Auckland has chance to win championship

Press, 27 September 1982, Page 22

Auckland has chance to win championship

PA Auckland The 1982 National Division 1 rugby championship belongs to Auckland if it can beat Wellington at Athletic Park on Saturday in the final match of- the season.

This surprising situation developed after a series of unexpected results at the week-end. Auckland's first fiveeighths, Grant Fox. kicked a 45m penalty goal with only eight minutes remaining against Manawatu at Eden Park, and the Auckland defence held gallantly to the end to give Auckland a 15-14 win. '

This result knocked Manawatu out of the title contention. The scene after the final whistle at Eden Park was bizarre to say the least. Spectators, officials, and players huddled over transistor radios listening to the dramatic final minutes of the Ranfurly Shield match at Christchurch to determine if

Auckland might after all'be front runner in the national competition. Groans were heard all round when Joe Harvey kicked a penalty goal to put Counties to a 15-12 lead, a lead that looked likely to give Counties the shield and the national title. But then came cheers as Robbie Deans kicked a 45m penalty goal to tie the score at 15-15 and retain the Ranfurly Shield for Canterbury.

The result means that Auckland is now in second place with 14 points, within a point of Counties and one ahead of Canterbury, with one match to play, and must beat Wellington to gain two points to win the championship.

Success at Athletic Park on Saturday would bring the championship to Auckland for the first time since the competition's inception in 1976, and would make Auckland the defending champion when it celebrates its centenary next year.

At one stage in the second half of the AucklandManawatu encounter, it appeared that Manawatu. not Auckland, would be celebrating. Auckland seemingly did its best to fritter a 9-4 halftime advantage.

Auckland conceded a 22m penalty to Manawatu’s fullback. Mark Finlay, in the forty-fifth minute, then another four minutes later from 43m that swept Manawatu to a 10-9 lead.

In the sixty-fourth minute Manawatu won sloppy ball in the line-out from which No. 8, Geoff Old, kicked ahead. The bounce favoured Manawatu. the flanker, Mark Shaw, caught it and sent his centre, lan Wood, on his way to a simplq try that extended the lead to five points.

The match looked over for Auckland, but just as quickly Fox had two penalty chances, one from 22m in the sixty-sixth minute and a second, the vital one, from 45m in the seventy-second minute.