion and a penalty goal.

For New South Wales, tries by Mitchell Cox, Glen de Vanza and Stephen Streeter; . Michael Hawker a dropped goal and Mick Ellem a penalty goal.