University A reduces Marist’s lead

Press, 30 May 1983, Page 18

University A reduces Marist’s lead

University A kept alive its own hopes, and those of a number of other teams, of winning the first round C.S.B. Cup rugby competition when it

beat Marist, 23-12, at Lancaster Park on Saturday.. As a spectacle the match fell short of expectations. Marist, without its main line-out

forward, Pat O’Gorman, who has a broken ankle, never had enough possession to take the game to University A, which only really played well in the

final quarter. The match was further marred by a lot of penalties, and twice the referee, Mr R. B. Pidgeon, had to take time out

to remind the players that they were there to play football. Gary Cookson (High School Boys) has become the first player to reach 100 points for the season. He scored 12 in the Lancaster Park curtain-raiser to take his total to 106. Andrew McMaster (University A) reached three figures on the same ground later in the afternoon, and his total now stands at 108. In spite of the loss, its first of the season, Marist still leads the competition. However, its lead is by only one point, and University A, Belfast, and High School Old Boys are all within striking distance.

Belfast held its place near the top by beating Linwood in a rather scrappy match, but at the other end of the scale High School Old Boys scored some fine tries to beat MerivalePapanui in a free-flowing encounter. Burnside and Lincoln College came from behind to beat Shirley and New Brighton respectively, while Albion caused another upset by beating Christchurch, and Suburbs, another improved side, beat Sydenham without much difficulty. Hornby had its first win of the season by beating University B, thereby extending to 38 matches University B’s losing sequence. Only Sydenham, with 37 straight losses in the mid--19705, has gone as long in recent times without a win. • The University A centre, Victor Simpson, was named the Cellar Ghost “player of the day” at Lancaster Park, while at Rugby Park the award went to the Burnside half-back, Ray Genet.

University A 23, Marist 12 University A: J. McLean, V. Simpson, M. Meates tries; A. McMaster conversion, three penalty goals. Marist: S. Hansen try; G. McWhirter conversion, two penalty goals. Referee: Mr R. B. Pidgeon.

University A was on top throughout the match, although it was only in the last 20 minutes that it played the sort of rugby of which it is capable and went beyond Marist’s reach.

Marist never really had a show. Its forwards were no match for University A, especially in the scrums, where the University hooker, Merv Aoake, took four tight heads, and Marist was not helped either by its half-back, Steve Baker, having an off day. The only consolation for Marist was that it scored a fine try towards the finish, made by Baker. He made an angled run which outfoxed the University defence and then when caught near the posts he flicked the ball to Steve Hanson who scored. But this move apart, Marist seldom threatened the University line. On the run of play University deserved more than a 7-6 lead at half-time and it was only desperate defence by Marist in the second half which restricted University to just two further tries. As always, University was well served by its loose forwards, the pick of them this time being the No. 8, Rob Moffat. He was especially valuable at the back of the line-out, and he also set in motion some good drives. Dale Atkins proved more than useful in the unaccustomed position of lock, and John Edmondson and Phil Robson were forceful props. University had little trouble winning the ball, but putting it to good use did not come easily.

The backs were competent enough, although the transfers close to the scrum were sometimes rather wild. The line was at its most dangerous when Andrew McMaster was up from full-back and he made a number of clean breaks.

Victor Simpson excelled in bringing order to broken play and Steve Karpik showed good skills on the left wing. Greg Coffey gave Marist some relief with his kicking, but it was generally a disappointing performance by Marist. Its best player was probably the second five-eighths, Gossky Seinafo, who was promoted from the under 21 grade because of injuries. He made two very good runs and kept Warwick Taylor in check. Burnside 13, Shirley 9

Burnside: K. Johnston try; D. Farrant dropped goal, two penalty goals. Shirley: M. Toa try; C. Williamson dropped goal, conversion. Referee: Mr T. R. Marshall.

There were many times during the main match at Rugby Park when it seemed that Burnside’s exuberance would fail to overcome Shirley’s responsible attitude. Burnside had the wind at its back in the first half, yet was down 3-6 at half-time. But its determined support play, which delighted the spectators, had Shirley’s defence in desperate straits in the second half, and in the final analysis, it was a deserved success. There were times, perhaps, when the Burnside players did not seem to know where they were going, but there was always another player to take a pass, to make a fresh start. Burnside’s backing up was magnificent, and there was noone with a higher work-rate than the half-back, Ray Genet. It seemed, however, that all the side’s efforts might founder on David Farrant’s failure to kick goals. He began the scoring with a dropped goal, but two more such attempts, and kicks at goal after a try, and from three penalties, all failed. But at the crunch, Farrant sealed his side's success with two successful kicks at goal.

