Eastern seeks revenge

Press, 18 June 1982, Page 24

Eastern seeks revenge

Kaiapoi's radically changed rugby .league circumstances are reflected by the undisputed right that it has to main game status for its match with the N.Z.I.G. premiership leader, EasternHertz, at the Show Grounds tomorrow.

As recently as last winter—when Eastern won its third consecutive title and Kaiapoi failed to win a game—their meetings were invariably curtain-raisers on the No. 2 ground or fobbed off to a suburban playing field.

All of that was forgotten in April. when Kaiapoi deservedly beat Eastern, 1712, in a stunning start to the competition. Only two weeks earlier Eastern had eliminated Kaiapoi from the knockout tournament, .33-8.

Eastern was soon to regain its composure after its shock loss to Kaiapoi. It scrambled home against Linwood, but has now won seven matches in succession and finished the first full round ’ of the premiership witlr a two-point

margin over Kaiapoi, Hornby, and Addington. The only losses suffered by this most positive of all Kaiapoi premier squads were to Honby, by 13 points though Hornby scored only one more try, and Addington, in a close contest.

Kaiapoi had the bye' last Saturday and the two clubs both met Sydenham in their most recent appearances, and the results were surprisingly similar. Eastern won 27-12, Kaiapoi won 25-12, after Sydenham had held a useful lead in each game. Such has been Eastern’s domination of the encounters with its closest premiership pursuers, it would be another big surprise if Kaiapoi repeated its first round feat. The start of the second full round brings with it new incentives for all nine teams. The side scoring most competition points over the round is to join the premiership winner as Canterbury’s representatives in the national Wrangler Cup