Rugby League Marist-Western moves to 3-point lead

Press, 26 June 1989, Page 24

Rugby League Marist-Western moves to 3-point lead

Marist-Western Suburbs advanced to a three-point lead in the Canterbury rugby league premiership after a dramatic encounter involving Linwood and Addington at the Addington Show Grounds yesterday. After trailing by six points at half-time, Linwood dominated the second half to beat the second-placed Addington, 20-6. But the match will be mostly remembered for the illegalities which did niether club any credit and which led to the dismissals of two Canterbury representatives, John Green (Addington) and Justin Wallace (Linwood).

Green was serving a second term in the sin-bin when he raced 30m to join a brawl which had developed at a scrum. Some time later

Wallace was also sent off and will be charged with making a head-high tackle. In the curtian-raiser, Mar-ist-Western gained a hardearnend 12-4 success over Papanui, enabling it to retain the lan Barr Memorial Cup, which is contested annually between those clubs and Hornby. On Saturday Hornby further dented the chances of Halswell reaching the championship semi-finals with a 14-8 win at Leslie Park, while Eastern Suburbs improved its top-four prospects by beating Sydenham 22-6 at Wainoni Park. Kaiapoi had a bye.

Forwards dominated most proceedings after a week-end of frequent rain, and two of them, Russell Tuuta (Linwood) and Jeff Bates (MaristWestern), gained yesterday’s

"man of the match” awards. PREMIERSHIP POINTS

Linwood 20, Addington 6 Linwood: Justin Wallace, Bruce Ashby, Russell Tuuta, Cliff Leney tries; Carl Hall two goals. Addington: Vince McCue try; Neil Connell goal. Half-time, 0-6. Referee, Mr Jim Stokes. The inane actions of several individuals on both teams tended to cloud what

would otherwise have been a fine revival by Linwood after Addington had appeared a likely winner at half-time of the main match yesterday. A lack of discipline was evident from the tenth minute, when John Green (Addington) and Shaun Noonan (Linwood) were sent to the sin-bins at opposite ends of the field. Green was serving another term when he chose to involve himself in a brawl many metres into the field of Play. Some of the fire was extinguished by Green’s permanent departure and Russell Tuuta’s try soon afterwards clinched victory for Linwood. That made all the more senseless the action of Linwood’s inside back, Justin Wallace, in flattening an opponent with a high tackle.

The obvious lack of cool leadership within Addington’s ranks has cost it matches in the past, and was at least an important contributing factor yesterday. As tempers became heated so the tackling became suspect, and Linwood took advantage.

Vince McCue had contributed the only try of.the first half, a period when Addington functioned reasonably well. The forwards had the size and mobility to make use of the heavy conditions, Graham Larson added impetus from fullback, and McCue and Mike Dorreen were keeping Linwood’s defences busy in midfield.

As the second half advanced, so did Addington’s momentum slow. The loss of Green left the pack short of the muscle needed to contain

1 the likes of Russell Tuuta, Moko Rangiaho and Neil Tuli. A try from his own “bomb” by Wallace brought Linwood level at 6-6 30min from fulltime. Carl Hall then slipped away along the left flank and perfectly set up his wing, Bruce Ashby, for the try which broke Addington’s spirit. Green had gone by the time Tuuta surged through a big hole in Addington’s defensive line, and the veteran Linwood wing, Cliff Leney, emphasised his side’s second half dominance by scoring just before the finish. Marist-Western 12, Papanui 4 Marist-Western: Phil Wildermoth, John MacGougan tries; Bryce Nicholson, Tony Wildermoth goals. Papanui: Phil Smith try. Half-time, 64. Referee, Mr Tony Drake. Papanui fully extended the premiership leader until John MacGougan followed up a kick spilled by a Papanui defender and scored with just smin left. Most of the second spell had been played out in Mar-ist-Western territory, with Papanui just two points in arrears. But as determinedly as Papanui attacked, equally as committed was the MaristWestern defence. Each time Papanui got within a few metres of the Marist-Western try-line it was driven back upfield by Tony Wildermoth’s kicking tactics. Then the long, hard slog would start again for Mark Broadhurst and his forwards. Papanui led for 20min of the opening spell as a result of Phil Smith’s smartly taken try. It needed a spectacular reply by Marist-Western to get back in front. Quick passing and a timely entrance from the fullback, Mike Howse, created the opportunity. Howse perfectly judged his in-pass to the left wing, Phil Wildermoth, who caught the cover wrong-footed. The Marist-Western pack had much to do with the outcome. Jeff Bates was his customary active self, making valuable metres from the play-the-balls, hooking swiftly in the scrums, and returning a most creditable tackle rate. With Bates all the way were Gary Leek, Logan Edwards and Mark Rogers. The lightly built Wildermoths and MacGougan were not hampered by the muddy field, and Howse came through a difficult afternoon in fine style. No Papanui team is an easy opponent for its neighbour, Marist-Western, and Broadhurst had his men primed for a stern challenge. Barry Joseph and Barry Goldsmith especially impressed in the forwards, and Smith and Craig Feutz had their memorable moments among the backs before the mud obliterated the numbering on the Papanui jerseys. Hornby 14, Halswell 8, Hornby: Grant Downing, Simon Angel, Dean Gray tries; George Apelu goal. Halswell: Steve Davis try; Paul Dunn two goals. Halftime, 8-8. Referee, Mr Norm Taylor. It has been far from a memorable season for Hornby but at least the club can boast a premiership double over its arch rival, Halswell, after Saturday's win at Leslie Park.

