Bay league side faces tough task

Press, 2 June 1989, Page 40

Bay league side faces tough task

By

JOHN COFFEY

Canterbury can be satisfied with nothing less than a decisive win over Bay of Plenty in its national first division rugby league match at the Addington Show Grounds this evening.

The promoted Bay of Plenty side has not been competitive against the traditionally strongest provinces and meets Canterbury in the first leg of an arduous southern double. On Sunday, Bay of Plenty lines up against West Coast at Greymouth, a game that the Coasters — already victors over Canterbury’s top two teams — are keen to win to further their claims for first division status. Results in the national championship this season have placed the participants on three distinct levels. Wellington continues to challenge Auckland for highest ranking, Canterbury trails in a widening gap, and Bay of Plenty has tailed off.

The Bay’s promotion was recognition of the rapid expansion of rugby league in the district. But it coincided with the transfers of Mark Woods to Wellington and Justin Wallace to Canterbury, and Paul Nahu’s "rookie” clearance to North Sydney.

In spite of losing Nahu and Wallace, Bay is capable of fielding an effective backline. Gary Mercer has appeared in five tests, Glenn Donaldson and Russell Stewart comprise one of this country’s most capable inside back pairings, and the fullback, George Huriwai is a New Zealand Maoris representative.

But the Bay forwards have not been able to restrain their rivals. Their problems this evening have been increased by the return of Gary Leek and Logan Edwards to the Canterbury pack. Canterbury romped away to a 50-12 success in the first round fixture at Rotorua and will be looking for another high scoring margin this evening. Such a one-sided encounter is possible. The Wellington coach, Howie Tamati, dismissed his team’s comparatively modest 36-10 defeat of Bay at Rotorua last Sunday as largely the result of food poisoning which plagued his men the previous night. Although outclassed as a unit by Auckland in their most recent appear-

ance, several of the Canterbury backs produced satisfactory individual displays. The best of them, Neville Woodham, is back with the walking wounded, but Carl Hall, Andrew Vincent, Mike Dorreen and Whetu Taewa will welcome the less effective Bay defensive pattern. Similarly, Leek — who was especially outstanding at Rotorua — Edwards and John Green should exert control around the play-the-balls. This evening’s match is the last chance for Canterbury contenders — and Mercer — to challenge for Kiwi trials. But the selectors’ priority this week-end will be Wellington’s home fixture with Auckland on Sunday, when Mr Tamati’s side is determined to repeat its upset of one year ago. Teams for this evening’s match are.—

Bay of Plenty: George Huriwai; Joe Jones, Gary Mercer, Rex Church, Tony Beazley; Russell Stewart (captain), Glenn Donaldson; Ray Packer, Mike Lemon, Llorne Green; Wayne Stewart, Ivan Croft; Doug Unuwai. Reserves: Jason Watts, Craig Heha, Ross Imms, Laurie Knight. Canterbury: Shane Hand; Darryl Henare, Mike Dorreen, Andrew Vincent, Whetu Taewa; Carl Hall, Justin Wallace; Russel Tuuta, Michael Crawford, Moko Rangiaho; John Green (captain), Gary Leek; Logan Edwards. Reserves: Shane Te Huia, Glenn Grut, Willie Naoupu, Ron Simanu.