Challenge To Water Polo Players

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31304, 25 February 1967, Page 11

Challenge To Water Polo Players

WHEN the 1967 New Zea- ’ land water polo championships begin on Tuesday at the Centennial Pool the 15 teams attending will not only be competing for the respective titles but also they will be joining together to disprove statements to the effect that water polo in New Zealand is stagnating. Although water polo is included in the Olympic Games, New Zealand has not yet been represented. There can be no more logical objective for players than to raise their standards, individually and collectively, to the stage where a national side is selected to travel to these Games. The immediate goal for players is selection in either the New Zealand or the Rest teams, which play each other, and, in the case of juniors, selection in the New Zealand Colts team. However, the matches played by these sides always provide a fitting climax to the championships and give players an idea of their national ranking. The Canterbury team contains no certainties as far as New Zealand selection is concerned—although L. D. Mclntosh must be considered—but as a team it is expected to perform creditably. With only four teams— Auckland, Otago, Wellington and Canterbury—in the senior A grade the competition will be intense. Wellington, the present titleholder, lost to Auckland in the North Island championships before Christmas, but since then has been training solidly and must be the favourite for the title. It

Includes the New Zealand ’ representatives, M. Harvey and W. Howes, and several other fast, knowledgeable players. On the other hand Auckland contains older, slower players who will be relying on the strength and experience of A. Kocsis, G. Griffiths, T. Logan and the goalkeeper, C. Bird. The experience of the Canterbury team is negligible when compared with

these two North Island teams, but its speed and fitness will be a telling factor, especially with the large playing area provided by the Centennial Pool and the long quarters of five minutes. Since winning the South Island championship last year, the only matches played by the Canterbury team have been against the Canterbury B team and Beckenham, the South Island finalist in the national dub championship. Prominent in these matches have been the much-improved forward, M. McGirr, a first year senior, R. J. Hay, and the 15-year-old B. Mustchin. With

these players finishing off the attacks set up by the mid-field players, L. Mclntosh, I. Gunthorp, and W. Williamson, it will only require solid defence from the often brilliant goal-keeper, I. Farquhar, G. Knight, and the longest serving member of the Canterbury team, M. Scott, to give the home side every chance. In the B grade Canterbury has high hopes of taking the title from Wellington, as P. Hatchwell, F. McKenzie, L. Scott, and a former New Zealand representative, R. Henry, are in the team. Apart from Wellington, the strongest opposition will come from Waikato, who finished third in the A grade last season. Since then, however, it has lost several good players. Canterbury has been strong in the junior grade for many years and this year is no exception. Two teams will be fielded and the A team indudes I. Simson (captain), B. Mustchin, A. Kindred, P. Hay, and I. Wright The B team, although not as strong, contains D. Jury and P. Cooper, both surprise omissions from the top side, and it should finish well up among the six junior teams at the championships.