Suburbs’ new flanker “just walked in”

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32880, 1 April 1972, Page 38

Suburbs’ new flanker “just walked in”

As the result of an afternoon stroll by a young Englishman along Mathen Road last weekend, the Suburbs Rugby club’s senior team has a tenacious new flanker for the 1972 competition. Martin Herbert’s “constitutional” led him past the Suburbs’ ground, where aspirants for the senior side were preparing for a triat The sight of a Rugby bail acted like a magnet on the 23-year-old Englishman. He was given a place in one of the teams, and played so well that he won selection in the club’s senior side for the D.C.L, Shield competition. Herbert’s instant success would hot have surprised those who knew him in England or Australia. A native of Crawley Town, Sussex, he was a local schoolboy representative player who reached senior status by the age of IS. He played Rugby in Norway for a season, and then bobbed up in Lindfleld,

New South Wales, where he won the “best and fairest" award in 1970. Last year he played for North Sydney under the former Wallaby captain, J. E. Thornett. His choice of Christchurch as the place to drop anchor stemmed from a conversation he had in Sussex several years ago. He was told that Christchurch was a good city in which to live, and that the people were known for their friendliness. Accompanied by a friend,

> Herbert followed a 1 leisurely path to New i. Zealand. Before settling r in Christchurch, he and t his friend bought two i, old bicycles in Auckland, and rode all the , way to Invercargill. > Although he is only 13st » 101 b, Herbert is a fit and i fearless flanker, and i should make his mark in t Suburbs’ mobile pack. 1 Suburbs will be attaching 1 greater importance to s the forwards’ speed to - the loose ball and their rucking ability. Herbert , should be in his element.