Rugby league on West Coast 75 years old

Press, 2 June 1989, Page 26

Rugby league on West Coast 75 years old

Woe betide anyone in Greymouth this weekend who cannot reel off the players responsible for the greatest day in the history of rugby league on the West Coast. The famous afternoon that the Coasters beat Gus Risman’s Great Britain tourists at Victoria Park is sure to be a frequent topic of conversation during the West Coast’s 75th anniversary celebrations over the next few days.

Britain had won two tests in Australia and drawn the other before succumbing to West Coast. It was to lose only one other match on tour — to the Kiwis in the sole test, 13-8, at Carlaw Park.

No doubt those with longer memories in Greymouth this weekend will note that West Coast enjoyed a more decisive (17-8) winning margin than the national team, and that it scored three tries compared to one by the Kiwis.

That was the midst of a marvellous era for the 13-man code west of the Southern Alps. Auckland was beaten in four of six meetings between 1946 and 1952, Canterbury struggled to be competitive even on its home territory, and Blackball was generally regarded as the most powerful club in New Zealand. But the powerful West Coast forward lineage can be traced back well before the Second World War. Neil Mouat had shared in New Zealand’s series defeat of the 1924 Lions and toured Australia the next year. In 1926 he set off for England as vicecaptain of the New Zealand team but he and

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JOHN COFFEY

another Coaster, John Wright, were among seven forwards suspended after a dispute with the management. Arguably the greatest of the early Coast forwards was Jim Calder, a man of immense strength held in awe even by the most rugged of the British professionals. Like Mick O’Brien, Calder was a Kiwi against two touring sides from Britain and he also packed down against Australians at home and away.

Before Calder was through he had been joined by Billy Glynn, who was an international for four successive seasons from 1935. After the war was over, and transport had improved to the extent that the previously iso-

lated Coasters did not require the best part of a week for a return trip to Auckland to display their prowess, the trickle became a torrent.

John (“Chang”) Newton’s term in the South Island front row lasted

from 1939 to 1952. With him in the 1947-48 Kiwi side which toured Britain and France were Charlie Mcßride, Bob Aynsley (now the West Coast Rugby League president), Ken (“Peter”) Mountford and Arthur Gillman (a transposed Cantabrian), plus two outside backs, Jack (“Nippy”) Forrest and Ray Nuttall.

The outstanding McBride went back to Britain four years later, accompanied by the formidable prop, Bill (“Ginger”) McLennan, who was to appear in 22 consecutive tests, and Frank Mulcare, a brilliant second-rower who played a major role in the humbling of the Australians on both sides of the Tasman in 1952 and 1953.

More recently, Tony Coll topped all of the other 50 West Coast Kiwis by attaining a milestone of 30 test matches while representing the province. Jock Butterfield, who is a co-holder of the national record of 36 tests, first wore the New Zealand jersey from Canterbury.

Both were members of notable partnerships. Coll had Ray Baxendale as his second-row “twin” for much of his career and the combination of Butterfield and (Trevor) Kilkelly was one to be feared from Brunner to Bradford. The Coast also developed many skilful backs. Forrest was succeeded almost two decades later by Maurice (“Mocky”) Brereton, though Brereton transferred to Christ-

church soon after his test debut. There was no more determined or courage-

ous centre in international rugby league between 1956 and 1963 than Reece Griffiths, joined as a Kiwi in 1959 by the versatile and accomplished Graham Kennedy, who retired in 1966.

Gordon Smith, still captain-coach of Halswell, accumulated most points by a Coaster in all Kiwi fixtures (135) before, in 1983, joining Hull Kingston Rovers; the prolific place kicker and field goal exponent, Don Ladner, racked up 78 points (28 goals, 10 field goals) in his eight tests. But the greatest of the Coast’s Kiwi backs was arguably the brilliant stand-off half, George Menzies. He appeared in 28 test from 1951 to 1961 and later coached New Zealand.

Two Mountfords, Bill and “Peter,” were Kiwis. They would have been joined by another brother, Cecil, had Wigan not snaffled him off to achieve recognition as the best inside back in Britain early in 1946. Bill and “Peter” Mountford played in that 1946 Coast defeat of the British. The team was.—

Ray Nuttall; “Chick” Teen, Bill Mountford, Jim Curnow, Leo Beban; “Jock” McNaughtan, “Mickey” Ord; Peter Coll, Bob Aynsley, “Chang” Newton; Charlie Mcßride, “Chappie” Mundy; “Peter” Mountford. Teen, Ord and “Peter” Mountford scored trjes, and McNaughtan (three) and Nuttall kicked goals.