Rugby Youth

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31412, 4 July 1967, Page 6

Rugby Youth

WEEKLY REVIEW

Teaching the A-B-C of Rugby in uncomplicated terms to boys of five, six and seven is a task of which the Suburbs club can claim a specialised knowledge. It launched its Rugby Kindergarten 19 years ago and the scheme has been proving its worth ever since.

In 1948, Mr J. M. G. Johnston, now a life member of the club, recognised the need for a class of instruction for boys whose parents did not wish them to start competitive Rugby too soon, and those boys who had not been placed in teams. The Kindergarten started with Mr Johnston and Mr V. Beal, the manager of the senior team, as coaches, and the boys displayed their prowess in seven-a-side games at Spreydon Domain, during half-time in the three o’clock games. Since Mr Johnston’s plan came into operation, more than 350 boys have passed through the ranks on the path to better football. It would be interesting to know what heights they reached in subsequent years. A number of boys emerged from the Kindergarten to rise through the grades with the Suburbs club, some gaining representative honours on the way. This season, two Kindergarten products are playing Rugby in the open grade—M. Moran, of the senior team, and M. Kane (senior reserve). Mr J. Howatson was a valuable coach at the Kindergarten for many seasons and this year the boys are under the watchful and experienced eye of A. White, a veteran member of the senior team. There are 18 boys in the squad, with the number still increasing, and all are enthusiastic learners. White concentrates on teaching the fundamentals of the game, and, at the same time, inculcates good sportsmanship. Six weeks ago the boys could not catch or kick a ball. Now they are carrying out both activities with assurance. Energetic

With the amount of training necessary to produce a national senior swimming champion behind him, it is not surprising that Alan Kindred is one of the most energetic members of the Christchurch Boys’ High School Ist XV this season. A strapping lock forward, he makes his weight felt in the tight and is also effective In broken play. Opponents have found him hard to stop when he produces one of his surging runs with the ball. As a member of the national Olympic training squad, Kindred, understandably, has his sights set firmly on swimming. But Rugby is certainly catching the side-effects of his sporting endeavours.

Backs To Fore By making frequent use of a powerful backline, the Riccarton High School first XV in the secondary school (section one) grade has lost only one game after eight matches. Most of the wins have been by big margins. The only team unbeaten in the grade is Christchurch Boys’ High School A. In most games a mobile but very new forward pack has usually been able to get only about 50 per cent of the ball from set play. But the speed, determination, and straight running of the backs has been too much for most of the defences encountered so far. The team’s first five-eighths, T. Caldwell, and the half-back, K. Bidwell, who are in their second season together, have been responsible for the quick service to the outside backs. This, in turn, has produced many tries by the threequarters. It would be doubtful if there is a better attacking back in the grade than the beautifully balanced Caldwell. His handling is excellent and his kicking is sound, but his main attribute is his ability to make a break almost at will with his loping, highstepping running. The team’s main weakness so far has been its wet weather football. Because of the strength of the backline, the team has attempted to throw the ball about when tighter measures could well have been employed. The school XV won the grade in 1963 and this season Riccarton is playing the type of football which could bring further success to the school. Initiative Assertions that many coaches are Rugby Svengalis and that the players are lost without frequent instruction from the side-line were contradicted by an under-16 halfback in a recent Saturday game. After his forwards had won a scrum close to their opponent's goal-line, the halfback ran wide without the ball, and the opposing loose forwards fell into an off-side trap.

“Where did you learn that ruse?" asked the astonished coach after the game. “I did not teach you that” The boy’s reply indicated that he was a keen Rugby thinker.

“I picked it up from the British Isles last season,” he said.

Versatile Graeme Ellis, who has played his way into the Canterbury division HI badminton team this winter, his first season in the open grade, cuts a dashing figure on the Rugby field as well as the badminton court. Playing at second five-eighths for the Merivale-Papanui under-20 team, Ellis has shown himself to be a leggy inside back with the ability to twist

through narrow gaps. He is a shrewd and accurate kicker as well and, as such, is a valuable member of his side’s backline.

Reliable There is much to be admired in the play of Stewart Dixon, the full-back in the Suburbs under-20 team this year. His reliability must have given his fellow players cause for greater confidence in their own play; he is always steady on defence and his kicking has been strong and accurate. His attributes earned him a place among the reserves in the Town under--20 side at Queen's Birthday weekend.

Flourishing Rugby is flourishing among the Life Boys. Last Saturday a training squad of 20 boys was selected from about 50 trialists, and from the squad will emerge the team to defend the inter-area Stedfast Shield, which Canterbury has held for the last two years.