NEW PLAYERS LEND INTEREST TO RUGBY LEAGUE SEASON

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30401, 28 March 1964, Page 11

NEW PLAYERS LEND INTEREST TO RUGBY LEAGUE SEASON

HTHE introduction of a rele- ■*" gation round before the championship begins will add interest to the Rugby League season in Christchurch this season. It is quite possible that Addington will again be a senior team after three years in the reserve grade. Most clubs have been affected by transfers and several new combinations will be making their debut when the season begins on April 11. The acquisition of an elusive Australian wing, W'. Greentree, will compensate Marist for its loss of C. C. Preece to Sydenham. Green-

tree will complete a formidable back line, with the South Island scrum-half, R. S. J. Irvine, and his fellow Canterbury representatives J. D. Walshe, P. V. Smith, B. E. Kennedy and P. H. Nepia all playing again. In the forwards, Marist will have the experience of the 1953-56 Kiwi J. E. Bond, and M. Mohi, L. Mulcare and N. Diggs to add to the promise of several younger players. P. Doig will be a useful utility player. On the debit side Marist has lost the services of G. R. Cooper,' who has returned to Papanui, and P.. McQuinn who will be on the West Coast this season. Marist will have a new coach in Mr L. Mulcare who is keen, to see that the club fields a physically

fit and attacking team. Last season’s champion team, Linwood, has been weakened by transfers. The 1963 Kiwi J. H. Fisher, the South Island centre P. M. White and his brother J. L. White, have gone to Addington and the promising young scrum-half, G. H. Clarke, is now With Papanui. W. Campbell has gone to Australia and G. B. Moloney has retired for one year. All but Fisher are backs. On the credit Side the former .Canterbury scrumhalf, W. J. Godfrey will replace Clarke and the coach, R. W. Pounsford is likely to play again. The return of the promising young forward, T. Carlyle and the reappearance of K. Battan, J. Petherbridge, J. A. Flanagan and M. J. Carlyle gives the pack solidity. Hornby, noted for its good back play last season, has lost its scrum-half, I. Robb and wing, A.. Wiliams, Robb has gone to Southland and Williams has retired. R. Bray will return to the team after a season out with in-

jury, and with the Canterbury representatives, J. M. Bray, B. W. Langton, P. G. Skerton and P. J. Tongue playing again the back line has attacking ability. The forwards will be led by the New Zealand captain, M. L. Cooke, who, although he has retired from test football, will still be available for Canterbury. F. Tinning, a useful forward has retired because of injury.- .

The South Island selector and coach, Mr E. Butts, will not be coaching the senior team. Mr Butts has decided to concentrate on coaching of provincial and the island team this season. He has been the Hornby . coach since 1954.

Although not a champion-ship-title prospect on paper the . young Christchurch team might cause several

upsets. The team play will probably centre on the cap-tain-coach, R. H. Turton. Turton, R. Franklin, T; Parker, E. Bennett and newcomers R.' Williams and T. Bowen, a Canterbury senior reserve representative, will form- the forward strength. L. Ayers and J. Gallagher will be returning to the pack after a season out through injury. The backs are a young but promising set. N. Hickey, H. Turton, L. Tehau; and L. Turton are back in training along with the promising trio of G. Thompson (full-back), J. Williams (wing) and J. Hawthorne (inside centre). The return, of the 1963 New Zealand representative hooker, G. C. Blacker, from Welington and the acquisition of G. R. Cooper (returning from. Marist), G. H. Clarke (thp former Linwood . half-back) . and, S. Dunn the former Runanga centre) will, help . Papanui improve .on its poor showing of. last season. Dunn will replace R. N. Meaplem Who has gone to Australia. The Papanui forwards will be formidable. A fully representative scrum will be completed by G. H. Turner, a former South Island player, E. J. Tavendale, T. L. Bisman and K. C. Pearce. The backs last season were rather suspect, especially with J. A. Bond on tour in Australia. The addition of Clarke and Dunn and the return of Bond and the 1961-62 Kiwi A. N. Amer, will give solidity to this department. The return of the Canterbury wing C. C. Preece after a season with Marist will strengthen the Sydenham back line. In the forwards the front row of E. Butterfield; .A.' Tuuta and B. T. Barron will be a difficult one to contain. In support will be R. Mcßeath and the Canterbury representative K. J. Harding. D. Kerr and E. Holmes are returning to the team after a spell from club football.

Addington may have a senior team for the first time since 1960 and the transfer of Fisher and the White brothers will make it a strong team. The forwards are an unknown quantity but R. Burt and A. Westall will not be lost in Senior football. The coach, Mr W. F. McNaughton, has some promising material.