Canty romps away to 42-3 victory

Press, 15 July 1987, Page 76

Canty romps away to 42-3 victory

From

BOB SCHUMACHER,

in Blenheim

Canterbury incorporated two styles into one game against Marlborough, at Lansdowne Park, yesterday afternoon, and it would have derived considerable satisfaction from the outcome of both.

A strong south-easterly wind helped shape the course of the match. In the first half it favoured Marlborough and Canterbury had to concentrate against an eager and zealous opponent. At the break the teams were on level terms, 3-3, but it was a different-patterned game for the second 40min. The wind continued to blow in the second spell, but Marlborough ran out of puff. Canterbury was able to spread itself on attack and its superior drills and skills allowed it to romp away to a 42-3 victory. The first half provided Canterbury with exactly what its coach, Doug Bruce, wanted in the light of the team’s forthcoming national championship programme which opens with an away game against Otago on Saturday. Marlborough was of mean disposition with the wind as its ally. Canterbury’s defence received a rigid test but it passed the examination in spite of a few stressful moments. Within 4min of the second half Canterbury had scored twice; by the end of the third quarter its try tally had advanced to five and the score to 30-3; and Marlborough did well from that point to contain Canterbury until the last 3min when it added two more tries.

“We had to work hard that first half, but it was as we expected,” said Mr Bruce after the match. “They tried a bit in the second half but I wasn’t

really happy until we got those two quick tries after the interval.” Although Canterbury eventually quelled Marlborough’s fervour, the “Red Devils” sparked many explosive moves and there was no lack of spirit in the forwards or guile in the backs, especially Paul Karena at centre, who ghosted

through the smallest of openings. The Marlborough captain, Frank Marfell, and his fellow lock, Lenny Mason, a butcher and freezing worker, respectively, shared a close working relationship. They combined to upset the flow of all ball Canterbury might have expected from its big men in the line-outs and it was fortunate for Canterbury that it had other options. They were provided by Grant Mickell, at the back and Murray Davie at the front; and Mickell, especially, was an invaluable source of possession. Marlborough had as many attacking opportunities as Canterbury in the first half and the deadlock at the break was a fair reflection. Both goalkickers had succeeded with their first penalty attempts then missed their next two. Canterbury had every reason to feel peeved after 11 min. With the Marlborough hooker off

the field, a controlled march by the Canterbury scrum towards Marlborough’s line was thwarted by the home team’s flanker, Mike

O’Callaghan, blatantly getting off-side and kicking away the ball. He was penalised, but the referee, Mr Mike Barry, obviously not of British extraction, refused pleas for a penalty try. The feeling that Canterbury was imperceptibly gaining forward control as the match progressed was soon manifested in the second spell. A quick tap from a penalty put Mickell over after 2min and David Ellis won the race to a kick ahead in the fourth minute. That was the end of Marlborough’s winning aspirations, and Canterbury made sure it was confined to defence by dominating all set pieces apart from the scrums. With the second half line-outs going Canterbury’s way, 12-4, and the rucks and mauls, 14-6, the back-line was able to become more offensive. The Marlborough referee, Mr Barry, who awarded Canterbury 16 penalties and the home team only six, may have lost a friend or two in the region, but he never blinked at the often heard raucous cry: “What are they paying ya ref.” For Canterbury, David Ellis (2), Anthony Dalzell (2), Grant Mickell, Wayne Burleigh, John Buchan, scored tries; Robbie Deans kicked four conversions and two penalties. For Marlborough lan Stark kicked a penalty. In the curtain-raiser, Marlborough Colts beat Canterbury under-21, 12-9.