Three clubs share lead in Canty premiership

Press, 31 May 1982, Page 18

Three clubs share lead in Canty premiership

Eastern-Hertz, Hornby, and Kaiapoi retained their joint leadership of the N.Z.I.G. Canterbury rugby league premiership when they won their seventh round matches on Saturday.

All three clubs have 10 points, but. the vastly improved Kaiapoi side has yet to have the bye. Kaiapoi kept up with the pace, though, by gaining its third consecutive success, at the expense of Linwood. . The. two matches on the Show Grounds oval provided contrasting spectacles. It was all froth and frolic in the curtain-raiser as Hornby and Sydenham between them scored 11 tries and their respective kickers, Bruce Cooper and Karl Siave, added 13 goals for an aggregate of 59 points. Another of Sydenham’s amazing revivals, this time from 7-20 to 22-20, was not quite sufficient to earn’ it the competition points. Hornby indulged in a late scoring spree of its own to nudge ahead, 32-27.

There was comparatively little sparkle in the main match. The first and third quarters were almost stalemated, but Eastern made its winning break with two quick tries just before half-time and moved progressively towards its 25-8 victory in the later stages of the second spell. On the No. 2 playing field Marist-Western Suburbs frittered away many opportunities until a fine solo effort by its full-back, Hal October, placed it in front 10 minutes from the finish.

There were some spectacular scoring feats in Hornby’s encounter with Sydenham. Vaughan Low, standing-in for Robin Alfeld at full-back for Hornby, displayed all of the finishing skills required of his usual wing role to claim four tries. Cooper kicked seven goals for Hornby for the second successive week, and has now missed only one of his last 15 attempts. Siave replied with six goals from eight chances for Sydenham.

The various “man of the match” awards at the Show Grounds went to David Field (Sydenham), Kevin Steel (Eastern) and Mick Coughlan (Halswell).

Results.— Eastern-Hertz 25, Addington 8 Hornby 32, Sydenham 27 Marist-Western 15, Halswell 8 Kaiapoi 14, Linwood 3 Papanui bye

LOW’S NOT SLOW The acting Hornby full-back, Vaughan Low, soon slipped into a footballing frame of mind in the curtain-raiser at the Show Grounds and Sydenham never really managed to counter his enthusiastic entrances into the line. Low finished with four tries and he and Bruce Cooper combined to provide al! but three of Hornby’s 32 points. However, speculation that Hornby would romp away to a decisive win on the firm playing surface when it led, 13-4 after 30 minutes and 20-7 early in the second spell, was extinguished when Sydenham suddenly found its most penetrative form. Pau! Vili, Sydenham's power-fully-built second-rower, sparked the revival with his second try from the dummy-half position. Before Hornby had regained its composure the lively hooker, Gary Burns, pounced on a neatly-placed kick by David Field, and then Field shook off a weak attempted tackle to score Sydenham’s third try in just nine minutes. All were converted by Karl Siave and Hornby was trailing by two points. Once again Hornby had to look to Low for inspiration, and he provided it with his third and fourth tries.

Even when Low and Cooper had conspired to have Hornby ahead at 32-22 with just seven minutes left, Sydenham refused to concede the result. Field completely bemused the Hornby defence with a persuasive dummy and quick acceleration. Hornby, just five pomes in front, had to work hard to clear its own 22m area in the closing stages. Not all of the defensive work was of premier standard, but Low’s tries were thoughtfully conceived, and Low was also up to force an overlap when Cooper touched down.

Similarly, Field has the attacking skills to bemuse most opposing formations, and his own spurts and his tactical kicks caused Hornby consternation throughout. So, too, did Vili's strength, and the mobility of Bums.

Low and Cooper were given frequent opportunities because of

the penetration of the centres, Trevor Burnett and Me) Tihore. Grant McLaughlan and Dean Taylor were ever prominent in the tight exchanges, and Wayne Wallace sprinted 30m for the try which temporarily interrupted the Low-Cooper scoring monopoly. COLOURLESS DISPLAY

The rematch between the 1981 championship grand finalists, Eastern and Addington, was quite disappointing. Both sides seemed to lack cohesion because of the absence of their Canterbury B representatives, particularly Addington, which was always below its potential. Before the game, Addington officials lodged a protest concerning the circumstances in which the Canterbury second XIII . was chosen. They contend that Murray French, Eastern's scrum-half and captain, had been pre-warned that he would be the Canterbury B captain for the South Island second division encounter with Otago-Southland at Invercargill. French, it is claimed, then made himself unavailable and was not in the side named to travel — thus being free to lead Eastern. The Canterbury board of control will rule on the matter this evening. French scored two of his team’s five tries.

