Half-back ‘felled by blow’

Press, 27 June 1983, Page 19

Half-back ‘felled by blow’

Staff correspondent Whangarei The Lions’ manager, Mr Willie John Mcßride says that the talented English half-back, Nigel Melville, was felled by a deliberate blow during the Lions match against North Auckland on Satur- day. Mr Mcßride, the Lions’ coach, Mr Jim Telfer, and the captain, Ciaran Fitzgerald, speaking to reporters afterwards, all criticised what they said was illegal play by North Aucklanders. Melville left the field in the sixth minute of the first half and was treated at

hospital for torn neck muscles which, Mr Mcßride said, resulted from a punch on the back of the head. Fitzgerald, who had been asked if the incident occurred after the whistle had gone, said he had not seen it. But Mr Mcßride interjected: “Yes, it was definitely after the whistle had gone, but he wasn’t hurt in a tackle. It was a punch.” Mr Mcßride refused to elaborate. The three said that North Auckland’s most notable illegal tactic was their approach to scrummaging. The rule which said the

scrum must be formed immediately did not seem to apply here, Mr Mcßride said. “I unde -stand that when the scrva-half has the ball in his ’.ands the scrum must go on and I think that is not happening. I think what occurred in this game was not without exception but it was probably a bit worse today.” Fitzgerald said the North Aucklanders had been allowed considerable latitude in the time they took to set their scrum. “It was the kind of game where you got away with what you could get away with,” he said, referring to

the large amount of illegal play which was a feature of the match. “It would seem that there were times when they actually dictated when they wanted to scrummage and it wasn’t when the referee or the scrum-half had the ball. “I think they were possibly worried about the heavier pack and their ability to contest the scrums.” Mr Telfer added: “The only time when there is a delay is when it is their put in. Peter Sloane (the North Auckland hooker and cap-

tain) was telling the referee when he wanted to go in. “When we had the ball in our hands we could go down when we wanted but when they put it in, until it became like a rugby league scrum where you go down and put the ball in quickly when the scrum is going forward and it comes straight out, which is always to the advantage of the home side.” Fitzgerald said jerseypulling and various tactics designed to interfere with possession won by either side had started early in the match.