Andy Irvine key player in Scottish win

Press, 28 May 1981, Page 28

Andy Irvine key player in Scottish win

PA Taumarurui Several reasonably well-informed spectators left the Taumarunui Domain yesterday believing that the band which piped the Scottish and King Country rugby teams on to the paddock delivered its rendition of “Scotland the Brave” for just a few members of the Scotland team.

' The visitors’ 39-13 victory, which included four tries to a solitary King Country gem of a touchdown from its halfhack and captain, Sammy Pye. was never in any real doubt. But it was obvious that there could be a problem of depth among the touring side as Andy Irvine — who helped himself to 24 points from a try. four penalties and four conversions — the flanker, David Leslie, and the halfback. Gordon Hunter, were among the few Scots to really live up to the exhortations of the musicians before the game.

It became only too obvious in the final quarter that many of the Scottish forwards were still either jetlagged or had left their fitness behind on the training paddock as the King Country coach. Colin Meads, implied in a post-match press conference.

Considering King Country is one of the weakest provinces in the country it must have been just a little disconcerting to the Scottish coach, Jim Telfer, to see his team very much on the defensive for the third quarter.

Mr Meads also suggested that Irvine, who was certainly an inspiration to his side by the nonchalance with which he kicked eight goals from nine attempts from all parts of the ground, would be very much out of position in a Scottish test side on the right wing.

Behind this remark was the obvious assumption that there was very little penetration among the Scottish centre line, although Jim Renwick did make the occasional dab, and that Irvine w’ould be the man needed to initiate the attacks from behind in the big matches. All, however, was not bad with the Scottish performance and the forward leader, Leslie, capitalising on a handy weight advantage over King Country’s “pony” pack, exhorted his eight in many a mighty scrum heave which resulted in the hooker, Ken Lawrid, snatching the one tight-head of the match. The eight looked more than useful in mauls as well and the Canterbury referee, Tom Doocey, who awarded 11 penalties to each side said afterwards that most were for killing the ball on the. ground in forward pile-ups. Under a wily Meads edict King Country opted often to throw the ball directly out to the second five-eighths, Murray Jones, in many line-outs, and this resulted in the Scottish locks, Alan Tomes and Tom Smith, gaining just a slight advantage in this sphere.

Pye’s- try was easily the best of the game and came in the seventh minute after such a lineout. It also highlighted another Scottish weakness — the lack of an effective covering screen. Admittedly it should be noted that this was very much the mid-week side in

the first match of the tour, but the ease with which the' 1 All Black trialist, Murry Kidd, carved through midfield in a scything 50m run before feeding the roving No. 8. Quentin Schofield, highlighted defensive problems for the visitors. Mr Telfer conceded after the match that some of his players appeared a little, short on fitness: “They looked a little tired today, but you must remember that this is the first game they have had in eight weeks,” he said. Scorers: Scotland, Andy Irvine, Gordon Hunter, Gerry McGuinness and David Leslie tries, Ron Wilson a dropped goal, Irvine 4 penalties and 4 conversions; King Country,. Sammy Pye a try, John Lang 3 penalties.