Canterbury has revitalised provincial rugby league

Press, 31 May 1985, Page 21

Canterbury has revitalised provincial rugby league

By

JOHN COFFEY

The transformation in the attitudes of players, officials and spectators towards inter-provincial rugby league in Canterbury in just a few weeks has been quite remarkable. Pride has been restored.

Last season Canterbury was to have repeated its recent pattern of home-and-away matches against Wellington and West Coast in the grandly-titled southern first division championship. There was a nebulous plan for the over-all winner to oppose the northern champion for the right to meet Auckland. It was almost a relief when Wellington withdrew. Canterbury duly won both fixtures with West Coast, but there never was any real prospect of it lining up against Waikato as a prelude to tilting at Auckland’s top ranking. Provincial football had never been lower in the estimation of all concerned. Most people associated with the sport considered it an irritating interruption to the club programme. On a representative basis, it had

been outstripped by the inter-districts series.

Happily, some Canterbury administrators were not prepared to allow the status of the provincial team to suffer further derision. It was by no means an original thought to send the side on a northern tour, but at last there were sufficient people prepared to look beyond the financial and other logistical risks. Among them was the Canterbury (and South Island) coach, Ray Haffenden, and the results achieved are a tribute to his sterling deeds away from the playing fields as much as they are to his inventiveness and manner in plotting training techniques and match tactics.

For too long the players had been treated with a second-class outlook. Interprovincial fixtures, too, had been relegated below club games by being scheduled for Saturday afternoons so they would not interfere with the premiership. It was significant, then, that after Canterbury had

beaten the powerful British club, St Helens, last Sunday one of the more seasoned members of the side remarked that “everyone wants to play for Canterbury now.” He was voicing the feelings of his fellow squad members. A few nights earlier they had participated in an even more thrilling draw with Auckland in defence of the Rugby League Cup. Just as a very late try by David Field clinched victory at the expense of St Helens, it had been a last-minute touchdown by Paul Truscott which kept the cup in Christchurch. Field, Truscott and a number of other Canterbury representatives had begun a truly memorable eight days of rugby league by sharing in South Island's draw with Auckland in the final of the Travelseekers inter-districts championship at Greymouth. It said much for the spirit

in the Canterbury camp that the disappointment of conceding the districts title on a count-back of scoring percentages — and with it entry into the Kiwi trial on June 5 and the 1986 National Panasonic Cup tournament in Australia — did not dim the enthusiasm of Field and his men. Canterbury has beaten Taranaki, Wellington, Waikato and St Helens, and drawn with Auckland. It still faces home-and-away fixtures against West Coast,

and Wellington is to visit Christchurch to complete the southern first division round-robin.

On present form Canterbury should have the measure of its traditional rivals to qualify for the inter-zone final against the northern winner on the week-end of August 10 and 11. Victory in that match would give Canterbury another challenge to Auckland, provided Auckland can be persuaded to agree to a date and venue.

Both captain and coach are realistic in appreciating that Canterbury still has its failings. Yet Canterbury need have no qualms in insisting that Auckland accept a rematch. It can only serve to promote the chances of more Canterbury players being considered for the Kiwi tour to Britain and France.

Mr Haffenden has not just placed Canterbury on a path to rugby league success. His emphasis on skills training has given the players the confidence to dabble in the unorthodox. On occasions they have been too ambitious, as Mr Haffenden readily admits. “Sometimes they are trying things at the wrong times,” he said after the St Helens game. “But if I was to stop them trying they might go back into their shells, and we don’t want that. It is a shame we haven’t had an easy game to perfect the timing.” The large crowds which attended Canterbury’s clashes with Auckland and St Helens appreciated the positive outlook of the home team. Standing ovations from packed grandstands have not before been associated with provincial football at the Show Grounds.

It might be said that had Canterbury capitalised on a greater proportion of the scoring opportunities created in those encounters it would not have had to suffer the pulsating finishes.

Auckland was able to cover its defensive deficiencies up front by having the pace to cut down the Canterbury players short of the try-line. More speed would be a luxury. But Canterbury has the most formidable forward formation in the country and the backs have displayed as much dedication. The newcomers to firstclass football all justified their promotions. Steve Campbell made an immedi-

ate impact with his three tries against Taranaki, and his centre partner, Lance Setu, complements Campbell’s evasive running with strength on both defence and attack. Heemi Wihongi had a particularly memorable match against Wellington with his timely entrances from full-back. So well did Brent Todd perform at prop against St Helens that officials with the touring team discussed the possibility of him spending an off-season in the British first division. Aged 20, Todd is a former Junior Kiwi well on course for national senior honours. Recognition ot the present quality of southern forward play was given by the New Zealand selectors when they named Wayne Wallace,

Adrian Shelford, Ross Taylor (as a reserve), and the West Coaster, Brent Stuart, in the trial XIII to oppose Auckland next Wednesday night. It is to be hoped that Truscott and Barry Edkins were not overlooked on the score of age. Truscott (30) and Edkins (28) still have much to offer, not the least to a team which will be embarking on an extremely arduous European tour.

Truscott should have made the corresponding trip in 1980, after his contribution as hooker towards South Island’s upset of Australia. He has been outstanding at prop and second-row this season, and also has experience at loose forward. Edkins’ prolific goal-kicking adds to his allround efficiency in the back three of the scrum or, if needed, in the halves.

Spectators at the Show Grounds have recently been able to appreciate the talents of two international scrum-halves, Clayton Friend (Auckland) and Neil Holding (St Helens). But they would have equally recognised the high workrate of Mark Forsey and the effervescence of Phil Bancroft behind the Canterbury packs. The finishing abilities of Mike Kerrigan on one flank, and Marty Crequer’s flair in roving from his wing to capitalise on infield attacking chances, have increased Canterbury’s attacking resources. Kerrigan has claimed four tries in the province’s last three games.

Fourteen of the 18 Canterbury players have been among the scorers in the five matches. Canterbury has an aggregate of 138 points and has conceded 86 — an average result of 2717. More important than the statistics is the fact that provincial rugby league has been resuscitated when almost reduced to its last gasp.