It was not until the game had entered its second quarter that either side was able to show anv superiority. The big EastfeSz prop, Dick Ngataki, made the first effective break, and the former New Zealand schoolboys’, forward, David Billesdon, was perfectly placed to capitalise on

Addington's woes increased when a dropped ball provided John McCue and Kevin Steel with the chance to give Bruce Murphy a clear run to the tryline. It was still 10-2 at half-time, and for almost all of the third quarter as the match went into a sort of sporting vacuum.

Constructive attacks were few and far between, much of the tackling scrappy. But. French effectively put the result beyond doubt when he ran wide to sevthe through a gap among the Addington outside backs.

Although AOdington did. manage a couple ot tries towards the end. both were countered by Eastern, and Steel's accurate kicking gradually extended the margain. Such was the laxness of the Addington defence in that period that McCue was able to run 15m to score.

Eastern has performed much more creditably on other occasions, yet had to struggle to beat more lowly-rated combinations. It did get fine service, though, from Ngataki, French and Steel.

WASTED OPPORTUNITIES Marist-Western Suburbs should have beaten Halswell by a substantial total on the No. 2

ground, but it frittered away so many scoring chances that it almost had to settle for a draw.

The Halswell prop. Mick Coughlan, had a memorable opening quarter when he twice bulldozed his way into the clear and had enough momentum to reach the Marist try-line. At 8-3 Halswell was well placed, and its centre. Colin Tennant, would have placed his side into a formidable position had it not been for a desperate low tackle by Marist’s hooker, Willie Tauwhare.

A rash of penalties allowed Halswell to dominate possession, but Marist had by then consolidated its defences. The Halswell tackling was nowhere near as firm, and -it was only Marist handling and passing errors which left it five points in arrears at the break. There was a hint that Marist was about to rectify its mistake when, soon after the resumption. Michael O'Donnell tied the totals with a converted try. the product of a decisive break by John MacGougan. That try was to be even more costly for Halswell. for its captain. Merv Manson, collided with an upright when attempting to stop O’Donnell. Manson had to retire from the game with a severely bleeding nose.

But Marist was soon back to its wayward ways. Michael O’Donnell ran clear? only for his brother, Wayne, to lose control of an inside pass. The O’Donnell brothers, Michael Gray, MacGougan and Hal October all proved that they were capable of piercing the Halswell defensive line, only for their support to spill the ball. The 8-8 scoreline remained until October again raced away up the centre of the field. This time there was no-one with him, and he chip-kicked the ball ahead twice before getting a hand to it as it bounced towards the dead-ball area. Michael O'Donnell’s conversion and subsequent penalty would have brought sighs of relief to Marist’s supporters. SPIRIT PREVAILS Ail the indications were that Kaiapoi would finally give Linwood the opportunity to gel back in the winning habit at Murphy Park. Kaiapoi had lost its captain and inspiring back, Richard Hampton; and its top forwards, Gary Kitson and Russell Tuuta, to the Canterbury B team.

Added to that were Russell Bell having to miss the game with a nagging knee injury, and Linwood back at full strength. So it was full marks to the great spirit of Kaiapoi that it should win so handsomely in the end.

Bereft of Kitsori, who consistently carries the Kaiapoi forward effort, Dannv Millward lilted his game ’by several notches. Not that Millward has played at all badly this season.

PREMIERSHIP POINTS P W L F A Pt Eastern 6 5 1 130 60 10 Hornby 6 5 1 138 69 10 Kaiapoi 7 5 2 103 83 10 Addington 6 4 2 82 77 8 Papanui 6 3 3 111 117 6 Sydenham 6 3 3 95 124 6 Marist 7 2 5 67 112 4 Linwood 6 1 5 81 105 2 Halsweil 6 0 6 50 120 0