‘Thrilling’ thrashing

Press, 25 August 1986, Page 38

‘Thrilling’ thrashing

PA Auckland The Horowhenua captain, John Bennett, said his team was thrilled with its performance in the Ranfurly Shield challenge against Auckland yesterday, despite a 6-82 trouncing.

Auckland proved too big, strong and fast in their fifth defence for the season at Eden Park. “I don’t think normally the score would have been that high but for that boy Craies,” said Bennett. “You would have to go a long way to see better kicking than that.” Brett Craies, the 23-year-old first five-eighths making his Auckland debut, kicked 30 points and, in doing so, created a

record for the number of conversions in a shield match.

Craies, the son of the former Auckland coach, Brian Craies, missed only one kick at goal in notching 12 conversions and two penalties to beat the mark of the Cantebury fullback Robbie Deans, who converted 10 tries against North Otago in 1983.

“I thought our inside backs tackled well, but experience told against us in the end” said Bennett.

“Okay, we were beaten, but I think we came up here and showed that we are not a small, dying union and that we have a a lot of fire and a lot of hope for the future.” Auckland scored 13

tries, with the wings, Kelvin Farrington and Bernie McCahill, each scoring two. The powerful No. 8, John McDermott, also scored two tries. The former All Black, Andy Haden, and McDermott virtually pleased themselves in the lineouts, while the flanker, Mark Brooke-Cowden, used his pace in some telling raids. Scorers. — Auckland 82: B. McCahill (2), K. Farrington (2), J. McDermott (2), I. Waterson, F. Bunce, J. Drake, M. Brooke-Cowden, P. Fatialofa, T. Wright, J. Kirwan tries. B. Craies 12 conversions and 2 penalties.

Horowhenua 6: C. Laursen 2 penalties.