Canty a disappointing side in the inter-provincial final

Press, 12 August 1985, Page 26

Canty a disappointing side in the inter-provincial final

Canterbury's representative rugby league season ended in disappointing fashion when it was beaten, 21-8, by Waikato in the final of the national inter-provin-cial championship at Huntly on Saturday.

The home team overcame an early deficit to inflict upon Canterbury its first loss in nine games this winter. Waikato now advances to a showdown with Auckland at Carlaw Park tomorrow evening.

It was not only Canterbury’s proud reputation — earned by its capture and defence of the Rugby League Cup and defeat of the top British club, St Helens — which suffered on a sticky Davies Park surface.

Individually, the Canterbury contenders for the Kiwi team to tour Britain and France did their chances no good just two weeks before the New Zealand selectors make their final deliberations.

Waikato’s prospects of

having a sizeable contingent in the touring squad were enhanced. Neville Ramsay, the sturdy little loose-for-ward who was chosen as “man of the match,” Mark Horo, a hard-working second-rower, and the strong centre, Pihama Green, all justified their inclusion in the Kiwi trial earlier this season.

Shane Horo, on the rightwing for Waikato, also boosted his prospects of national recognition, at the expense of Canterbury’s 1983 Kiwi, Marty Crequer, who was marking Horo on Saturday. The first of Horo’s two tries, just before half-time, was a telling blow to Canterbury’s chances of completing a cup and championship double. Waikato was leading, 11-6, when the ball was moved towards Horo’s wing and young Vaun O’Callaghan joined in from fullback. Horo took an in-pass from O’Callaghan, scythed back infield, wrong-footed the cover defence and ran

around the Canterbury fullback, Robin Alfeld, in a 30m sprint to score. Canterbury never threatened to overhaul its 11-point deficit, though it dominated the second half territorially and Barry Edkins kicked his fourth penalty goal. As if to emphasise the spirit with which W'aikato had accepted the challenge of toppling a more favoured rival, Horo finished the game in spectacular fashion. He kicked high over Alfeld’s head, was rewarded with a favourable bounce, and retrieved the ball with upstretched hands to complete his memorable solo effort. That manoeuvre also testified to the problems Canterbury experienced in controlling possession. Numerous handling errors prevented Canterbury from mounting the combined forward thrusts which were so effective on its unbeaten northern tour, draw with Auckland and defeat of St Helens in earlier appearances.

It was not only th& basic fundamentals which let Canterbury down. The coach, Ray Haffenden, had a prematch plan to switch the robust second-rower, Adrian Shelford, with a centre,

Lance Setu, at a scrum when in an attacking position. When the ploy was attempted another Canterbury forward needed medical attention and the element of surprise was lost.

Shelford came closest to scoring for Canterbury in the second spell, only to be held up centimetres from the Waikato try-line on a sixth tackle. The Waikato defence succeeded magnificently in stifling a Canterbury combination that had been averaging four tries per match against all opposition.

The Waikato coach, Laurie Stubbing, revealed after the win that he had used a video tape of a State of Origin encounter between New South Wales and Queensland to assist in motivating his men and emphasising the need for stern tackling.

So lacking in lustre was Canterbury that a cynic might suggest it spent its time watching old re-runs of soap operas.

The third Waikato try went to the hooker, Trevor Clark, who ran strongly on to a pass from a fellow forward and surged across to wipe out Canterbury’s initial four-point advantage.

Clark, who has played for New Zealand Maoris and Leeds, is making a late bid to overtake Wayne Wallace, of Canterbury, as understudy to Howie Tamati on the Kiwi tour.

Similarly, O’Callaghan — who will tour Australia with the junior Kiwis later this month — has gradually come into contention as a full-back candidate. His consistently impressive form could be something of an embarrassment to his father, Bill O’Callaghan, who is the convener of the New Zealand selection panel. One of the few Canterbury players to stamp any sort of an impression on the match was Phil Bancroft, who was his customary lively self at scrum-half without ever quite wriggling free of the tenacious Waikato tacklers. Mike Kerrigan managed a couple of promising runs on the Canterbury right wing before being replaced by David Campbell. Scorers.—

Waikato 21 (Shane Horo two, Trevor Clark tries; Vaun O’Callaghan four goals, field goal) beat Canterbury 8 (Barry Edkins four goals). Half-time, 17-6. Referee, Mr N. Kesha (Auckland).