Burnside owed its success to its ability to win second-phase possession. Time and again, the ball was worried away from Shirley, and so started

movements which often involved half a dozen or a dozen passes. In the final few minutes, when Shirley launched some likely-looking back attacks, Burnside’s defence met every demand made of it. Shirley was unfortunate to lose Waka Ama, through injury, after he had scored a very good No. B’s try from a scrum, and had given every indication of being a main force in the match. John Robbins was a very purposeful prop, but until late m the match the Shirley backs seldom looked dangerous. Bumside was fortunate, perhaps, that Colin Williamson had no chances to kick penalty goals. Yet Bumside has to be commended for giving away only seven penalties and free kicks. Shirley was also well disciplined, offending only nine times. It was a great performance by the entertaining Burnside team, for which Genet played outstandingly well. In the forwards, Gary Fuller, Ron Grossi, and Kevin Johnston were, perhaps, the best of a determined and proficient eight.

Lincoln College 23, New Brighton 15. Lincoln College: C. Green, C. Connolly, J. Earl, tries; Earl conversion, three penalty goals. New Brighton: W. Burleigh, try; S. Blackler conversion, three penalty goals. Referee: Mr A. C. Russell.

Lincoln College achieved a minor miracle in the early match at Rugby Park, converting a 12-point deficit about 10 minutes short of half-time into an eight-point win. It was, however, a convincing victory, for Lincoln College’s pace and penetration in the backs were underlined by a fine forward performance. There were times when New Brighton’s pack was pushed unwillingly about like an awkward girl at her first dance. It was a very spirited display by College, for its efforts to run the ball out of trouble in the first half, when New Brighton had the advantage of a fresh wind, were only occasionally successful.

New Brighton also tried to run the ball often, but was not as well equipped for this side of the business. However, it had an efficient director in its first five-eighths, Wayne Burleigh, whose kicking and reading of the game- were excellent.

In a pack which played with spirit from first to last, no-one worked harder than Paul Bell, one of the props, and his side was distinctly unlucky that he had to leave the field with an injury in the second half. Peter McLaren, playing on the flank, got through a lot of work, too, but he was fairly well contained when he had the ball in hand.

At No. 7 in the line-out, McLaren was opposite Anthony Dalzell, and it was Dalzell’s day. He played a good game, but he contributed to his side’s difficulties arising from badly tapped line-out ball. Gwyn Williams won three tight heads, but there was no more impressive forward than Greg Sparrow, whose earnest approach, strength, and skill were assets indeed.

Derek Monteith, coming on at first five-eighths as a replacement early in the match, had a very good day. There was strong and assertive running from those outside, especially from Craig Green, Jock Fulton and John Earl, while a former Counties player, Chris Connolly, capped a spectacular Lincoln comeback with a fine try near the end. High School Old Boys 32, Merivale-Papanui 12 Old Boys: D. Park, 3, H. McPhail and I. Mather tries; G. Cookson three conversions, two penalty goals. Merivale-Papanui: G. Herbert try; D. McKinnel conversion, two penalty goals. Referee: Mr T. M. Hannan.

Merivale-Papanui made quite a good showing against its stronger rival, but the class of Old Boys was very evident and in this area MerivalePapanui could not really hope to compete. The whole line played well, much of the sparkle originating from the first five-eighths, James Leggat. He moved the ball very skilfully and his speed enabled him constantly to be in support of his threequarters. He also made some excellent runs on his own. Hamish McPhail and Glen Wisker also cut dashing figures, and Wisker was equally as impressive in his tackling. Daryl Park played a good game on the left wing, his pace capping off nicely the good work done inside him. Old Boys were not quite so commanding in the forwards, but the pack won enough possession to keep Merivale-Papa-nui on an uphill climb. Don Symon made many good lineout takes, and the loose forwards — Don Purdon and John Laugeson — were keen chasers of the loose ball.

Merivale-Papanui did, however, give a bit of cheek in this department. Roger Powley, Grant Herbert, and a newcomer, Alan Bailey, were prominent with the ball in hand and Dennis Skipper showed he is still a prop to be reckoned with. In the backs, Merivale-Papa-nui had nothing like the pace and penetration of their opposites, although Errol Brown, a second five-eighths, who has recently arrived from Singapore, looked a most exciting footballer. Twice he left a trail of defenders in his wake. Albion 13, Christchurch 6 Albion: D. Cronshaw, M. Straight tries; G. James conversion, penalty goal. Christchurch: G. L. Kench two penalty goals. Referee: Mr I. A. Lawrence.

There was not much for the purist in the main match at Lancaster Park South, a match enlivened by two tries by Albion, one near the beginning and Me at the end. a match in which little went right for either side,

with inept goal-kicking, a multitude of errors, and vital passes which went anywhere but to hand. It was not surprising that Albion’s two tries came from solo efforts. Dave Cronshaw threaded his way through half the Christchurch defence from an unpromising situation and Wayne Shelford made a big break to give Murray Straight an easy try. Shelford was again an outstanding figure. Marking Jock Hobbs at No. 7 in the line-out, the slightly taller Shelford won good, tapped ball and with the ball in band, he threatened Christchurch on several occasions. Tigerish loose-forward play came from John Mill and Ray Waghorn, for Christchurch, but infringements invariably halted progress to the line. A newcomer to the Christchurch team, Gary Bree, showed spirit and strength on the left wing and Wayne Tinker was prominent at half-back.

