Win wanted for balance

Press, 5 August 1983, Page 32

Win wanted for balance

By

JOHN COFFEY

Canterbury will need to beat Wellington at the Show Grounds tomorrow if it is to balance its representative rugby league ledger for the season.

After suffering away losses to Wellington and West Coast, Canterbury enjoyed a convincing win at the expense of West Coast in Christchurch. It now has the chance to square its home-and-away series. Injuries have disrupted Canterbury’s preparation. Mike Williams was the first casualty, and this week he was joined on the sidelines by Pomare Connell and Scott Barrow.

Martin Bennett, a former West Coast and South Island utility back, will make his Canterbury debut in the centres, and Tony Stanley will step up for his first appearance as Barrow’s second-row replacement.

The promotions of Bennett and Stanley will make tomorrow a red-letter day for the Kaiapoi club. It will have four representatives, Bennett combining with Richard Hampton in midfield, and Stanley packing down alongside Russell Tuuta.

Canterbury should not lack team-work. The Sydenham pair, David Field and Mark Forsey, have a fine

understanding in the halves, and Hornby provides three of the forwards, Wayne Wallace, Ross Taylor, and Barry Edkins. Keith Roberts, in his first season as Canterbury’s coach, has not had an easy task because of a disjointed itinerary. But he was heartened by the impressive manner in which Canterbury trained on Wednesday evening. “We are still concentrating on the pattern of moving the ball quickly and having the wings running,” said Mr Roberts. “It almost paid off in Wellington in the first game and I am hoping for a firm ground.

“Wellington’s track record is not too good since it beat Canterbury, 17-15. But we still have to cut off the forwards from linking with the backs, especially Nolan Tupaea,” he said. There is the promise of several intriguing individual tussles tomorrow. Both fullbacks, Robin Alfeld (Canterbury) and Arnold Hema, have positive attitudes; Bennett and Hampton need to restrict the potentially prol-ific-scoring Wellington three-quarters; and, at loose forward, Barry Edkins has experience and skill to combat the very promising Wellington youngster, Philip Henry.