Rugby: Netballers set standard for rugby to follow

By WYNNE GRAY

WAIKATO V CANTERBURY

What chance of a great double for Waikato sporting teams today? Can their rugby side emulate the magic of the province's netball success a fortnight ago?

That final was supposed to be close, but Waikato drew away from Canterbury for a stunning 55-23 victory. Watching was Waikato lock Chresten Davis, whose wife, Rachel, was a wing defence in the squad.

Today it is the turn of the rugby Davis to try to repel Canterbury, who will put some real heat into their bid to stop Waikato's 21-match run of Ranfurly Shield defences.

Canterbury's rugby stars will be much stronger favourites than their netball cousins to ferret a trophy out of Hamilton.

Like his team-mates, Davis respects Canterbury and what they have done in rugby in recent years. The 2.01m lock admits to that, but ask him whether he admires the red and blacks and there is a reticence.

"I dunno about that - that puts them ahead of us, and I don't think they are."

It is the sort of fighting talk Waikato have to translate into a peerless performance today at Rugby Park if they are to overcome the sternest challenge of their three-season stretch with the shield.

Davis may not be the best lock in the land, but he brings an edge to his play which can unsettle opponents of greater pedigree. He was in the thick of a mighty Waikato forward effort against Harbour hours before his wife's side put Canterbury away in the netball final. That day Davis niggled away at All Black forwards such as Troy Flavell and Ron Cribb, putting them off their game.

"I enjoy the mental side of the game," said the former All Black from 1996. "You always try to get the mental jump on your opponents."

The 25-year-old Davis was part of the Manawatu side who challenged Waikato unsuccessfully for the shield in l994. He moved on to the Vikings before they disintegrated, and returned to his original province last season.

After schooling in Morrinsville, Davis went to Massey University for five years. He hopes to complete courses in business management and sports studies next year by correspondence.He was a loose forward when he made the All Blacks as a great leaper at the tail of the lineout, but new lifting rules meant he switched to lock where he has finally ousted Mark Cooksley for a regular place in the Waikato side.

"I wanted to be a professional rugby player and playing first division, so I came home," he said.

"Waikato is a good environment, there is an attitude to hard work. We have had a couple of hiccups against Taranaki and Counties Manukau, but that is a mental thing."

Canterbury will be a huge assignment, but Waikato have defended the shield 21 times and shown they can handle great moments of pressure. They just have to remember their strengths of defence, organisation and teamwork.

Waikato: Todd Miller, Roger Randle, Keith Lowen, Scott McLeod, Bruce Reihana, Glen Jackson, Rhys Duggan, Deon Muir (c), Marty Holah, Jonno Gibbes, Royce Willis, Chresten Davis, Deacon Manu, Guy Coleman, David Briggs. Res: Ben Willis, Damian Karauna, Nicky Collins, Clark McLeod, Tony Petero, Paul Martin, Greg Smith.

Canterbury: Ben Blair, Marika Vunibaka, Mark Robinson, Caleb Ralph, Daryl Gibson (c), Andrew Mehrtens, Justin Marshall, Sam Broomhall, Scott Robertson, Norm Maxwell, Todd Blackadder, Reuben Thorne, Greg Sommerville, Matt Sexton, David Hewett. Res: Afato So'oalo, Mark Mayerhofler, Ben Hurst, Dallas Seymour, Chris Jacks, Greg Feek, Sean Cuttance.