Old hands lead Mid-Canty to worthy win

Press, 17 May 1984, Page 36

Old hands lead Mid-Canty to worthy win

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

Mid-Canterbury is without several staunch stalwarts this season, but the side still retains a good number of sly foxes in its rugby ranks, and it was the cunning and skills of the experienced men which took the team to a 16-10 victory against Canterbury Country at Leeston yesterday.

Rugby coaches often demand the three “Ps” from their players. The Canterbury Country forwards supplied the important one of possession in quantity and quality to the backs. Sadly the other vital functions were missing. Among the seasoned players from Mid-Canter-bury were the captain, Grant Perry, the flanker, Bruce Parkin, who is nearing a 100 games for his team, and the first fiveeighths, Murray Roulston, an All Black trialist and South Island representative. They all contributed to the success of Mid-Canter-bury in their own different ways. Perry, as the leader, was able to motivate his men by word of mouth as well as his own personal endeavour; Roulston, the tactician, handled defensive situations calmly, competently and was equally assured on attack; Parkin, by picking a defensive weakness on the side of the Country scrum, was able to score a vital try at a crucial time in the last quarter. So, in spite of losing the line-outs by the staggering

margin of 32-12, and getting only the occasional good ball to move, Mid-Canter-bury had the resourcefulness and ability to capitalise on the possession which came its way. Albert Anderson went virtually unchallenged in the leaps in the line-outs, and when the ball was not directed at him, Andy Earl and Allan Martin ensured Country had ample ball. At times, the Mid-Canter-bury forwards were able to grapple the ball away from Country, and this they did several times in precarious positions. But the real troubles for Country started at half-back. Somewhere in the back blocks, the regular Canterbury and Country No. 1 half-back, Bruce Deans, was believed to be crutching sheep. Many a country shearer would have willingly taken his place on the stand if he could have got to Leeston Domain by halftime when Country trailed, 0-6. Mark Rogers had a dreadful time at half-back, his passing was laboured, his decisions quickly read

and stifled by Mid-Canter-bury. Mathew Brown, at first five-eighths, also moved and reacted too slowly. As a result the Country back-line was hamstrung too often, and that negated the speed and agility of the right wing, James Lloyd. Mid-Canterbury’s stubborn attitude, and unrelenting approach retained it the Farmers Centennial Trophy. The team was not without support; certainly its supporters left their mark vocally whereas Country’s good deeds went noticed only by the tooting of a few car horns. For Mid-Canterbury, Parkin and Roulston scored tries; Allan Hill kicked a conversion and a penalty goal; and Roulston added a dropped goal. Mid-Canterbury’s points came from tries by Lloyd and Earl, one of which was converted by Neville Carter. However, Carter succeeded with only one of his five attempts. Mid-Canterbury also won the curtain-raiser when its under 18 team beat Country under 18, 31-0.