Shield rugby today

Press, 4 September 1982, Page 6

Shield rugby today

PA Wellington The agony Wellington rugby fans went through two weeks ago when their team battled to beat Hawke's Bay in the third Ranfurly Shield defence may be repeated again today, with Graham Mourie’s Taranaki. Taranaki have slipped into Wellington with one aim in mind — to lift the shield, The low-key approach by the visiting team smacks of the stunning 17-3 win 19 years ago when they lifted the “log" only days after Wellington had won it from Auckland. The best Wellington have managed this winter in any match is the odd 20-or-30 minute burst — still not up to the best concentrations of last year's' history-

making path. One of the few things Mourie has not accomplished as the outstanding captain he is, is to lead a team into shield glory. He has been part of three knockbacks for Taranaki, and once for Wellington, in 1974. when he was also part of the capital side which beat South Canterbury to lift the shield. The weather makes .the occasion all the more a likely carbon copy of last week’s second test. Fresh north-west winds through Cook Strait, rising to gale force, are forecast for this afternoon, and the possibility of showers also exists. The toss of the coin, and therefore the use of the elements first, look. like again being the deciding factors.