Spirited win for Counties

Press, 1 September 1980, Page 38

Spirited win for Counties

PA Auckland The Counties forwards held all the trumps when Wellington was handed its first loss in the national rugby championship at Pukekohe yesterday. Counties won, 12-4. The Counties pack played well-drilled rugby. It took control of the lineouts, robbed the maul ball, and had Wellington going backwards from the eight-man shove. “It was not the physical encounter that we had against Queensland,” said the Counties skipper, Andy Dalton, “but the boys were more tired today from the physical effort, probably brought on by the heavy ground.” ~ , Heavy rain fell in Pukekohe in the morning, but the ground was reasonably dry when the sides took the field. The hero of Counties’ win was the flanker, Hank Habraken, who was into everything that was going and had the Wellington inside backs covered; Wellington’s loss has thrown the national competition wide open. Counties, Wellington, Manawatu, and Canterbury all now have one loss each and are still in with a chance. Reputations suffered yesterday. In the middle of the lineout, the Counties’ jumper Paul Tuoro, had the measure of Steve Hinds and Brendan Gardner, and. as the ball was thrown deeper to Murray Mexted, it was the smaller Hadbraken who made the All Black No. 8 look mediocre as a’ ball winner. . .> . .. It was only when Gerard Wilkinson replaced Hinds that Wellington started to catch up on the lineout count, which it eventually lost, 11-21. . John Hughes, Dalton, and

Rod Ketels were the back* bone of the Counties scrum. John Spiers and Alan Daw* son were the robbers of tha ball in the mauls and rucks, won 17-6 by Counties. Reputations also suffered in the backs. Bernie Fraser, on tha wing, at times seemed overawed by the speed of his marker, Paul Reilly. On the other wing, Stu Wilson did not get the better of the unknown Tony Arnold until well into the second half, when he was given the overlap and ran in .for the try. The Counties and All Black full-back, Brett Codlin, regained his confidence, | After duffing his first kick 1 for the line he never put a foot wrong, and on the day had the edge on Allan Hewson. , , The Wellington backs seemed determined to create their own downfall, with) some shocking passing and handling. ; Tu Wyllie, as if suffering the hangover from his selection in the New Zealand 15 to play Fiji, did not have a good game. This, however, could be explained by the close mark-*-ing he received from Habra k e n and Petee Clothworthy. < Counties set up a good defensive screen, with Tim. Burcher sending passes back to. Codlin, standing deep, who pushed Wellington back when it was on attack. Little was seen of the. Counties backs on attack,, but every man made the; tackles that counted and the■ j loose ball left lying around: by the Wellington backs was unceremoniously carried upfield. ...

Counties 12 (P. Reilly try; B. Godlin, - penalty, conversion,dropped goal), Wellington 4 (S. Wilson try). Half-time: Counties 9-0.