Paul Laidlaw shows why he ended up a Southland Centurian when he played for Western against Southern.

Southern beat Western in 1983 in the first round of the Sport Trust Cup.  It was because Southern got the early points on the board taking advantage of a Western team that looked out of sorts.

The game was played in good conditions and it  only took the second minute for Grant McKenzie to convert a penalty goal.
Three minutes later, first five eight for Southern, Tony Neilson, moved the ball quickly to feed Paddy O'Brien over for the try. Grant McKenzie converted.
In the lineouts, Southern's Brent Shepherd and Lindsay Crooks outjumped Western's Trevor Bokser and Dave Guttery.#1
The Southern front row of Paul Cosgrove, Lex Chisholm and Jeff Rogers were dominant.  In saying this though it was Western that won the majority of the rucks and mauls, but it was the second phase play that let them down with their bad passing and handling.
At half time Southern had a handy lead of 13-3.
In the second half Western came out to even the score and quickly fed the ball out to winger, Billy Molloy who found Paul Laidlaw who was cutting back inside and cut through the Southern defence to score.
Shaun Flynn who was showing superiority in the scrum, broke away and scored a great power try.
Western realised that they had to move the ball more, which saw Southern having to keep backtracking.
Laidlaw who ended up playing 102 games for Southland was the most impressive back on the field which confirmed his fine reputation that was coming.
Southern:  Paddy O'Brien, Alan Sloan, Shaun Flynn (1) Grant McKenzie (1PG) (1Con)
Western:   Paul Laidlaw (1) (1PG) Alan Dickson (1PG)

Reference:  Early Domination Helps Southern.  The Southland Times May 1983.


#1 Is this correct?