Coast better off this time?

Press, 27 May 1981, Page 44

Coast better off this time?

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

West Coast should have benefited most from the week’s postponement of its annual rugby match against Canterbury, to be played today at Greymouth’s Rugby Park.

The game had to be called off last Wednesday when heavy snow forced the Canterbury bus to turn back at Porters Pass. Since then West Coast has got started on its representative programme, beating Nelson Bays. 7-3, at home last. Sunday. The only change today is that Gavin Cook has recovered sufficently from a bout of influenza to take his place at second five-eighths. So with a game under its belt West Coast should be better prepared than it was a week ago. Even so. Canterbury will still be expected to win comfortably and its main concern might be fitting itself for its game against Scotland on Saturday week.

One further change has been made in the Canterbury side. The All Black trialist, Murray Davie, has been bothered by hip injury and he has withdrawn, thereby giving the powerful High

School Old Boys prop. Roh Mclntosh, his first game for Canterbury in New Zealand. The wing, Brett Oetgen, and Mclntosh both made their debuts in Australia last month, while two other players, the Lincoln College pair. Albert. Anderson and Craig Green, will be having their first games for the province. The Canterbury forward selector. Neil Cornelius, also had to find another forward yesterday when one of the reserves. John Mika, pulled out because of an injury.

John Masefield, the Banks Peninsula loose forward, was Mr Cornelius’ first, choice; but he is laid low with influenza and the vacancy has been taken by University A’s Mark Meates. The teams are:—

Canterbury: Robbie Deans; Brett Oetgen. Craig Green. Steve. Hansen; Kieran Keane. Rod Cat- 1 ham; Gary Barkle; Peter' McLaren: Don Hayes. Dave; White. Albert Anderson. Jock.; Hobbs; Pat O’Byrne, Mick Powley. Rob Mclntosh.

West Coast: Stephen BoomDenis King. Alan Messenger.’ John Donkers: Gavin Cook, DaveFoster: Colin Stewart: Blair Hopkins: Graham McGurk. Monty Wynyard, Graham Crawford. Jon Sullivan; Bernie Monk. Gary. Paterson. Ross Dixon. ' ;