Easy win in prospect

Press, 15 August 1984, Page 68

Easy win in prospect

From

KEVIN McMENAMIN

in Hastings

So long as it does not play like it did on its last visit to Hastings two years ago, Canterbury should win the second game in its Lion national championship rugby programme when it meets Hawke’s Bay at Nelson Park today.

The game two years ago was a truly remarkable one. Canterbury won 80 per cent of the possession, spent 60 of the 80 minutes hot on attack, and yet still lost, 21-13. There will be only four, possibly five, survivors from that game in the side today. But the Canterbury coach, Alex Wyllie, recalls it well and, no doubt, the side will be very mindful of it, too, by the time it takes the field.

The four who will be playing again are Victor Simpson, Dale Atkins, Don Hayes and Murray Davie. A fifth could be Kerry

Mitchell, as Mr Wyllie was still undecided last evening as to whether Mitchell or Tony Thorpe would be Pat O’Gorman’s locking partner. After nearly a full season in the reserves, the Marist half-back, Steve Baker, will make his first appearance for Canterbury and a little surprisingly Colin Williamson has been preferred to Wayne Burleigh at first five-eighths. Burleigh will be in his club position of second five-eighths, with James Leggat going into the reserves.

The season so far has not been a happy one for Hawke’s Bay. It has only two wins from six games and both were over minor unions. It made a bad start to its championship programme when it was beaten by Wairarapa-Bush in June and last week it lost to Bay of Plenty. On paper the side

does not look very imposing. A lot of the players are fairly new to first-class rugby and the centre, Peter Jones, and the first fiveeighths, Dan Kirby, will be having their first games. Between the pair is the former Counties back, Graeme Taylor, who at 32 is not short on experience. The props, Neil Porter and Pat Benson, are seasoned campaigners, but apart from the lock, Peter Fulford, the rest of the pack has a distinctly, raw look about it.

There was heavy overnight rain in Hastings yesterday, but not enough to have much effect on Nelson Park, a ground which has excellent drainage, and Canterbury should get the firm footing it desires. Although the Canterbury side at the moment bears only a passing resemblance

to the top XV, it should carry on its winning way this afternoon. The only concern the side need have is that Hawke’s Bay is so down on its luck at the moment that it needs to do something spectacular before it gets disowned. The teams are:

Canterbury: Rod Latham, Andrew McMaster, Victor Simpson, Adrian Boyd, Wayne Burleigh, Colin Williamson, Steve Baker, Dale Atkins, Don Hayes (captain), Pat O’Gorman, Kerry Mitchell or Tony Thorpe, Andy Earl, Chris Earl, Merv Aoake, Murray Davie.

Hawke’s Bay: Billy Henderson, Peter Davis, Peter Jones, Ken Taylor, Graeme Taylor, Dan Kirby, Steve Eddy, Peter Hausmann, Mark Westbrook, Peter Fulford, Dave De Lange, Paul Mooren, Neil Porter, Jim Laughton, Pat Benson (captain).