Counties impress in poor conditions

Press, 21 June 1984, Page 36

Counties impress in poor conditions

PA Auckland Counties had a grand rehearsal for their rugby match against France on Tuesday with a 20-13 win over New South Wales at Pukekohe yesterday. New South Wales dominated the set pieces, had a monopoly of ball, but Counties took their chances in sloppy conditions, scoring four tries to two. New South Wales’ talented jumpers, Peter Fitzsimons and Stephen Lidbury, won the lineouts, 18-7, in the first half.

Counties, however, made more intelligent use of their meagre share of the ball, scoring three tries to lead, 16-3, at half time. The Counties loose-for-wards, Alan Dawson and the brothers Teina and Te Rau

Clarke were generally first to the loose ball. Superior tactical kicking gave Counties a decided advantage.

Although the full-back, Brett Codlin, was off line with touchfinders, his positional play was excellent and, with Robert Kururangi and George Hawira covering the wings, the New South Wales kicks ahead were cleared with relative ease.

The Counties backs were given space and, with support from the forwards, provided some bright play.

Scores.— Counties 20 (Alan Dawson, Warren McLean, Brett Codlin, Chris Key tries: Codlin, one conversion, McLean, one conversion), New South Wales 13 (James Black, Stephen Lidbury tries: Chris Stephandellis, one conversion, one penalty).