Last-second win to jubilant Country team

Press, 3 June 1982, Page 34

Last-second win to jubilant Country team

BOB SCHUMACHER

By

Within a few seconds, the Canterbury Country players were leaping high in jubilation at Leeston yesterday. The first triumphant jump signalled a successful dropped goal in the last second of the rugby match against Mid-Canterbury, the second bound skywards followed the bleep of the referee’s whistle to end the match.

A sweetly-timed drop-kick from the Country first fiveeighths, Alistair Roberts, wafted between the goal posts to give Country its first win in the last four years against Mid-Canterbury, 1312. .

Roberts did not have an easy task but his job was made easier when the Country forwards hoed manfully into a ruck near the side-line and raked it back to the halfback, Bruce Deans.

Deans flung a fast pass to Roberts, who, fully aware the match was nearing an end, let fly with his desperation drop-kick. The timing was perfect and, from an acute angle, the kick, helped by a backwinf, found its mark.

Country deserved to win an evenly-contested match simply because it was able to contain the well-discip-lined Mid-Canterbury side and because it scored the

two tries in the match. In the previous three contests between the two teams, Country had managed just one try when on the receiving end of decisive defeats. Yesterday it doubled that feat and both went to the determined right wing, Ross Saunders, who had one of his best matches in the Country colours. Mid-Canterbury, with the advantage of a strong southerly wind and ample line-out possession, did not capitalise on its numerous opportunities in the first half. Much of the kicking went too deep and some of the planned moves, which had been successful in the past

against Country, went astray against . a cover defence which was better employed than in previous years. However, Mid-Canterbury would have been pleased at being ahead 9-0 entering the final minute of the first half. The final 60 seconds proved disastrous — Country won a ruck inside its own half and Deans placed an astute kick into vacant territory. Lamen Hohaia wrestled possession and his kick pass to Saunders gave him just enough space to break free and outstrip the cover defence. The successful conversion by the full-back, Noel Heffernan, was a better tonic to

the team than the refreshments supplied at half-time. With the advantage of the wind in the second half, Canterbury Country gained control early and had taken the lead four minutes after the resumption when Heffernan joined the back-line, stood up in a tackle on the line, and was able to provide Saunders with his second try. The anguished expressions and exhortations of the MidCanterbury captain, Grant Perry, told the story as his team were kept penned down inside its own territory in the second half. It was Perry who led a

charging movement into Country territory in the final quarter and the team camped inside the half sufficiently long for Murray Holmes to have two penalty kicks in the thirty-fourth and the thirty-sixth minutes.

His first attempt missed, but from a similar position, he made no mistake. MidCanterbury seemed to have the match in safe-keeping until the eventful final seconds when Roberts - became the Country hero.

Deans and Saunders had outstanding games among the Country backs and the captain, Don Hayes, for the

manner in which he kept tabs on the powerful MidCanterbury No. 8, John McLay, finished high on the credit side.

Jock Ross, for his line-out work, and the aggressive flanker, Paul Cunneen, stood out among the Mid-Canter-bury forwards and Geoff Frew, in spite of tight marking, impressed with his speed and elusiveness on the right wing.

Country’s two tries were scored by Saunders and one was converted by Heffernan; Roberts added a dropped goal. Holmes kicked four penalty goals for Mid-Canterbury from eight attempts.