Queensland rugby team will be tough proposition for Canterbury

Press, 24 April 1979, Page 44

Queensland rugby team will be tough proposition for Canterbury

Bv

KEVIN McMENAMIN

Fears that the chosen Canterbury-Queensland game might have insufficient appeal to be the focal playing point of the Canterbury' Rugby Union’s centennial celebrations in June can now be cast aside.

At the week-end Queensland followed up its recent 44-0 win over Southland with a 31-7 victory over Manawatu, unquestionably one of the strongest provincial sides in New Zealand and one which has had the benefit of a number of early-season games. On its record over the last few seasons, there was never any fear that Queensland would be an unworthy opponent. A greater fear now might be that it will be a little too strong for Canterbury so early in the season.

The president of the Canterbury union, Mr R. W. Thomas, said yesterday that while his prime hope was for a good game, he would very much like to see Canterbury win. “I think the former players, and the supporters, would dearly wish it too,” he said. Mr Thomas wonders if Queensland might not be the strongest provincial-state-district rugby side in the world today. Its record would suggest that the accolade is not undeserved. In any event, the big wins over Southland and Manawatu are of great promotional value to the centennial fixture and Mr Thomas might be displaying the business side of his character by making his judgment.

If Canterbury can beat Queensland will the province begin its second 100 years as the strongest district side in the world? It would be a heavy crown to wear.

The Canterbury selectors, Stan Hill and Gerald Wilson, have no illusions about the magnitude of their task of getting a team into top form by June 9.

‘Apart from hoping that our lower temperatures will upset them (Queensland), I don’t see us having many advantages,” said Mr Wilson yesterday.

‘‘Queensland is obviously as strong, if not stronger, this year as it has been for the past few seasons and with its programme built so much around early-season games it must be better prepared than we can expect to be.” There will be an additional incentive for the Queensland players to want to be at their best in early June. The state has a game against the touring Irish side about this time and there is also the goal of selection for the Australian team to play Ireland. Mr Wilson said that while the Queensland match had a high priority, the longerterm of Canterbury’s national championship programme must not be lost sight of. “Our main aim must be to win the championship and with just two games beforehand I can’t see the side reaching a peak in June. Hopefully it will play well enough to give Queensland a good game; we may even win. but don’t expect too much,” he warned. The two lead-up games are against West Coast at

Greymouth on May 9 and Marlborough at Blenheim on May 23. A training squad will be announced next week.

For these games Canterbury will be without the services of its three New Zealand Maoris reoresentatives, but they will be back before the Queensland match.

Mr Hill, who returned from the United States last week, watched some country clubs in action last Saturday, while Mr Wilson continued his surveillance of town players. Tomorrow Mr Wilson will be in the country and Mr Hill will concentrate on the town competition. As back selector, Mr Wilson has the more onerous task, particularly in finding replacements for some retired players, most notably Doug Bruce.

He said it was not easy assessing players on just one inspection, but he was encouraged by the amount of young talent, he had seen. “There are some very good young backs in Canterbury; more in fact, than there has been for two or three years, said Mr Wilson.