Defending the shield the hard way

Press, 25 July 1984, Page 32

Defending the shield the hard way

By

JOHN BROOKS

It is a time for soulsearching in New Zealand rugby, as the All Blacks face the daunting prospect of salvaging a test series against a well organised and now supremely confident Australian side. There will be many suggestions made urgently by armchair critics on this side of the Tasman, notably a swift burying of the Andy Haden hatchet by the New Zealand Rugby Union’s council, so that the big Auckland lock can be sent to nullify Steve Cutler’s dominance of the line-out. Thoughts will be expressed, too, about the desirability of dispatching Brian Lochore to take over the coaching from Bryce Rope, clearly fazed by the problems arising from the lop-sided itinerary with which the team is confronted. And there is bound to be

a call for a jaded Andy, Dalton to take a spell,' so that Murray Mexted can bring a cavalier touch to the captaincy. More importantly, Hika Reid, who might soon need psychiatric counselling through having to sit out so many test matches, would get a much-needed run.

But, for the moment, these matters must be put aside, because there are pressing problems at home. The first Ranfurly Shield challenge game is only a week away, and because of the sweeping national calls made on Canterbury players, the holder’s preparation has been seriously affected.

Holding the Ranfurly Shield is a mixed blessing for a provincial rugby team. On the one hand players appearing for the holder gain considerable exposure, and this advances their claims for higher honours. But when a side loses several members to national teams, and still has to defend the .shield, that earlier exposure becomes a curse. Thus it is with Canter-

bury at present, and Alex Wyllie’s patience must be sorely tried as he attempts to piece together a side to take on Nelson Bays at Lancaster Park next Wednesday. Surely it is time that Canterbury, in the present instance, or any side which has held the log o* wood for a considerable period, received the benefit of more streamlined planning. Canterbury’s build-up to the first two challenges, on August 1 and 8, has been shockingly hampered by the absence of seven men in Australia with the All Blacks and eight others on tour with either the New Zealand juniors or colts. In trying to draw the frayed edges of his cloth together, Mr Wyllie has been further hampered by the absence through injury of one of his few remaining stalwarts, Murray Davie. Alan Lindsay, the back-up half-back and New Zealand sevens player, has a broken ankle, and Kieran Keane, still a shrewd and competitive footballer, received a leg injury last Saturday.

Things have got so bad that Don Hayes might be puzzled about the identity of some of his troops at training these days. Neither Nelon Bays nor Buller are expected to run Canterbury close in the first two shield matches. But this can scarcely be advanced as a defence of the system; the shield holder, in this intance, is plainly being disadvantaged, and this makes a mockery of New Zealand rugby’s most prestigious competition. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that a bustling Buller could upset a caretaker Canterbury side still searching for combination. Mr Wyllie knows the feeling well; he captained Canterbury when it lost to unfancied Marlborough in 1973. Out of the whole sorry mess, one certain fact emerges. Should Canterbury be able to retain the shield for two challenges and win two tough first division fixtures in the North Island in the period before its All Blacks return, it will have the biggest collection of competent first class footballers ever assembled by any union.