Many Changes in Senior Rugby Teams

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28553, 5 April 1958, Page 5

Many Changes in Senior Rugby Teams

ILTANY Rugby clubs have sufx fered the loss of some of their best players of previous seasons aiid there have been few- arrivals of any note from other centres. Senior teams have been training hard now for ■ some- weeks, and in some cases months. Many cdaches will use friendly fixtures at Easter as trials for teams.

University, the championship winner for the last two seasons, has suffered considerably. Losses include the three-quarters, G. Gale, C. H. Keenan and J. B. Tapsell and the forwards, R. W. Moffat, B. Loveridge, R. Moginie and J. Williams. Their loss has been partly offset by the return from England of the tall lock, R. Wells, and M. R. Dunne, who was not expected to come back this year. D. J. Davison, the New Zealand under 23 wing, who toured Japan this year, is another asset. The coach (Mr J. D. Stewart! reports that several of the positions may be filled from last year’s senior second division, and junior teams.

Merivale, which is slowly recovering from some lean years, will have the services of three newcomers from other centres this year—B Waller, a wing, who previously played in Wellington. J. Simonds, a five-eighths, who played for the Zingari senior team at Timaru, and C. Prescott, a big forward from the West Coast, rhe coach this year is Mr D. B Doake.

Technical Old Boys will no longer have the services of the veteran full-back T. Jackson, who has retired. They have also lost B. Arthur, a side row forward, who has gone to KaikOura, and I. Pickering, a wing, who is farming at Lincoln. Newcomers to the side may include B. Poole, who substituted for Jackson at times last year, and L. Ewing, a fullback who played for Canterbury Colts last year. The coach this year is Mr W. G. Yates.

New Brighton suffered considerably last year through the lack of a good back combination close to the scrum. This may be remedied this year by L. Odgers, a fiveeighths, who has transferred from Belfast. Another Belfast player, a promising young wing R. Alexander, has also transferred to New Brighton. Most of the pack

which played so well last year is available again. Mr A. A. Trotter is again coach.

, Albion will have as playercoaches this year the All Black and Canterbury three-quarters A. E. G. Elsonh and the forward, B. Hopping. The side is expected to be much the same as last year but may be strengthened by the inclusion of B. Dempsey, who has returned to the club after being in K-Force, and H. Davies, a back who played for Auckland Grammar last year. R. Dyer, a very quick half-back, has retired and S. Mahon, a No. 8 forward has transferred to Teachers* College.

Christchurch will require a new ful-back this season, for M. Gold, who filled the position for four seasons, has retired. Contenders for his position are B. Curtain, T. Geoige, who played as a fiveeighths last year, and J. Thom, who with Curtain and K. Gallagher, a hooker, have returned to Rugby Union after playing Rugby League for Marist. C. Devine, centre three-quarters, is lost from the side for he has been transferred to Wellington, but L. Stevenson, a new arrival from Dunedin, should strengthen the five-eighths D. Corsbib who had to retire from Rugby half-way through last season should again prove his worth as a line-out forward and another newcomer, D. Morton, a Scot, who played at New Plymouth last season, is fast with good anticipation. He is a side-row forward. Another contender for senior honours this year will be G. Dowling, an inside back Who scored many'points for a Christchurch lower grade team last year. R. H. Duff is again coach but has not yet decided whether he will play.

Sydenham has lost its highscoring and long kicking full-back M. Gowans, who has given up the game to take on refereeing. A notable addition to the side is J

McNamara, who deputised as hooker for D. A. Young in the Technical side last year. Go wan’s place may be filled by J. Clark, a junior of last year. M. J. Dixon has fully recovered from his knee injury and is training hard with the team/ A fourth grade player last year, B. Langley may fill a position in the five-eighths. Mr N. J. Falloon is the coach this year.

Belfast has lost Odgers and Alexander. Another great loss is L. Halligan, a No. 8 forward of considerable promise who last

year suffered a bad knee injury. Gains are M. Frost, a five-eighths from Waiau. and G. Orchard, a back, -from Ashburton. Several junior players of last year are expected to fill positions. A firm decision on a coach has not yet been made. . • High School Old Boys' greatest loss this year is the veteran front row forward E. Hem who is now living in Waikari. His brother M. Hern, a very lively/forward.

has returned to Christchurch and with D. J. Graham, former Auckland side row representative, will strengthen a young side. M. Plummer, who played for Teachers’ College last year, may fill E. Hern’s position in the front row. Mr A. L. Whitham is again 1 coach.

1 Marist may field another Stuart ' at full-back this season. It is pos- ! sible that John Stuart (K. C. Stuart’s younger brother) ' may change from half-back to fullback this year. Marist has lost N. Anderson, a lively wing, who has gone to Australia and will also be without K. F. Meates. Newcomers to the side may be K. Brown, West Coast full-back, K. Harrison, a fast wing, and K. G. McCort, a five-eighths who has transferred from University ,From Wellington has come M. Tarling, who played in the senior reserve grade, from Waikato P. Tindill, a tall side-row forward, and from Otago, J. Gartley. a fiveeighths. Dr. K. J. O’Connor is coach.

Sunnyside-Spreydon fielded a young side ’ last year and it is apparent that most of last year's team will play this' Season. A serious loss is the transfer of the captain L. Stuart to Fairlie but it is possible he may return later in the season D. Russell, a lock from the Malvern district should give the team some weight and several of the club's under 20 team should also fill positions. Messrs J. F. Stourton, B. Chandler and W. Burgess will coach the team.

Linwood has this year lost one of its mdst promising young forwards in B. Caldwell who has gone to Malaya with the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Another loss is B Dailey, full-back, a Canterbury trialist, who has gone to Nelson. The club has gained the services of T. French, a lock, from Nelson, and R. Havill, a fiveeighths, who has transferred from the Christchurch club. Mr W. V Cowles is again coach.