WOMAN RUGBY COACH ENJOYS HER JOB

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31085, 14 June 1966, Page 11

WOMAN RUGBY COACH ENJOYS HER JOB

The only woman Rugby coach in the under-weight grades, Miss M. Smith, a teacher at Cathedral Grammar, thoroughly ‘ enjoys her job. “The boys don’t seem to mind it, and none of the other sides’ players have called them sissies because of me,” she said on Saturday.

“We have only had one win. Some of the little ones ask which way they have to run when they get the ball. But we are all enjoying it immensley,” Miss Smith said cheerfully. The team did not win, again, when playing Shirley C in the under sst D competition. But the team improved as the game went on and made the Shirley boys play very hard. “Go on, Derek, you’re in the forwards—not back there,” Miss Smith called.

She said she started playing Rugby with the children while teaching at Lincoln last year, and found a Rugby coaching post vacant when she moved to Cathedral Grammar this year. On Saturdays, she is assisted by her brother, Mr T. Smith, a former under-17 Rugby representative. “I coach them during the week, and Tony puts the polish on on Saturdays. He has wonderful advice and is a great help,” Miss Smith acknowledged. Next summer, Miss Smith will coach cricket at the school. Five Brothers

The lightest of a fiery footballing family from Lyttelton at 4st, S. Gallagher was prominent in the hard-fought match between Lyttelton A and Albion B in the under sst C section. Gallagher, the hooker, scored Lyttelton’s only try to bring his own tally of tries this season to 11. He was urged on by a vociferous chorus of Irish voices from the sideline.

The Gallagher family has five brothers playing in youthful Rugby teams. Kerry and Kevin Gallagher are identical twins who are prop forwards in the under-16 grade. They cause much confusion to referees—to the delight of their friends and supporters. Yet another, K. Gallagher (Kelly), is in the under sst E, section, and the fifth brother, P. Gallagher, is also in the under sst competition. “The Gallaghers are the pride of Lyttelton and the terror of their opponents,” a spectator with a marked Irish brogue confided to all within a radius of 40ft. J.A.B.

This season 200 teams, representing about 4000 players are under the aegis of the Junior Advisory Board of the Canterbury Rugby Union. The board, established 24 years ago, controls all Rugby from the under-18 grade down to the under sst. Members of the board are required to attend as many games as possible each Saturday and in general assist coaches and advise the management committee of the union on the development of under-age and under-weight Rugby. As the season progresses, each member, appointed to supervise a grade, is required to select a representative side —no easy task when the ambition of all players is to make the representatives. The following are the grade managers for this season.— Under-18, Mr B. Rudkin; under-17, Mr R. Williams; under-16, Mr E. Ormandy; under-15, Mr J. Coleman; under Bst 71b, Mr C. Hoe; under 7st 71b, Mr J. Burrows; under 7st, Mr G. Booth; under 6st 71b, Mr D. Pugh; under 6st, Messrs C. Roberts and G. Winterbourn; under sst 71b, Messrs A. Noonan and E. Cum-

mings; under sst, Messrs J. Ditford and A. Robb. Discipline At some stage or other, coaches must have individuals who create distractions. Mr W. Mears, a Suburbs coach, took the unusual step of dismissing a practice because of the tom-foolery by one or two of the boys. The result: a great deal of respect from all his players at the next practice and a noticeable improvement not only in behaviour but also in team spirit. Teams and Players S. Kidd, the half-back in the Albion B team of the under sst C section has now scored 17 tries. He scored two in a hard match against the Lyttelton A side on Saturday. P. Beaton usually plays lock for the Sydenham side in the under 7st 71b competition. On Saturday, he was on the wing against New Brighton B and scored a great try in the first minute of the game after a 35-yard run. W. Nicolson, first five-eighths in the same side, is a promising player but held on to the ball on several occasions with unmarked players outside him. The Sydenham coach, Mr D. Brown, had a shouted word of advice which would be of benefit if it was heard up to senior and All Black levels: “Pass that ball to the man outside you!—What’s he there for?” The hardest, closest game on North Hagley Park on Saturday was between Christchurch B and Marist-Maire-hau. The Marist forwards, with kick-and-follow tactics and hard driving, bustled Christchurch badly to lead, 3-0, at half-time. M. Thomas, last man down, and C. Thomas, hooker, led a splendid pack. D. Schroeder, the half-back and captain, played to his forward strength and scored the try. In the second half, the Christchurch side, slightly bigger, held their own more in the forwards and handled much better. G. Marchiarus, first five-eighths, handled much better and was very fast off the mark. He tended to crowd his outsides at times. B. Pearson scored a grand try. Christchurch won, 13-3, but the game was very

close and most entertaining to watch. G. Menzies, of the Christchurch side, is distinguished by his willingness to play in any position, back or forward. J. McKenzie, the half-back and captain of the Cathedral Grammar side, is a promising footballer, setting a good example with bls hard, straight running. The Shirley C side has lost only one game this season. J. Parlane is a rapidly improving player, and M. Johnson, hooker and captain, G. Tanner, wing, and T. McLeish, half-back, all show ability and a good grasp of the fundamentals of the game. “They are all improving, and they all enjoy themselves —that is the main thing,” commented the Shirley coach, Mr C. Brown.

After six games in the B section of the 6st grade, Burnside and Hornby are unbeaten; Suburbs and Christchurch B are one point behind.

Mr A. Parker, coach of the Suburbs team in the B section of the under 6st grade, was full of praise for Burnside’s win against his side. Suburbs lost by a dropped goal in a game which was full of interest, with Bumside proving to be slightly fitter at the finish. Long Scoring Run Had it not been for two good tries scored by N, Gordon, Linwood might have been hard pressed to beat Suburbs in an under sst B match on Saturday. On one occasion, as the blind side wing, he picked up a loose ball after a scrum five yards from his own line and ran the length of the field to score. Because of illness, Gordon has played only four games this season, but his strong running brought five tries in his first match.

A tireless little prop for Christchurch in the sst A grade competition on Saturday was Graham Gordon. Although his side was beaten by Bumside by a fair margin, Graham was as eager at the finish as at the start and his fast following-up sometimes bustled Bumside players into errors.