Margin thrills Wallabies

Press, 9 August 1982, Page 13

Margin thrills Wallabies

PA Invercargill The Wallaby coach, Bob Dwyer, walked away on Saturday from the most convincing win of his side’s New Zealand tour to date but with the harshest criticism yet of his young side. Although be has coached only the third Australian side to beat Southland in 11 matches spread over 69 years, and with the 21-0 margin the biggest yet at Rugby Park, Invercargill, • Dwyer had serious reservations about his side’s performance. Southland held Australia scoreless in the first half and Dwyer told reporters after the match that he felt his side had • played poorly through the opening 40' minutes. “Gary Ella (the Wallaby centre) got the ball once in

the first half which is totally ridiculous with the amount. of ball we had,” he said. “We kept trying to play up the middle which played the ball back to the forwards, but (Leicester) Rutledge : played well in that area. In fact both Southland flankers played well.” Mr Dwyer even had reservations about the play of the Wallaby captain and first five-eighths, Mark Ella, who was probably the dominant influence on the match. “I thought he could have called the plays a little better in the first half when they were calling all those in close moves, which didn't seem all that smart to me, but I’ll have to talk to him about it,” Mr Dwyer said. “We- could have had another couples of tries — sort

of last-ditch efforts by Southland guys knocked the last ■ pass down on. 'a couple of occasions. "So if you take all those things into consideration and the fact that we missed a couple of kickable kicks, 21 points in front has to be all right” The prop, John Griffiths, and the lock, Phil Clements, showed they had recovered from injuries, but the fullback, Glen Ella, slightly injured a thumb and the wing, Mick Martin, cut his head. “It's encouraging to see he bleeds, actually. He’s a hard man,” Dwyer said. ‘‘But over all it was pretty encouraging. Gary Ella did some nice things and Paul Southwell on the wing played well. ‘‘The fact that we’ve only

beaten Southland twice in the last 69 years means it’s got to be encouraging to have a win. “We’re very .happy to have beaten -Southland by that score. It was a terrific thrill for us. actually, because the boys (Southland) had risen to the occasion and it: looked like they were going to do it to us again for two thirds of the game.” ; Southland, damned by its own supporters for poor performances this season, fought with spirit and determination to hold the tourists scoreless at the break It was a first half in which Southland enjoyed forward domination although it possessed the lighter pack. The forwards rolled the Australians off the ball in the rucks and mauls, worked with more vigour than the

tourists and held their own at lineouts- and scrums; The Southland backline was also more effective in the first half, frequently breaching the Australian defence and twice coming close to scoring. The Elia brothers, Glenn, Gary and Mark, were the planners, architects and builders of Australia’s victory in the second half, using their running skills to demoralise the Southland defence. But, as a warning to the All Blacks with the first test only a week away, the Wallabies showed they can win a match with a minority share of the ball. Scorers: Australia 21 (Glen Ella 2, Paul Southwell, Mick Martin triesi Mark EUa penalty, conversion); Southland 0.