Country downs Mid-Canterbury

Press, 21 May 1987, Page 38

Country downs Mid-Canterbury

By 808 SCHUMACHER Canterbury Country had every reason to feel very pleased with itself after its narrow, but deserved, 15-12 rugby victory against Mid-Canterbury at the Ashburton Showgrounds yesterday.

Both teams were without “name” players who have often given the match between the two teams added spice, but Country was the more cohesive side and it kept the Farmers Centennial Trophy for the third successive year aginst the once dubbed “mighty men from Mid.”

Canterbury Country, advantaged by having two games, and two wins, under its belt, displayed

the better teamwork in the first half and its 11-3 lead at the interval was well earned, although the match moved in slow motion for long periods as both teams adopted a languid approach. With 30 line-outs, 18 scrums and 13 penalties all in the first spell, there was precious little time for flowing rugby after the set-play pieces. Mid-Canterbury, which delights in dispatching Canterbury teams, whether it be the A side, B team or Country combination, discovered more unity as the match progressed and its only try, five minutes from the finish, was the best of the four scored.

It was started by the right wing, Geoff Frew, a former South Island representative who must have wondered why he had spent all the first half twiddling his thumbs in isolation. Frew elected to create his own action in the second half. He assumed the role of line-kicker and attacker, and he sliced through to start a sustained build-up which moved to both flanks before Frew found himself without a defender in sight. The try and conversion closed the gap to three points, blit Country was in no mood to surrender a match which it had controlled for the most part