Canty produces a big pack for league final

Press, 9 August 1985, Page 32

Canty produces a big pack for league final

By

JOHN COFFEY

Canterbury will have its biggest forward pack this winter when it opposes Waikato in the New Zealand inter-provincial rugby league zone final at Davies Park, Huntly, tomorrow.

All three players who have filled the prop positions in the previous eight games this season have been named. Ross Taylor has recovered from a broken finger, and will partner Brent Todd in the frontrow, while Paul Truscott switches to a second-row role. Mr Ray Haffenden, the Canterbury coach, said yesterday that including Taylor, Todd and Truscott would allow the side to tighten up its pattern in the early stages as a prelude to bringing the backs increasingly into the play. Both Mr Haffenden and the Canterbury captain, David Field, have a healthy

respect for Waikato, in spite of the apparent ease of Canterbury’s 28-12 win at Hamilton in April. Canterbury has been restored to full strength with the recovery of Taylor and the availability of Steve Campbell, who missed the 10-4 victory over Wellington in the final Rugby League , Cup challenge of the season late last month. Campbell resumes his centre combination with Lance Setu, enabling Field to revert to stand-off half — where he will mark another former Kiwi, Billy Kells — and Phil Bancroft to carry out the scrum-half duties. Waikato has also been able to choose its most

experienced line-up from a 21-man squad announced two weeks ago. As well as the provincial title, the sides will be vying for the right to challenge Auckland at Carlaw Park next Tuesday night. Individually, the players have valuable opportunities to impress members of the New Zealand selection panel, as the deadline of August 25 approaches to announce the Kiwi team to tour Britain and France. The Waikato loose forward, Neville Ramsay, the second-rower, Mark Horo, and the centre, Pihama Green, were national trialists earlier this year. Its full-back, Vaun O’Callaghan, is to travel to Australia with the Junior Kiwis, and Trevor Clark, the hooker, has represented New Zealand Maoris, and spent the last two northern seasons with Leeds in the British first division.

Ramsay is something of an enigma in tour selection speculation. Waikato and Northern Districts have used him at the back of their scrums all season, yet he was placed in his old scrum-half role in the Kiwi trial, and has also had experience as a centre in junior football. Although small for a (transplanted) forward, Ramsay, according to Field, has “one hell of a workrate,” and seems certain to cause his Canterbury opponent, Barry Edkins, and Bancroft some consternation with his activities on the fringes of the scrums and play-the-balls. Having Kells and the captain, John Matthews, in the halves, should guarantee the Waikato backs, and especially the strong-running Green and the elusive wing, Shane Horo, plenty of opportunities if Davies Park stays firm. But Canterbury travels north today with the confidence of an unbeaten record and the chance to seek provincial championship honours to add to the earlier Rugby League Cup success. The teams:—

Canterbury: Kobin Alteld; Mike Kerrigan, Steve Campbell, Lance Setu, Marty Crequer; David Field (captain), Phil Bancroft; Brent Todd, Wayne Wallace, Ross Taylor; Adrian Shelford, Paul Truscott; Barry Edkins. Reserves (from) Mark Forsey, Tony Wildermoth, Don Swanston, David Campbell. Waikato: Vaun O’Callaghan; Shane Horo, Walter Toka, Pihama Green, Michael Tahu; Billy Kells, John Matthews (captain); Rangi Tiananga, Trevor Clark, Tim Kara; Mark Horo, Darren Harris; Neville Ramsay. Reserves, Terry Rapana, Lewis Hill.