Canty coach calls for total commitment

Press, 27 September 1988, Page 44

Canty coach calls for total commitment

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

The Canterbury rugby coach, Doug Bruce, yesterday called for total commitment from his team as it gears itself towards the challenge which has proved beyond the capabilities of 25 other teams during Auckland’s three-year Ranfurly Shield reign.

Until Auckland was the next game on the Canterbury programme, Mr Bruce was reluctant to debate the issue, but the time of reckoning has dawned and the importance of the occasion is something which he will endeavour to drum into his team at training this week. The loss of the South Pacific championship, a moderate placing in the national championship, last-minute losses in its final two matches at Lancaster Park have all added up to a less than memorable season for Canterbury. But that would all be quickly forgotten should Canterbury aspire to the pinnacle of what New Zealand has to offer — the Ranfurly Shield.

Undoubtedly Canterbury has been written off in many quarters as a

real threat to Auckland because of its failure to match North Auckland or Wellington away and its late surrendering of the Otago and Counties games at Lancaster Park, but a shield match is something different, mere mortals

transform into superhumans.

The Counties coach, John Hughes, is one who subscribes to the view that Canterbury will give Auckland a shakedown. His opinion was offered after Counties had scored its first win in seven matches against Canterbury on Saturday. Mr Hughes, for many years a rugged member of the Counties front row and a former North Island representative, accorded Canterbury a reasonable chance.

“I still think Canterbury will give a good Ranfurly Shield challenge. I don’t want to tell them how to play the game but I just thought with all the ball they got they should have moved it a bit wider sometimes,” he said in reference to Canterbury’s performance against his

“I rate Canterbury. I think they’re a proud side and they’re a good side when they’re playing for the Log O' Wood. They’re a good challenger and I wish them well.” Mr Bruce said that the attitude had seemed right at training but he was disappointed at the lack of commitment in the second half against Counties.

“We stood off from them and let them run. I thought they had played the curtain-raiser before the main game.”

While Mr Bruce said the importance of the challenge was known by all players, he said that the team had an unusual mixture of experience coming into the match. “Some have taken the shield, some have held it and others are new to it.”