Auckland scores fourth successive half-century

Press, 26 June 1989, Page 21

Auckland scores fourth successive half-century

PA Napier Auckland posted its fourth successive halfcentury against Hawke’s Bay in winning a national first division championship rugby match 50-12 at McLean Park on Saturday. But there was a little consolation for the Bay in that the All Black-stacked Auckland side did not manage to surpass the previous three scorelines — 62-9 in last year’s Ranfurly Shield match at McLean Park, 56-18 in the 1987 shield match and a then record 65-6 in the 1984 championship clash. Auckland was far too

strong up front, with player-of-the-day Gary Whetton at the centre of a powerful scrum and winning much of the lineouts. The platform enabled Auckland to make relatively light work of the heavy underfoot conditions with the forwards scoring five of the eight tries. The All Black winger Terry Wright also scored two tries — the first, after only eight minutes, was his 100th first-class touchdown, and the second in the second spell capped a magnificent Auckland movement which began on its own line. It was appropriate that

Grant Fox scored the final try and added the conversion to bring up the half-century. His 22-point. haul took his tally in six matches against the Bay since 1982 to 102. The first half featured a tremendous display of goalkicking'from Fox and the Bay skipper Matt Cooper. Fox kicked five from six difficult attempts while Cooper slotted all four of his penalty shots, two from close to halfway. Cooper’s mighty efforts kept his team within respectable distance at half-time, with Auckland leading 28-12. Some spirited play by

the home team in the third quarter stopped Auckland adding to its score until the All Black flanker Michael Jones’s first try in the 18th minute. Jones, who had had a quiet game, suddenly burst into prominence with two tries within nine minutes to set Auckland on the way to the 50 mark. Auckland 50 (Terry Wright 2, Michael Jones 2, Zinzan Brooke, Marty Brooke, Sean Fitzpatrick, Grant Fox tries, Fox 6 conversions and 2 penalties) beat Hawke’s Bay 12 (Matt Cooper 4 penalties). Half-time 28-12.