Hornby almost had the match in safe-keeping within the first 30min, and would probably have done so had its finishing and goal-kicking been better. Equally, it could have lost the competition points in a second spell when its defensive resources were fully extended. The deteriorating weather suggested early points would be vital. Hornby’s scrum-half, Grant Downing, and prop forward, Simon Angel, provided tries which, had they been converted from handy positions, would have taken Hornby out of range. But Steve Davis replied with a bullocking try for Halswell which tied the totals before half-time. As the rain became heavier, the ball more slippery, and the opposing defences more enthusiastic, it was evident there would be little second half scoring. Most of the second spell was played well inside Hornby’s territory. Twice Halswell players were astray with field goals before Hornby mounted the only really concerted attack on Baisweil's try-line. Wayne Wallace, who had set up Downing’s try in similar fashion, ran across field to draw opposing tacklers before slipping the ball to Dean Gray, whose momentum enabled him to become the third prop to feature on the scoresheet. Although Hornby was still frequently pushed back into its own 22m area, Halswell seldom hinted of completely breaking through. Its best chance lay with the strong centre, Pou Tomuli, but a diligent Hornby line kept him at bay. Hornby was given especially good service by Angel, Michael Crawford and Wallace in the pack, with Downing sharing the honours in an even duel with Dale Poulsen, and Mark Nixon not being too hindered by the treacherous surface in his welcome return. ’ Eastern 22, Sydenham 6 Eastern: Warwick Taylor, Gary Fowlds, James West, Steve Campbell tries; Taylor two, Michael Culley goals. Sydenham: Warren Prebble try; Kelvin Williams goal. Half-time, 10-6. Referee, Mr Wilfred Iti. Eastern’s superb ball-hand-ling bamboozled Sydenham on a rain-swept Wainoni Park. Three of the Sea Eagles four tries resulted from swift passing through a number of hands which belied the heavy conditions underfoot. Eastern’s intentions were evident 4 minutes into the match when Sydenham’s defences were split by a perfectly timed pass from the loose forward, Michael Culley. The ball was transferred through several players before a wing, Warwick Taylor, scored. Culley converted. Sydenham was let down by poor handling, more often than not caused by even worse passing. The backs looked dangerous at times, but whenever a break was initiated the finishing was not there. Eastern led 10-6 at halftime, and broke a scoring drought with two converted tries within minutes of each other late in the match. The last was claimed by the captain, Steve Campbell, who backed up a break from one of the forwards, justice for an all-round superb skipper’s performance. Not far behind in the credits were Shane Ngataki, the Hermansson brothers, Nigel and Terry, and the scrum-half, Gary Fowlds. Fowlds was the victim of a heavy late tackle early in the match but came back to score a try from a Taylor and Terry Hermansson break. Sydenham’s try, shortly before half-time, was scored by a wing, Darren Prebble. He would have been even more dangerous, but for the lack of good ball which got to the flanks. Sydenham’s problems were compounded with the loss of key players, Wayne Dunshea and Peter Kaisa, with injury midway through the second half. Culley was also a casualty, suffering a shoulder in- ’ jury.

P W D L F A Pt Marist 11 9 1 1 222 146 19 Addingtn 11 8 0 3 227 126 16 Linwood 11 7 0 4 276 209 14 Eastern 10 6 0 4 155 151 12 Halswell 11 5 0 6 192 186 10 Papanui 10 4 0 6 196 221 8 Sydenhm 11 4 0 7 201 245 8 Hornby 11 3 1 7 143 215 7 Kaiapoi 10 1 0 9 95 206 2