Cup defence interest 'amazes’ coach

Press, 31 May 1986, Page 80

Cup defence interest 'amazes’ coach

By

JOHN COFFEY

A new strain of football fever, associated with the Rugby League Cup, has been spreading rapidly among the sporting folk of Christchurch leading up to Canterbury's defence of that venerable old trophy against Auckland at the Addington Show Grounds tomorrow.

Ray Haffenden, the Canterbury coach, said yesterday he was amazed at the amount of interest being taken in an encounter which clearly exceeds the usual bounds of an inter-provincial fixture. There were very large attendances when Canterbury imperiously swept aside the challenges of Waikato and Wellington earlier in the Lion Red challenge series. But only arctic conditions will prevent tomorrow’s match from producing record receipts for a this

status. The build-up could not have been bettered had it been schemed by private promoters. It had its roots in the corresponding cup fixture of last season, when 22 points were rattled on as the lead changed four times in a madcap final nine minutes. When the dust settled the totals were tied at 22-22.

A few days earlier most of the Canterbury players had been in the South Island team which had drawn, 12-12, with Auckland in the inter-districts final at Greymouth. Tomorrow members of both sides have yet another chance to obtain a positive result.

More than that, the individual players will be aware that the match has attracted four of the five New Zealand selectors. Provincial and district football is the stepping

stone to the Kiwi four to Australia and Papua New Guinea in July and August, and, for some, an avenue to a professional career.

The rivalry between Auckland and Canterbury has been increased by other factors. Marty Crequer’s transfer to Auckland and appearance on the wing for his adopted province should spur on a Canterbury team which includes many of his old Hornby club-mates; and the opposing coaches, Mr Haffenden and Bob Bailey, are among those being considered to replace the Kiwi mentor, Graham Lowe. Auckland (with Mark Elia, Darrell Williams,Shane Cooper, Ron O’Regan, Owen Wright, James Goulding and the new recruits, Crequer and Shane Horo) and Canterbury (Wayne Wallace, Ross

Taylor and Brent Todd) also provided most of the outstanding emerging players on the 1985 New Zealand tour to Britain and France.

The more experienced O’Regan apart, all of these “second-year” players will be eager to retain their Kiwi positions this season and earn permanent places in the test line-up. While agreeing that Canterbury maintains its traditional forward strength and that Auckland’s three-quarters live up to the exceptionally high standards of their predecessors, Mr Haffenden does not simplify the outcome as being a battle between the southern pack and northern backs. “We don’t plan to restrict ourselves to the forwards. If our pattern was to go up the middle all day, Auckland woti|d find

it easy to counter,” said Mr Haffenden. “We have enough flair in our backs to try things, even accepting that players like Elia, Crequer, Horo and Williams are hard to handle.” The teams are.—

Auckland: Darrell Williams; Marty Crequer, Mark Elia, Tea Ropati, Shane Horo; Shane Cooper, Gary Freeman; Peter Brown, Tracey McGregor, George Mann; Owen Wright, Dean Lonergan; Ron O’Regan (captain). Reserves: Paddy Tuimavave, James Goulding. Canterbury: Heemi Wihongi; Vaughan Low, Lance Setu, Steve Campbell, Steve Mather; Phil Bancroft, Brendon Tuuta; Brent Todd, Wayne Wallace (captain), Ross Taylor; Esene Faimalo, Barry Edkins; John Green. Reserves: Harry Tipene, Gary McLauchlan.

Referee: Mr Paddy Byrne (West Coast).