RUGBY LEAGUE Former All Black Wing In ‘£1000 ’Semi-Final

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29909, 24 August 1962, Page 17

RUGBY LEAGUE Former All Black Wing In ‘£1000 ’Semi-Final

T. P. Katene, an All Black wing threequarter in one test against the touring Australian team in 1955, will be the outstanding personality in the champion Bay of Plenty club, Te Mahoe, which plays Hornby in a national semi-final of the Rothman’s £lOOO Rugby League tournament at the Show Grounds on Sunday.

Katene, one of the most colourful characters to wear an All Black jersey, changed to Rugby League in 1959. He played for the Central club in Rotorua and in 1960 and 1961 played for the Mangakino club, which changed its name to Te Mahoe. Now 33 and over lost, Katene. is said to have lost little of his former ability, and still continues to produce those hip-swinging runs which made him a favourite with Athletic Park crowds when he played for Wellington in 1955 and 1956. Katene's last appearance in Christchurch was in the Wel-lington-Canterbury Ranfurly

Shield match in 1956 when Wellington was beaten, 30-11. Break New Ground

Te Mahoe’s appearance in Christchurch will break new ground, for it will be the first league team from the Bay of Plenty to play in the South Island, but it has every right to face the visit with some confidence. In the elimination matches

of the central zone, it easily beat Waitara (Taranaki) and then beat the champion Waikato club, Huntly United, 33-11.

Te Mahoe supplied nine players to the Bay of Plenty representative side which was beaten, 81-14. by Britain, and it was Te Mahoe players who scored all of Bay of Plenty’s 14 points. Outstanding in that match was the 32-year-old Te Mahoe centre. M. Stone, who recently returned from playing in England.

After its success against Runanga last Sunday, Hornby is expected to win, but it should have a tough fight on its hands.