Canterbury Water Polo Had A Successful Year

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31345, 15 April 1967, Page 11

Canterbury Water Polo Had A Successful Year

is difficult to recall a

more successful year for Canterbury water polo than tiie season recently concluded. Not only was the youthful senior team first equal in the national championships and the colts side runner-up in its section, but Canterbury also won the South Island tourney, Beckenham reached the final of the New Zealand inter-club championship, and the University of Canterbury side was victorious at the students’ Easter gambol. Much of the credit for this success reflects on the

selector, Mr P. MacFarlane, and his policy of choosing only 10 players to represent Canterbury A in the entire season. The nine players to appear in the national championships were kept together throughout with the exception of R. B. Erickson, who played in the South Island titles only. Some credit; top, must go to the captain, L L. Gunthorp, who at 20 must surely have been one of the youngest provincial captains in New Zealand water polo history. A natural leader—he may even be groomed for New Zealand leadership with the impending retirement of the long-established players—Giinthbrp contributed much to his team’s success. Especially valuable was the fine liaison he had with L. D. Mclntosh, a young veteran of 22 who first played for Canterbury A five years ago. Mclntosh was always one of the most closely marked men in every game and was always dangerous in front of the goal. Like Gunthorp, he won New Zealand representation for the first time although he has frequently been close to selection. The player to make the most significant progress was probably the goal-keep-er, I. S. Farquhar. This season he played with more assurance than ever before and his better coverage of the ball, and less use of rebounds—resulting in great er accuracy when turning defence in to attack—led him into the Rest side. He was also a very able vicecaptain.

His chief attendant on defence was the most experienced player in the side, M. Scott, who was still the solid and reliable bulwark. The odd surprise, fast break by Scott also led to occasional but very valuable goals. W. R. Williamson was a

more assertive player than before and thus more suited to championship competition. He was one of the key players in the Canterbury team and was very unlucky

I. S. FARQUHAR not to make The Rest One not so unfortunate, but equally deserving, was R. J. Hay, the only left-hander in the team. A surprise selection early in the season, in his. first year as a senior. Hay developed to such an extent that he was chosen for New Zealand’s second representative side. The choosing of a 15-year-old, B. M. Mustchin, was a

calculated gamble but one which paid handsome dividends. Playing among seniors quietened Mustchin and by the end of the season, he was controlling his own play admirably. . T. M. McGirr and G. Knight were minor disappointments and neither reached the standard they were capable of. However, Knight was in his first year for Canterbury and McGirr has many years still ahead of him. Both should do better next season.

Canterbury played 10 matches in the course of the season, winning seven and losing once each to Auckland, Wellington and Combined Services. But more important, with an eye on the future, the average age of the provincial side was only 21 years, eight months. Auckland and Wellington—the former especially—consist of a large number of elderly players. In the next few years, Canterbury could dominate the scene with, perhaps, Otago a challenger as its crop of fine youngsters develop.