Fijian Workers To Enter N.C. Rugby

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31986, 13 May 1969, Page 19

Fijian Workers To Enter N.C. Rugby

A breath of the south seas will waft into North Canterbury Rugby this week-end when an all-Fijian team plays the first of a series of matches against senior reserve sides in the • area.

The Fijians arrived last month to work for the North Canterbury Nassella Tussock Board. They will play as the Glenmark senior reserve side, and will meet the side with the bye in the grade each week.

Fit and eager to exhibit their talents on the Rugby field, the Fijians have been training hard after work, in preparation for their debut They were t> have played the Christchurch Marist (section two) senior reserve team at Kaiapoi last Saturday, but because of a misunderstand-

ing the game fell through. The Fijians, who will be working for the board until late in July, all played club Rugby in their home country, and one, L. Turaganivalu achieved representative status.

S. Mocetoka will be the captain of the team which is be-

lieved to be the first all-Fij-ian side drawn from the board’s employees to take part in organised Rugby.

Catchpole To Resume (N.Z. Press Association) SYDNEY. Australia’s greatest Rugby player, K. Catchpole, will attempt his long-awaited come-back on Saturday—in the fifth grade. Only a set-back in the final training run on Thursday night at Coogee Oval could upset his plans. Catchpole has been away from Rugby since he suffered tom hamstring fibres and a damaged sciatic nerve in the thigh in a game against New Zealand last winter. The recovery has been a long and painful one, and not until this year was Catchpole able to jog any distance in training sessions.