Ross’s century...

Press, 3 September 1980, Page 24

Ross’s century...

Jock Ross, /Canterbury rugby’s 2.03 m locking gain from Ashburton, who has either justplayed his him--dreth first-class match or will do so against Bay of Plenty this afternoon. The doubt over his achievement stems from uncertainty about the status of Canterbury subunions’ game against Queensland Country earlier this season, writes John Brooks. If the match... is retrospectively recognised as being first-class, Ross will have reached his milestone last Saturday in the game against South Canterbury. When he severed his association with Mid Canterbury after last season, the lofty lock had chalked up 86 games for the union and another three for the Hanan Shield Districts’ side. He first played for Mid in 1970,... but then went to Australia and did not re-appear in New Zealand rugby until 1973. ......... Now locking the Culverden scrum with his provincial team-mate,.. Graeme ' Higginson, Ross has the distinction of appearing in all nine matches : for Canterbury A this season. At first he gave the impression that he was purely. a line-out leaper —.... admittedly an impressive one — but now he has geared his game to they more rigorous demands of the Canterbury pack; and/ is a developing force in the’tight. 0", -x Ross has not yet scored any points for Canterbury,'/ but he is a long-distance kicker of some repute. '.ln his days with Mid Canterbury, he scored ■ 124 • points, with a best tally of 40 in 1973. This talent

might be worth rememberingas/a way, of upsetting, Auckland’s equilibrium/./if v the opportunity , presentsitself early in the Ranfurly Shield match on September 27.