Under-18 game to N.I.

Press, 22 September 1980, Page 17

Under-18 game to N.I.

The North Island stole another rugby inarch on the South is.aud nns year when it impressively won the inter-island under-18 game, 30-20, at Lancaster Park on Saturday.

The quality of the players on both sides suggested that New Zealand as a whole need have no fears about its next generation of All Blacks.

Shoddy tackling in the second half cost the South any chance it had of winning after having pulled back from an early 11-0 deficit to be level pegging, 14-14, at half-time. It was a bright, entertaining game, with both sides giving their backs a chance to run the ball. North was more adept at the task and also had two outstanding individuals In its line: the five-eighths. Grant Fox, and Philip Rutene. The lat-

ter, especially, looked like an embryo All Black as he pulled in the most diilicult nasses aud forced gaps that seemed to have closed on him.

Others also made a strong impression, and it was not just the fact that Adrian Boyd is a wing from Nelson Bays that brought to mind a young Terry Mitchell. Boyd was the fastest man on the field and showed that he had more than just pace when he scored a brilliant try late in the first half. Charlie McAllister, a flanker who ' scored'■'■two fine tries, Fraser Mexted, a cousin of the current All Black, Murray Mexted, and Motu Tua were industrious members of the North pack. Tom Hollows and the sole Canterbury member of the South team, Bruce Harris,

excelled in broken play and the Mid-Canterbury hooker, Robin Thomas, distinguished himself by winning five strikes against the head.

The South backs, with the exception of Boyd, were not quite as skilful as their opponents although in Kevin Galliven and Dennis Flannery Otago may have a full-back and half-back respectively of whom more will be heard.

For North, tries by Charlie McAllister (2), John Wilson, John Hanley, and Paul Carlton, and two conversions and two penalty goals by Grant Fox. For South, tries by Tom Hollows, Adrian Boyd, and Bruce Harris, and a conversion and two penalty goals by Kevin Galliven.