Mr Drake prepared wrong speech

Press, 27 September 1982, Page 21

Mr Drake prepared wrong speech

The president of the Canterbury Rugby Union. Mr B. J. Drake, was’ in the process of composing a losing speech when the penalty was awarded that kept the Ranfurly Shield in Canterburv.

With time almost up and Counties ahead. 15-12, Mr Drake was making his way from the committee room in No. 3 stand down to the oval to get the shield when the Counties backs were caught off-side and the fateful penalty was awarded.

“I was thinking about what I would say when we handed the shield over," said Mr Drake later. “It was not a speech I was looking forward to making, but then the penalty was awarded, and kicked, and I was off the hook.

“1 don’t usually relish ‘drawing’ speeches much either, but I have no complaint this time," he said. Considering how close they had come to victory, the Counties players and management took the results extremely well. The players filed into the Canterbury dressing room soon after the match to drink Canterbury's health' and

there was no complaint, on any score, by either the coach. Pat Walsh, or the captain. Andy Dalton.

“Naturally we are very disappointed, but part of rugby is learning to take disappointments. One day our turn will come,” said Mr Walsh. It seems almost certain that Mr Walsh will now step down as Counties coach, a post he has filled for three years, and the failure to win the shield will probably mean that a number of the senior players will retire with him. Counties, at least, carved a small niche for itself in shield history on Saturday. Last year, its challenge against’ Waikato ended in a draw, 20-20, and it is the first province to have successive bids for the shield end in a draw.

It was another big day for Canterbury rugby on Saturday and it was not just in the streets and on the field that things were happening — women were admitted for the first time to the aftermatch function. Canterbury rugby could well be moving into a new era, maybe an even more enlightened one.