Long history of league rivalry

Press, 5 August 1988, Page 41

Long history of league rivalry

Sunday’s encounter between Canterbury and West Coast will be the 126th meeting of the two provinces, a rivalry that is without parallel in rugby league.

In recent years Canterbury has drawn away in terms of wins and losses. Canterbury’s 18-16 success at Greymouth last year was its seventyfirst. West Coast has been the victor on 52 occasions, and the only draws were at Greymouth in 1957 and Christchurch three years ago.

The trans-Alps fixtures began in 1915, when a Canterbury team travelled by steam train to Arthur’s Pass, stagecoach to Otira, and another train to Greymouth to give West Coasters their first insight of the new Northern Union code.

The Canterbury Rugby

League had been founded only three years earlier, and its two most prominent pioneer administrators, Bill Moyle and Dr Henry Thacker, extended their sporting missionary work to the West Coast. On June 3, 1915, Canterbury achieved a 30-16 win over the first West Coast side to be assembled. The next day Canterbury beat Blackball, 23-10, and only 24 hours later accounted for Hokitika, 33-8. / Mr Moyle addressed meetings at Greymouth, Blackball and Hokitika, winning over many converts. The West Coast Rugby League was officially constituted at a gathering in the Club Hotel, Greymouth, on the night of the inaugural match.

Because of the First World War, inter-provin-cial games were not

resumed until 1919, but the seeds sown by Mr Moyle and Dr Thacker were to return a bumper crop. West Coast first beat Canterbury in 1931, by 37-19 at Greymouth. To prove that was no fluke, the Coasters were 53-26 winners at home the next season, while they dominated South Island rugby league during and after the Second World War.

The association between the two provinces extends beyond on-field competition. As a combination, West . Coast and Canterbury players shared in many a famous South Island triumph, and the mix of southern forwards and northern backs was the formula for many a victorious Kiwi test team.

Canterbury has had cause to be thankful for the services of many West Coasters who crossed the Southern Alps. Its record-holders for most appearances (Mocky Brereton, 53), most tries (Brereton, 46) and most goals and points (Michael O’Donnell, 84 and 192) came from the Coast.

Records between the two provinces are.— Played 125; Canterbury won 71; West Coast won 52; drawn 2.

Biggest wins in Christchurch: 48-3 by Canterbury in 1925, 35-10 by West Coast in 1945.

Biggest wins in Greymouth: 39-8 by Canterbury in 1978, 60-5 by West Coast in 1945.

Biggest match aggregates: 80 points at Christchurch (Canterbury won, 54-26) in 1984, 79 points at Greymouth (West Coast won, 53-26) in 1932.

Most consecutive wins: 11 by Canterbury (19151930) and West Coast (1938-1946).