Bancroft made his mark against Australia

Press, 3 July 1985, Page 38

Bancroft made his mark against Australia

Halswell has no more determined advocate for its rugby league cause than Phil Bancroft, and there has been mutual regret between club and player that conflicting commitments have prevented him from appearing in two recent premiership fixtures. Only Hornby, of the six remaining serious contenders, seems assured of participating in the championship semi-finals later this season. Halswell, the losing grand finalist last year, is vying with Kaiapoi, Papanui, Linwood and Addington for the other places. Narrow losses to Papanui and Linwood have harmed Halswell’s prospects of at least emulating its 1984 performance. Bancroft, the only Halswell member of the provincial A squad, was missing each time. Bancroft was Canterbury’s reserve back against West Coast at Greymouth on the week-end that. Eapanui headed off

Last Wednesday night, he was at scrum-half for the Central Districts Invitation XIII against Australia at Lower Hutt while Halswell was conceding a three-point margin to Linwood. It rankled Bancroft that he had been reduced to a non-combative role at Greymouth. He had no such regrets immediately afer his first international appearance — though, admittedly, he was not then aware that Linwood had beaten Halswell.

The only Canterbury member of the Central invitation side, Bancroft had other disadvantages to overcome in addition to a lack of familiarity with his team-mates. Though very proficient behind the pack, Bancroft has had most premier grade experience at stand-off half. And he was pitted against the highly-regarded Manly-War-ringah player, Des Hasler. But it is not in Bancroft’s nature to be overawed: by.

the reputations of his opponents. He was quickly and smoothly into his stride under the Lower Hutt Recreation Ground floodlights. Two long and accurate line kicks from Bancroft

By

JOHN COFFEY

provided Central with an early territorial advantage, and in the seventh minute Bancroft initiated the move which led to the try scored by Central’s left wing, John Gray.

Bancroft was alert to a defensive weakness in the Australian ranks on the short side of a play-the-balL He displayed his characteristic acceleration to draw one of two Australians out of position and linked with his youthful captain, James Goulding, whose timely pass left Gray with an overlap. So enthusiastically did the Central invitees tackle that Australia did not take the lead until just before halftime, and ' then from an interception by the wing, John Ferguson. Eventually the tourists won, 24-4, but there was unanimous agreement from both camps that Central had exceeded -all expectations.’, r-

The four national selectors in attendance could hardly have failed to compare " Central’s courageous display with the disappointing effort by South Island at Christchurch three days

earlier. True, the Australians did not have their captain, Wally Lewis, on the field at Lower Hutt to outflank the close defence with his spiralling, pin-point passing. But the Central outside backs positioned themselves much better on defence than their southern counterparts — Bill Baker, a centre for South and wing for Central, benefited from his experiences in Christchurch. Bancroft was used as the pivot of Central’s attacking manoeuvres, a role that he seemed to relish. His tackling was also of a high standard, and he singlehandedly stopped the Australian hooker, Greg Conescu, making the last metre to the try-line as Central desperately held on to a 4-2 advantage. It was not Bancroft’s fault that Hasler claimed Australia’s last try; the replacement stand-off, Gary Freeman, left a yawning gap. At *2l years of age, Ban--4k

croft is in his second firstclass season, but the match at Lower Hutt was only his fourth full game. Bancroft made his debut against West Coast last year, played in the wins over Wellington and St Helens this winter and was a replacement against both Taranaki and Auckland. In his short career Bancroft has already opposed two international scrumhalves, Neil Holding (St Helens) and Hasler, assisted in gaining possession of the Rugby League Cup, and coolly kicked the goal which enabled Canterbury to draw with Auckland to keep the cup in Christchurch. Clearly, he has the potential and skills to hold a permanent place in representative football. Bancroft is keen to spend a term with a British club, and would not be out of his depth in that country. In the meantime, Halswell will welcome him bjjCk to its ranks.