“Albion versus Tinker” went a cry from the crowd at one stage, clearly disparaging, for Tinker tried a lot on his own, but he did more than most to head Christchurch in the right direction. Hornby 21, University B 10 Hornby: S. Bloomfield, T. Hayton tries; Bloomfield two conversions, dropped goal, two penalty goals. University B: P. MacPherson try; B. Timms penalty goal, dropped goal. Referee: Mr A. R. Bateman.

Two second-half tries by Hornby dashed University B’s hopes of ending its long losing run. But the home side would have been decidedly unlucky to lose this Denton Oval match, as it gave a more vigorous performance and enjoyed a territorial advantage. Hornby looked a more seasoned side, and although it missed a golden opportunity for a try in the first half it took its two chances in the second surely. Steve. Bloomfield kept the side on the boil with his accurate goal-kicking and punting, and Fred Hale, the other five-eighths, contributed some beefy up-and-und-ers.

Their tactics were supplemented by effective play in the loose by Dave White and Alan Laugeson, while John Spencer, a sort of forwards’ version of David Campese, the goosestepping Wallaby wing, and Peter Hayton were willing toilers in the tight. Displaying enthusiasm for their task, University B’s players endeavoured to move the ball wide, but Hornby’s defence, although stretched at times in the second half, proved adequate. University trailed only 6-9 at half-time, but Hornby’s two tries effectively ended the students’ chances of disputing the finish. Stewart Gourdie was an industrious half-back for University, and Brent Timms introduced more variation into his play. In the forwards, Brad Green and Mark Doyle distinguished themselves with their unrelenting drive, but found Hornby’s resistance just too strong. Belfast 10, Linwood 3 Belfast: M. Haase, try; K. Keane dropped goal; M. Vincent, penalty goal. Linwood: R. Latham, dropped- goal. Referee: Mr R. G. Grant. A more purposeful approach, both forward and back, gave Belfast a deserved win over Linwood, but the match was a poor spectacle with long periods of indifferent play. This was particularly so in the first part of the second half when line-out, maul, and scrum followed with monotonous regularity. Both sides were guilty of too many elementary errors.

An 80m charge by the Belfast backs broke this seemingly endless pattern and after this the match had more bright periods, although the errors of handling and passing persisted. Belfast had the edge in the forwards, and possession won both in line-outs, rucks, and mauls was controlled. Support play was also a strength, but some impressive hand-to-hand rushes too often ended in infringements. The best of the forwards were John Taylor, Jack Oldridge, and Owen Rees, while Mardy Vincent, Kieran Keane, and the full-back, Kevin Taylor, showed out in a back-line which tried to play constructively.

Anthony Lefali showed up in the Linwood team with strong running on the wing and Ru Koha led the forwards by example, but there was a lack of cohesion about the side’s play, and no pressure was sustained. Suburbs 21, Sydenham 6 Suburbs: M. Righton, B. White tries; N. McKay two conversions, three penalty goals. Sydenham: B. Nicoll two penalty goals. Referee: Mr J. R. Adams. Suburbs won the early match at Lancaster Park South through its strong cohesive pack, but Sydenham contributed to an entertaining spectacle through backs with pace and penetration, notably Kieran Flynn and Dean Couch. Getting good,' often direct, service from the first fiveeighths, Couch, Flynn, at centre, found or forced gaps brilliantly in the first half, with a subtle dummy and a surge of acceleration. Only lack of support, and the sweeping Suburbs cover defence, prevented tries.

Terry Flynn was an ebullient, courageous half-back for Sydenham, Gavin Fuller a lively lock, and Mark Rhodes a useful, often aggressive No. 8. The Suburbs close-quarter play, involving the loose forwards, Tony Pugh, Barry White, and Steve Richards, and the big half-back, Mark Righton, was very good. Their control, and the efforts of the tight men, including John Gibson, a fiery lock, kept Suburbs in command for much of the match. Neil McKay punted prodigiously from full-back, and kicked well at goat he was perhaps Suburbs’ best attacking weapon, sparking one .brilliant second-half movement,.although Richards mad? a leading to Whitt's try.

W D L F A Pt Marist 8 0 1 170 70 16 Univ. A 7 1 1 266 96 15 Belfast 7 I 1 129 64 15 H.S.O.B. 7 0 2 202 105 14 New Bri 6 0 3 136 126 12 Bumside 5 1 3 195 73 11 Lin. Col. 5 1 3 184 107 11 Chcb 5 0 4 160 84 10 Shirley 5 0 4 166 117 10 Suburbs 4 1 4 126 132 9 Albion 3 1 5 74 100 7 Linwood 3 0 6 81 133 6 Mer-Pap 1 1 7 86 207 3 Syd. Hornby 1 1 1 0 7 8 102 73 233 244 3 2 Univ. B 0 0 9 51 330 0