Kiwis outstanding

Press, 15 July 1985, Page 3

Kiwis outstanding

By

JOHN COFFEY

The Canterbury Kiwis staged what they might be tempted to tell their future grandchildren was one of the great rugby league revivals of all time when they beat a Burnham Invitation XIII, 36-32, at the Show Grounds -yesterday. After trailing 4-28 at halftime, the Kiwis scored six of the seven tries in the third and fourth quarters to slip ahead nine minutes from the end. In other circumstances the respective sides might have been sent to the swabbing sheds and an in-

quiry held. But the match served its purpose by raising more than $2OOO for Mr Tumanako Houkamau, a Burnham soldier who was seriously injured while playing for the camp team last season. An additional benefit came too, in reassembling players who had provided outstanding entertainment to Show Grounds patrons when their careers were in the full flush of youth. More than a few memories were stirred. Rod Walker still has a characteristic smoothness in his passing, Bob Irvine had no peer in his alertness to the

loose ball, and Leo Brown retains much of his acceleration. Even the formidable Adrian Shelford needed a few moments to regain his composure after several collisions with Angus Thompson, while Ray Baxendale had lost little of his renowned enthusiasm to tackle. The 1971 tour teammates, Mocky, Brereton and John Greengrass, were both try-scorers in the third quarter — the opposing defence apparently wilting away to nothing in the face of such illustrious reputations. It was vintage Brereton, however, when New Zealand’s most capped wing surged through an attempted tackle to score what proved to be the match-winning try. Scorers.—

Kiwis 36 (M. P. Brereton two, L. E. Hudson, L. P. Brown, J. Greengrass, R. H. Taylor, R. F. Baxendale tries; B. R. Edkins four goals) beat Invitation XIII 32 (P. W. Bancroft two, A. Shelford two, S. Mather, S. Wells tries; Bancroft four goals). Referee, Mr J. Bergman.