Revealing match for S.I. team

Press, 29 March 1982, Page 3

Revealing match for S.I. team

The South Island rugby league team for the K.B. Cup series in Australia still has much to do before meeting Canberra next month, after having to work overtime against a spirited West Coast side 34-25 at Wingham Park, Greymouth, on Saturday afternoon.

However, the South coach (Mr Ces Clark) said: “I think the game has done us more good than harm. After all, it was the first time that the team has had a run together.

“The team was made to work hard, and this is what was needed.”

The South had shown s a capable defence and in possession had shown that it could make ground up to the sixth tackle, and spin it out to the wingers to score. It was this which gave the South Island the win. The West Coast team, for its part, had an abundance of ball from the set scrums through its hooker, John Griffin, and as a result the young scrum-half, Glen Gibb, was seen to effect. The South Island team was unable to maintain momentum. After leading 10-2 at the end of the first 20-minute spell — the K.B. series is

played in quarters — it slumped to 10-12 behind in the second. It then came again for a 21-12 lead, before West Coast came back to trail 20-21.

The South team pulled away again, but the Coasters — some of whom have still to gain senior representative spurs — made it work for every point, with its second rowers, Jack Lee and Brian Atkinson, particularly showing the way. But, to the chagrin of the locals, it was two of their fellows, the winger Stephen Low and centre Bernard Green, who sewed it up for the South Island. Scorers were:—South Island 34 (Mike Williams 2, David Field 2, Mike Smith, Low, Green tries; Perkins four conversions, one penalty goal). West Coast 25 (Brian Atkinson 2, John Gilbert, Jack Lee, Gary McLennan, tries; Dan lee, three conversions. two penalty goals). The ground was hard, with puffs of dust arising despite the good sole of grass.

The referee was Mr J. G. Gibson, who sent both Mike Smith (South Island) and Gary McLennan (West Coast) to the sin-bin for fighting.