League Lions too skilled in 36-14 victory

Press, 26 July 1984, Page 40

League Lions too skilled in 36-14 victory

By

JOHN COFFEY

Five magic minutes for the South Island scrum-half, Glen Gibb, only temporarily diverted the Great Britain rugby league team from its course to a 36-14 victory at the Show Grounds last evening.

Gibb, the smallest man on the field, darted across for two quick tries — the second of them a dazzling effort — to reduce South’s deficit to just 12 points in the third quarter. But Gibb’s brave efforts were far too late to change the outcome of a game that was well and truly decided when Britain led, 22-2, at the interval and then scored its fifth try soon after the resumption. The South defensive pattern had been frequently breached by a British side bent on retaining its unbeaten record in the district fixtures. So dominant were the tourists that there was a distinct possibility their highest total of 56 points, achieved against North Coast of New South Wales, would be exceeded. To its credit, South responded sufficiently well to have a far more creditable scoreline that its Northern and Central counterparts in earlier games. The South recovery came from an unexpected source. Scott Barrow was cornered on the sixth tackle, and put up what appeared to be an innocuous punt. The ball was not smothered by Britain’s cover, Barry Edkins retrieved for South, and Gibb positioned himself perfectly to dart across the tryline.

That effort, and the introduction of Adrian Shelford as a replacement in the South . pack, injected new life into the home team.

Steve Donlan, Britain’s stand-off half, had to hurry back to beat his marker, David Field, to the ball after Field had broken clear and kicked ahead. Only moments later Gibb was again running eagerly on to a pass, and he did not slacken his speed in sidestepping the British fullback, Keith Mumby, to

claim his second try. It had been Gibb who had come closest to breaching the British defences in the first half, and only an allembracing tackle by the big second-rower, Chris Burton, prevented the little West Coast inside back from getting completely away just before the break. The South momentum continued for a short while after Gibb’s second try, and Edkins’ third goal, had closed the gap to 14-26. Wayne Wallace, Boyd Kilkelly and Marty Crequer conspired to again threaten Britain’s in-goal area before the Lions regained their composure. Fittingly, it was the mobile hooker, Kevin Beardmore, who was to restore Britain’s ascendancy. A particularly lively fellow whose path to test selection is blocked by the tour captain, Beardmore was on hand to accept the final pass after Mick Adams had deceived the southerners with a deft stab kick and recovery. Beardmore was injured in the act of scoring and replaced soon afterwards. But he had already done enough to assure himself of the British “man of the match” award with two fine first half tries and a clear majority in the scrums.

The first of Beardmore’s tries had been created when he doubled around a teammate and completed when he brushed off the attempted tackle of the South full-back, Robin Alfeld. The other was a spectacular affair; Mike O’Neill found a hole in South’s defensive line near his own 22m line, Beardmore was in support to keep the movement alive, MUmby carried it on, and Beardmore gratefully accepted a return pass. Curiously, Gibb was also substituted at the time

Beardmore made his departure. He, too, was by then an obvious choice as the South “man of the match.” John Basnett, on the British left wing, used his long strides and positional sense to help himself to two tries; Mumby chimed in to finish off a rush by his halves, Neil Holding and Donlan; and Ellery Hanley became the top try-scorer on tour when he completed the scoring 9min from full-time. Overall, the British were too professional in outlook and performance for a South combination that began with enthusiasm, dropped back a gear to honest endeavour, and briefly had its fires rekindled before the inevitable result was attained.

Ross Taylor and Wayne Dwyer, the South props, could be satisfied with their contributions, even if they must have felt they were running into brick walls trying to breach the British advantage line. Shelford proved that he is good enough — and therefore old enough, at 20 — for this company, and Edkins, in his twenty-second appearance, exceeded his century of points for South. Apart from Gibb and the occasional dab by Field and Crequer, the South backs were able to make little headway. But they did creditably to place restrictions on such obviously talented attackers as Hanley, Holding, Mumby and Basnett. Details —

Great Britain 36 (Kevin Beardmore three, John Basnett two, Keith Mumby, Ellery Hanley tries; David Hobbs four goals) beat South Island 14 (Glen Gibb two tries; Barry Edkins three goals). Half-time, 22-2. Scrums, Britain, 11-6. Penalties, South, 11-7. Referee, Mr T. Drake (Canterbury).