Country strengthened

Press, 27 May 1981, Page 44

Country strengthened

The inclusion of Graeme Higginson, and John Ashw’orth might produce the right tonic for Canterbury Country, to score a good win against Nelson-Bays in their rugby match at Culverden today. ...

Higginson and Ashworth will lend experience to a pack which proved against Mid-Canterbury last week that it has the ability to hold its own against the best of opposition.

One of the main faults in Canterbury Country’s loss to Mid-Canterbury last week was the failure of the backs to make their first tackle

count. Goal-kicking was another weakness.

Improvement’in these two departments ■ should be enough for Country to achieve' victory against a side which started its programme with a 21-10 win against Australian Capital Territory, but which has lost narrowly to New South Wales Country, and to West Coast last Sunday. One of Canterbury Country’s most promising fullbacks, Stewart Boon, has been given the chance to show his worth ahead of Darryl Campbell, who played that role on Country’s tour to Australia and again against Mid-Canterbury.

Circumstances have forced the late withdrawals of John Masefield and Jack Burrows. Ross Loffhagen, the Country captain, will take Masefield’s position at the back of the scrum and Don Rennie will return as flanker.

The other propping position remains in doubt; Ashworth will be on the loosehead side but any of Graham Thompson, Richard Loe or Phil Waghorn might be his propping partner. The country team is: Boon; Neil Burton, Lamen Hohaia, Ross Saunders; Bruce Dunbar, Alan Devlin; John Munro; Loffhagen; Mike Jones, Higginson, Bruce Farmer, Rennie; Ashworth, Geoff Wright, Waghorn, Loe or Thompson.