Top two shield unions

Press, 23 September 1983, Page 19

Top two shield unions

Tomorrow's game will bring together the two most successful unions in the history of Ranfurly Shield rugby. Auckland has played more shield games than any other union — 81 — and Canterbury is next on the list, with last Saturday’s game being its sixty-eighth.

Auckland has had two very long tenures, the first beginning in 1905 when it took the trophy from Wellington. It survived 23 defences before Taranaki was successful in 1913.

This was obviously a very good Auckland side, although Ranfurly Shield rugby generated nothing like the fervour then which it does today. The Auckland Rugby Union, in fact, found defending the shield more trouble than it was worth, because of the harm being done to club rugby. Canterbury made two challenges in this period. It was beaten 29-6 in 1906 and 6-4 in 1910. The next shield encounter between Canterbury and Auckland was in 1932 when Canterbury was the holder. It had a very good side then and won comfortably, 14-0.

Auckland was the holder at the next meeting in 1935 and Canterbury scored four tries to one to win, 16-13. The winning try was scored by Geoff Parsons, a second five-eighths not long out of St Andrew’s College. It was an exciting finish, with Auckland’s Ron Bush narrowly missing a penalty goal in the last minute. Canterbury was well into its longest tenure to date when it faced Auckland in

1955. This was a bruising match which Canterbury won 12-6, thanks to late tries by Morrie Dixon and John Buxton.

The tenor was set in the first minute when the Canterbury full-back, Kevin Stuart, was carried off in a stretcher after being illegally tackled. Auckland’s second long run began when it took the shield from Southland in 1959 and it made a record 30 defences before Wellington became the next holder towards the end of the 1963 season.

However, Canterbury came very close to a successful challenge in 1960 and this game ranks amongst the greatest of all shield matches.

There was high drama even before the teams took the field. The Auckland team’s bus got caught up in traffic and was so late in getting to Eden Park that

the start of the game was delayed 10 minutes. The scores chopped and changed throughout, but Canterbury led, 18-14, when what was almost certainly the last scrum went down. The Auckland hooker, Colin Currie, took a tighthead off Dennis Young, and Mac Herewini, getting the ball unexpectedly, pitched a short kick towards the Canterbury line. The ball bounced badly for Canterbury and Waka Nathan was put on-side when it brushed through a Canterbury hand. Nathan grabbed the ball and with his captain, Wilson Whineray, yelling “under the posts, Waka; under the posts” Nathan scored the try as instructed. Mike Cormack’s conversion won the game for Auckland. Another good story from this game involves Kel Tremain, then with Auckland and obviously a player of

the future, and “Tiny” Hill, who was coming to the end of his days with Canterbury.

Hill had cause to warn Tremain late in the game, to which Tremain made the immortal reply of: "Have a go, Granddad.” History records that Tremain left the field on a stretcher after the next line-out.

Canterbury tried again to end Auckland’s run in 1962, but the northern side was then at the peak of its powers and won convincingly, 15-6. The captains that day were the brothers, Bob (Auckland) and John Graham. Auckland had the shield back in 1966, and Canterbury was a ( little unlucky when it had to settle for an 11-11 draw. Three of Canterbury’s points on that occasion came from a penalty goal by the present coach, Alex Wyllie. Canterbury was the holder when the provinces

next met in 1971 and Canterbury was warmly favoured to win. But despite having nearly 70 per cent of the possession Canterbury made too many mistakes and some booming goal kicks by Bryan Williams carried Auckland to a 20-16 victory. Canterbury got its revenge, though, the next year, and this was the last time Canterbury and Aucklad have competed for the shield. Doug Bruce, now Mr Wyllie’s coaching partner, scored the only try in the 12-6 result.

It was an exciting game, though, and it was only frantic tackles that twice stopped Bryan Williams from scoring. So, the record after 10 shield games is Auckland five wins, Canterbury four and one draw, which favoured Auckland as the holder.