Fine potential in Canterbury league

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31730, 13 July 1968, Page 11

Fine potential in Canterbury league

yEVEN of the most promising Rugby league players In Canterbury will have the opportunity to match their ability with Australian players of similar age when the South Island 21-years team meets the South Sydney President’s Cup touring team at the Show Grounds on Tuesday. The Canterbury representatives in the team have a fair measure of experience for players of their age. W. P. Noonan (Linwood), who first represented his province in 1965, toured Austra. lia with the 1967 Kiwis: A. F. McNaughtan (Addington), G. A. Cowan (MaristWestern Suburbs), then on the West Coast, and G. R. Cooksley (Eastern Suburbs), played first-class matches last season. B. Jager (Hornby) and J. Hales (Linwood) made their debut for Canterbury A last month while R. S. Walker (Papanui), the captain of the 1964 New Zealand schoolboys under-15 team in New South Wales, was recently included in the squad for the game against West Coast next Saturday. The 19-year-old Cooksley needs only to tidy up his play around the scrums to complete his development as New Zealand's most promising scrum-half. His exceptional acceleration and deception when in possession have seldom been seen in the South Island since a youthful G. Menzies (West Coast) became a test reserve against Great Britain in 1950. Walker’s career has closely followed that of the former New Zealand captain, M. L. Cooke (Canterbury). After coming through the grades as a scrum-half or stand-off half he moved into loose forward when he reached senior status. His lone flick passes to clear the

rucks occasionally lack true accuracy at present but the potential is clearly evident. The forwards, McNaughton and Cowan, are both strong runners in possession, with the former being particularly effective when running with his centres for Addington. A prop with the ability to substitute at hooker Noonan has proved more accomplished in the tight, although the promise shown in Australia has been hindered by troublesome leg injuries this season. Hales has proved effective at stand-off half for Linwood, an ability to kick field goals adding to his value

on attack. A strong runner, Jager has scored eight tries in nine games for Hornby. Canterbury’s youthful talent does not end with the players selected to oppose South Sydney. W. D. Beri-(Marist-Western Suburbs) and M. Vaughan (Hornby) have impressed as full-backs with their clubs; the wings, R. Kirk (Addington), R. L. Lanauze (Addington) and J. Watts (Linwood), are all fine young attacking players while the 18-year-old Addington hooker, A. Clark, has carried the potential he showed In lower grade football to the ruggedness of a senior scrum.