Two good wins for University rugby sides

Press, 5 April 1983, Page 44

Two good wins for University rugby sides

The two University of Canterbury senior rugby sides showed themselves to be in fine fettle for the start of the C.S.B. Cup competition next Saturday when they beat Japanese university sides at Rugby park yesterday.

The games were played as part of the University club’s centennial celebrations and although somewhat different in character they were both interesting matches and in keeping with the best traditions of university rugby. Last year’s senior champion, University A, was much too strong for Doshisha University, of Kyoto, in the main game of the day. The local side scored nine tries and only for a brief period in the first half was it ever in much danger of conceding any. The score would have been higher if the usually reliable Andrew McMaster had had a better day with his goal-kicking. He found the posts only four times from nine attempts, but most of his misses were off his left foot after he received a knock to the right leg he usually employs. It was a fine all-round performance by University A. The forwards, with the loose trio of Dale Atkins, Mark Meates and Colin Currie in dynamic form, were far too big and strong for their rivals and the backs were quick and assertive in all their'endeavours. Atkins was a Gulliverian figure as he ploughed repeatedly through the Doshisha defence and it was just a pity that he ruined some of his clean breaks by untidy passes. The five-eighths, Rick Gibson and Warwick Taylor, showed a good understanding to keep University A’s backline activities bright and breezy and the best of the three-quarters was the hard-running Craig McDowell. Doshisha lacked nothing in the way of gameness, but try as they did the forwards were unable to supply the quick possession that was vital for the backs to make the most of their talents. The locks, Atsushi Oyagi and Toshiyuki Hayashi.

were very competitive players, and the first fiveeighths, Katsuhiro Matsuo, reaffirmed his standing as a class footballer. Whereas the main game was a hard-fought encounter, the curtain-raiser between University B and Meiji University, of Toyko, was a more open game and made even more attractive by a close finish. University B, which looks to have a better side than it fielded last year, led 18-13 at half-time and was ahead 27-13 midway through the second spell. However, Meiji came with a strong finish and two converted tries gave it the encouragement it needed to press hard for victory in the last five minutes. University B held on, though, to win, 27-25. There were some spectacular movements in this game and unlike Doshisha later in the afternoon, Meiji was able to mount sizzling attacks from broken play, and often from defensive positions. With just on 100 points scored the two games provided plenty of action. The new stand at Rugby Park also met with general approval and judging by the camera clicking that went on, plus the constant rolling of three cine cameras, by the visiting players and their supporters the ground should soon be well known in Japan. The scores were:— University A 45 (C. Currie 2, D. Atkins 2, J. Edmondson, W. Taylor, C. McDowell, M. Meates and A. McMaster tries; McMaster three conversions and a penalty goal) beat Doshisha University 0. Referee: Mr A. R. Bateman. University B 27 (S. Ashby, R. Zondag, S. Gourdie and G. Davidson tries; B. Scott converted the four tries and kicked his only penalty goal attempt) beat Meiji University 25 (T. Suenaga, K. Endo and T. Fukumoto tries; T. Hashizume two conversions and three penalty goals). Referee: Mr T. F. Doocey.