Town Pack Turns Tables On Highly-Rated Country

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31079, 7 June 1966, Page 3

Town Pack Turns Tables On Highly-Rated Country

About 10 minutes from full-time a plaintive note was sounded at Lancaster Park. A Country supporter who previously had happily tootled his team’s successes suddenly sounded the “Last Post” when Town took a 15-6 lead.

Country scored shortly afterwards to make the score 15-11 but, not withstanding this last dab, it was Town’s day and it held on to its lead to achieve a fine victory over the highly regarded Country team. The Town pack smothered and bustled the Country eight, which included four Canterbury representatives and three final New Zealand trialists. For some reason the Country pack lacked the fire and

purpose expected of it, whereas the Town eight—with no reputations to uphold—hoed in, rucked far more cleanly, upset the balance of Country in the line-outs and altogether was a far more tightly knit unit than the highly regarded Country pack. For Town, W. F. McCormick kicked four penalty goals and G. Hay scored a try. For Country, D. Kitchen and D. Wyllie scored tries, A. Wyllie kicked a penalty and I. Doody kicked a conversion. Never Materialised The expected supremacy of the Country pack never materialised. There were odd dashes by A. Wyllie: bursts by A. Hopkinson and J. Francis: but never was there the sight of a Country pack in full flight. The under-rated Town pack easily held Country, even with the absence of J. Baird and J. F. Burns. In the second half H. Meech and M. J. Millar outjumped Francis and Hopkinson and Town’s, nicking was cleaner and far more purposeful. The greatest assets for Town, apart from its forwards, were B. A. Watt and McCormick. Watt had a superb game, he took Davis’s swift passes with ease, kicked intelligently, made some inci-

sive breaks and looked the complete footballer. McCormick was a host in himself. He withstood every test posed by Country’s probing kicks. His handling was immaculate, his line-kicking long and accurate, and when he came into the back-line he posed considerable problems for the defence. Quick And Skilful

The outstanding feature of the match was the quickness and skill of the Town backs. Davis always cleared quickly, Watt was the complete general at first five-eighths, W. Cottrell ran hard and to some purpose but tended to die with the ball, P. Hatchwell. Hay and R. Phelan were competent three-quarters, with Phelan showing up for his cover-defence. The Country backs had their moments. Kitchen was a strong-running five-eighths; R. Ward a determined wing, but over-all the Country backs lacked precision and purpose such as was shown by the Town line. The Town pack gave a great performance. J. N. Creighton was an eager loose forward and R. Wainohu gave a superb display in the loose from his No. 8 position. A. Banks withstood considerable buffeting to gain a lot of ball in the line-outs,

and H. Meech also did well in the line-outs marking Hopkinson.

Hopkinson, playing at No. 8, was a disappointment; Francis had his moments in |he line-outs; A. Wyllie played well but gave away far too many penalties.

The Country backs had their moments. B. Peters was a sound half-back, Kitchen a thrustful mid-field back; and Doody was cool and safe at full-back. Referee: Mr A. R. Taylor.