National rugby title wide open

Press, 27 September 1982, Page 36

National rugby title wide open

Canterbury could still share the Lion national rugby championship. Fittingly, the last game of the season, Wellington v Auckland at Athletic Park next Sunday, will decide the division one winner. Auckland took the lead when it beat Manawatu on Saturday and the other two teams still in contention, Canterbury and Counties, drew.

If Auckland beats Wellington then it will be unchallenged at the top of the table, with 16 points, its only two losses up to now being at the hands of Canterbury and Counties.

Counties has completed its programme and it has 15 points, a mark Canterbury will reach if it beats

Wairarapa-Bush in its final match on Wednesday. So if Auckland should stumble against Wellington and Canterbury should beat Wairarapa-Bush. then Canterbury and Counties would finish first equal. Because they drew their game, that is the way they would have to stay..

Division one P W D L F A Pt Counties 10 y 1 2 171 113 15 Auckland' 9 7 — 2. 179 83 14 Canty 9 6 1 2 168 126 13 M'watu 9 6 — 3 204 .118.12 Waikato 9 6 —- 3 164 146 12 H'Bay to 4 r~6 167 150 8 W'gton 8 3 1 4 123 132 W-Bush 9 3 r 5. 93 168 7 NthAuck 9 3 — 6 118 121 6 Otago 10 2 — 8 137 237 4 BOP ' 10 2 — 8 92 222 4 Division two South P W D L F Pt S'land 7 6 ■ — 1 184 57 12 M'borough . 7 5 — 2 141 66 10 MidCanty y 5 — 2 161 75 10 St hCanty 7 4 — 3 137 102 8 NelsonB 4 — 3 112 90 8 WCoast' 7 2 5 70 124 4 Buller t 1 . — 6 53 157 2 NthOtago 7 1 6 ■ 57 244 2 Division two North p W D L F A Pt T'naki 6 6 — — 175 50 12 W'ganui 6 5 — 1 103 65 10 KCntry 6 4 2 76 47 8 TValley 6 3 ■— 3 76 61 6 H'whenua '6 —• 4 51 117 4 PdvBay 6 i -T--5 53 97 2ECoast . 6 ■J— 6 35 132 0