Counties know-how tells

Press, 15 July 1985, Page 44

Counties know-how tells

PA Pukekohe The New Zealand Emerging Players team, deprived of its All Blacks and unable to come to grips with atrocious conditions, went down 6-16 to Counties in its final tour game here on Saturday. The Emergers again foundered up front, with the forwards unequal to- their Emerging billing. Their youthful enthusiasm was insufficient to cope with the wet weather know-how of the Counties pack. “We played the conditions better than the New Zealand guys,” said the Counties coach, Mr John Hughes. “Warren McLean’s try in the second half was the turning point of the game, no question about that. “That swung the game, we were never going to lose after that.” It was Counties’ final warm-up for the national championship and Hughes was pleased with two players in particular. “Lachie Cameron tackled very well in midfield. He’s such a good player.” Mr Hughes said that the new lock, Mac McDonald, also impressed on his debut. He summed it up sue-

cinctly when he said: “We had an awful lot of experience. I think it told in the finish.” The Emerging Players coach, Mr Tiny Hill, agreed his forwards were deficient in some areas. He reiterated that he, and the selectors, Mr Brian Lochore and Mr Bryce Rope, were thinking of South Africa when they picked the Emerging side. They must concede now that, internally speaking, their judgment was clouded in the choice of forwards.

Clearly the Emergers running pattern cried out for mobile tight men and robust loose forwards. In hindsight, a Dale Atkins, a Glenn Rich or an Alan Dawson might have helped. The New Zealand Rugby Union would also be wiser to have the Emerging Players tour overseas rather than internally. In total, the tour was not a great success, in spite of the demands made on the players by Mr Hill. Mr Rope, who also saw the game, and Mr Hill will well remember the harddriving Counties forward doctrine.

Dawson was a fine inspiration to his teammates and the Counties better forward organisation resulted in the two tries.

Dawson’s pack piled on to the loose ball, gaining possession for McLean, who sold a dummy and slid over eight minutes into the second spell.

McLean had earlier wormed his way out of tackles in a squirming run to the line for Peter Dolan’s thirty-second-minute try. Dolan ripped the ball out of McLean’s grasp and spun over the line. Richard Fry added two penalty goals and a conversion while Matene Love kicked two conversions for

the tourists. Lachie Cameron’s tackling completely eliminated the Emerging backline threat, once stopping lan Wood dead in his tracks. That put Counties ahead 13-6, and out of reach of the Emerging players. The Emergers continued to run the ball, but found only frustration in their efforts to breach the strong Counties defence. Scorers:

Counties 16; (Warren McLean, Peter Dolan tries; Richard Fry 2 penalty goals, conversion). New Zealand Emerging Players 6; (Matene Love 2 penalty goals). Halftime score: Counties 9, Emerging Players 6.