Rugby clash sure to be testing

Press, 18 March 1989, Page 28

Rugby clash sure to be testing

The naming of Wayne Smith at first five-eighths in a Cantabrians rugby team to play Centurions of Wellington at Rugby Park on Sunday will arouse memories of a vivid match seven years ago. It was "Smith’s Run” in Wellington in 1982 that was instrumental in Canterbury lifting the Ranfurly Shield from the home side, beginning a record-equalling tenure for the red-and-blacks. Smith’s present mettle will be fully tested on Sunday by a Centurions side that comes close to being a full strength Wellington representative team.

• The Centurions (and Wellington)— coach, Alan Muir, reportedly does not concur with that view. Muir is quoted in the glossy, national cham-pionship-style match programme as saying: “This not a Canterbury-Wellington thing in disguise, or any other way. We want it promoted as an enjoyable, attractive match for a very deserving charity.” (The Burwood spinal unit). But Muir’s presence, and that of the new Canterbury selector-coach, Frank Jack, as Cantabrians coach, along with the calibre of the teams, would suggest there will be a little more edge to the encounter than is normally found in a festival match. The Centurions line-up boasts six All Blacks in John Gallagher, John Schuster, the

former Wairarapa-Bush midfielder, Marty Berry, Murray Pierce, Brian McGrattan and Hika Reid.

Pierce, however, has been bracketed in a locking position with the former MidCanterbury representative, Vernon Muir, who played for Bumside last season. The Cantabrians side also includes six players who have worn the silver fem — Smith, Warwick Taylor, Graeme Bachop, Albert Anderson, Andy Earl and John Buchan. Earl and Anderson have been chosen to lock the scrum, allowing the mobile ball-player, Chris England, to try his skills from No. 8. Murray Henderson, a former Manawatu captain, is in fine early-season form, carrying on from his impressive performances for Marist and Canterbury B towards the end of last season. Graeme Bachop will renew his acquainance with Smith, begun a little tentatively at Tinwald last Saturday. Both are exciting attacking players. If they can also achieve harmony, a rare treat may be in store.

One individual clash which promises to be more absorbing than most is that between Schuster, the incumbent all Black second five-eighths and the current New Zealand sevens player, and rising star, Wiremu Maunsell.

Both seem to be slightly out of position, at centre, but the extra space afforded them could create some sparks. For the purists, an interesting battle in the front row looms between McGrattan, Rein and Hullena, and Tavita Sio, Buchan and Tala Kele. Solid displays by Sio and Kele should give them the front running for the propping positions in the Canterbury side. Sio, interestingly, had considerable success jumping at the front of the lineouts for a Cantabrians XV against Canterbury Maoris last Wednesday evening.

Verhoeven and Pierce versus Earl and Anderson, providing all are available, presages a lineout contest that should also intrigue the connoisseur. The teams are:—

Centurions: John Gallagher, Nigel Geaney, John Schuster, Chris Welch, Marty Berry, lan Calder, Neil Sorensen; Rob Cheval; Ross Karam, Marc Verhoeven, Murray Pierce or Vernon Muir, Mike O’Leary, Lawrence Hullena, Hika Reid, Brian McGrattan. Cantabrians: Richard Connell, Mark Vincent, Wiremu

Cantabrians: Richard Connell, Mark Vincent, Wiremu Maunsell, Andrew Simcock; Warwick Taylor, Wayne Smith, Graeme Bachop, Chris England, Murray Henderson, Albert Anderson, Andy Earl, Gavin Hill, Tala Kele, John Buchan, Tavita Sio.