Burnside Rugby Club Has Done Well

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29246, 2 July 1960, Page 5

Burnside Rugby Club Has Done Well

of red and white jerseys, the colours of the West ' Coast, can be seen on the Canterbury Rugby Union’s grounds every Saturday morning. But the colours belong to the union's ’ newest open club, Burnside, whose supporters intend to make their colours as popular and respected as those of the West Coast. The Burnside club has made remarkable progress in three years and is especially fortunate in having an enthusiastic and hardworking committee and the patronage of parents who are always willing to support the committee in any project. The club began well in 1957 with eight teams, the highest playing in the fourth grade, the reSt being under-weight teams. Last year there were 11 teams in the competition; this year there are 13, including junior B and fourth grade sides. Jellie Park will be the club’s home ground, and although, the committee intends to buy land close by to erect club rooms it has had little success so far. Most of the adjacent land has been bought up and the club may have to build some distance from the park. Burnside has asked the Canterbury Rugby Union for a grant to assist with the installation of overhead lighting at Jellie Park, but the committee is still awaiting an answer. By agreement with the Waimairi County Council a single football field, running parallel with Greers road, will be laid out. The club hopes to field more higher grade teams in the next I few years 'and to that end the under-weight teams have received careful coaching. The emphasis has been on open, constructive football, but the fundamentals of handling, passing and tackling, have not been neglected. The club is well off for competent, enthusiastic coaches and it hopes to reap the reward of its careful training in the years ahead. The club president is Mr G. P. Thomas, a foundation member and a former Southland half-back. Mr Thomas, who is the Canterbury under 20 back selector and coach, played for Southland for six consecutive years until 1937. He was a member of the team which scored 17 points against the Springboks that year, the highest number of points scored by a provincial side against the tourists.