RUGBY YOUTH

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31115, 19 July 1966, Page 12

RUGBY YOUTH

Junior Rugby Teams Meet Socially

Friendly fixtures and. end-of-season activities are an important part of under-weight Rugby, the small boys enjoying this aspect of the sport just as much as their Saturday morning games. A new and most successful idea, arranged by the players and fathers of the Linwood under sst A team last week, was the invitation of .coaches and players of the New Brighton under sst A team to a midseason buffet tea and competitions evening.

The party was held at the Linwood clubrooms, and the mothers of the host team supplied a generous meal for the boys—no mean feat, the satisfying of 30 boys at an age when they are perpetually hungry. The fathers acted as waiters —and looked like packhorses at the height of the tea.

A tug-of-war, amongst the games and competitions played, gave the forwards and backs of both teams a chance to. show their strength. A mannequin parade caused a great deal of delight and mirth. The teams dressed their respective captains in clothes befitting a young lady going to her first ball. However, the highlight of the evening was a game of Rugby played with a balloon. The team which burst the balloon was the loser —an event which produced some astonishingly dainty handling from boys of such exuberant vitality. The coaches of both teams spoke briefly on the spirit of the game of Rugby, and emphasised sportsmanship both on and off the field. The evening was a tremendous success: this could be the start of similar exchange socials amongst clubs. Pluck And Skill

M. Tuuta, full-back for the Merivate-Papanui club Maori side in the under-18 competition, was a key figure in his team’s 57-0 win over the Christchurch Maori team on Saturday. Tuuta scored four tries.

He was born with twisted feet and spent two years in hospital, between the age of nine and 12, having surgical treatment. Tuuta still suffers pain during and after games. He has scored more than 60 points for his side this season, including 20 tries. Tuuta is one of the most admired and popular players from the Te Kaihanga Hostel. Inside Out The Burnside B team in the under sst 71b competition played with their jerseys inside out in their match against Albion B at South Hagley on Saturday morning.

“Seven of them will be playing in a seven-a-side match on Lancaster Park Oval at halftime this afternoon,” the coach, Mr H. R. Whitfield, explained. “Of course, I am not telling the boys who the seven will, be until after this game. Playing with the jerseys this way is the only way to make sure they will be clean this afternoon.” Close Game

The under-weight game that drew the largest crowd of spectators on Saturday morning was the under-7st match between Linwood and Suburbs at Hoon Hay Domain. The Linwood boys, coached by former All Black, W. Argus, who has a son in the side, have not been beaten since Mr Argus first coached them as a sst team. The game on Saturday ended in a draw, 6-all. Linwood scored two tries and Suburbs a try and a dropped goal. It was a dean exciting game. New Headquarters Middleton Park, the Albion club’s new headquarters, is an -excellent ground in the opinion of Mr C. Emmanuel, of the Suburbs club. The playing surface is excellent and unlikely ever to be really sticky, he said after watching a game there on Saturday. “The playing surface is in really good condition considering it is newly-laid. The park is going to be a great asset. The Albion club is in the throes of building new clubrooms and they are up to second-storey level now. “I think the club will go from strength to strength as they settle in at their new headquarters. It is pleasing indeed to see such an oldestablished club taking the hurdle of breaking new ground,” Mr Emmanuel commented. c Teams And Players The Sumner under 15 side went down narrowly to the H. 5.0.8. B team. Sumner had only 13 players, two being away with influenza and a reserve having to work. The Sumner side includes some players aged only 12 and 13, but the team has excellent spirit. G. Craw, captain and first five-eighth, is a confident player, and the hooker, M. Brady, a player who toils hard as well as being a good striker. The HJS.OJL A side in the under-15 competition is unbeaten this season, and stands out for good combination in the backs and quick rucking in the forwards. The team’s real strength lies in its team work rather than in any outstanding player. I. Cocks, half-back, B. McPhail, a son of N. McPhaiL Kiwi, All Black and New Zealand selector, P. Vaughan, five-eighths, and P. Buck, centre, combine particularly well and could teach many an older side lessons in .passing the ball at the right time. B. Phillipson, lock, is a most successful, left-foot, goal kicker. He converts tries from the sideline with apparent jase and

his length and accuracy in all goal kicks make the side even more formidable. G. May, the other lock, and captain, is a hard worker and very hard to stop in short-passing rushes.

New Brighton held the H. 5.0.8. team well until halftime. L. McGoverne, fullback, is one of the most promising players in the grade. He tackles hard and low, kicks very well and his positional play is very good. He runs hard and times his passes well when joining in back rushes. P. Keenan and B. Medcalf, locks, and K. Walker, front-row prop, are solid forwards. Well Dressed

Both the Albion and Burnside B teams in the under sst 71b grade were particularly well turned out—boots shining and socks well up. Burnside won a close game. W. Houghton, the Albion second five-eighths, is improving both his handling and running with every game, while K. Stove, lock, is perhaps the most improved player in the side. P. McCormick is a good allrounder who has played as prop, breakaway and halfback.

Burnside has developed its team game most noticeably in recent weeks. M. Johnston, breakaway, captain, and A. McNabb are two of the younger players who are playing very well. D. Bridges, the half-back, distributes the ball most unselfishly. Improving The Suburbs under-20 team has improved with each game. At the start of the season it had difficulty in fielding a team, but the numbers have grown and a very good team spirit developed. After losing four of the first six games, the team has won the last six games it has played. All members have supported the coaches and all are training regularly.

The forwards have developed into a solid pack and have an excellent skipper in J. Burgess. The most improved forward is N. Wills. The backs have improved remarkably and are well guided by the half-back and vice-captain, J. Harris. Good Forwards

Clearing from defensive play has been a noticeable feature of the front-row forwards’ play in the Linwood under 6st A team. With the support of the flankers, K. Harlow and R. Grieve, these forwards have moulded into a strong combined force. The Shirley Bst 71b team relies mainly on a good forward pack to control its games. In this pack, P. Johnstone stands out as a hardrunner. S. Johannis is a reliable goal kick who has scored 92 points this season. I. McLush is a good half-back and captain. A. Milne and T. Rogerson are the pick of the line-out forwards. Unbeaten The Suburbs under-16 team is unbeaten after 12 matches—but have some hard games ahead. The team has been training in the evenings and on Sunday mornings. With a squad of 20, attendance and enthusiasm at training is 100 per cent. The behaviour of the team, on and off the field, has been excellent, and the team goes on the field smartly dressed. In 12 games, the team has scored 201 points, comprising 48 tries, 19 conversions and 7 penalties. It has conceded 61 points. The team is well led by M. McOscar, a member of last year’s under-15 representatives.

Leading try scorers are R. Johnston (wing) and M. Jones (centre), nine each; W. Simpson (wing) seven, M. McOscar (half-back) six, and the five-eighths, J. Fleming and R. Kershaw, four each.