Shirley Will Be Strong Rugby Challenger

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31658, 19 April 1968, Page 15

Shirley Will Be Strong Rugby Challenger

The most significant performance in the senior Rugby competition last season was the rise of the Shirley club.

Under the disciplined coaching of Mr D. Young, Shirley, after a bad start, became one of the major teams in the competition and deserved its victory over Linwood, the championship winner, in the Harewood Trophy competition. Tomorrow at Lancaster Park it will play Old Boys, a team with many Canterbury representatives, but which did not become a force in dub Rugby last season. Shirley, it must be expected, because of Mr Young’s coaching, will field a very able pack; probably the best in the competition. But its backs, even under the guidance of C. R. Laidlaw, should not match the Old Boys line. Determination v. Skill It will be an interesting Rugby exercise, the determination of the Shirley team, particularly in the forwards, matching the speed and skill of the Old Boys’ backs. Because Shirley will have the expert guidance of Laidlaw, at half-back, to direct the forwards and, it is assumed the backs, it should beat Old Boys, who may still be somewhat brittle in the forwards. At Rugby Park, Linwood is expected to beat Suburbs, even allowing for the form

that can be expected from W. D. Cottrell and L. J. Davis. The Suburbs forwards are unlikely to match the well-drilled Linwood pack and the competent Linwood backs should cancel out the individual ability of Cottrell and Davis. University A has shown very promising form in preseason matches and should beat a relatively-inexperien-

Albion should beat Marist which, although it has gained some Rew Hood, has not shown very good form in early season matches. Belfast will field a fairly young team but will give the more experienced Sydenham team a hard game.

ced Lincoln College team in the main match at Denton Oval. Christchurch, with its skilful backs, B. A. Watt, D A. Arnold, P. Eyles, R. Morris and G. Waterreus, has the talent to beat University B. New Brighton showed last season that its backs now are beginning to match the strength of its robust forwards and its all-round strength will probably prove too much for Merivale-Papa-nul.