Wellington tourney basis for water polo selection

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33675, 26 October 1974, Page 4

Wellington tourney basis for water polo selection

(By*

R. M. CAIRNS)

The annual match between Wellington and Canterbury, although obviously of great importance to both teams, will be shunted a little into the background when the Bank of New South Wales water polo tournament is held at Naenae this week-end.

The tournament — in open, under 19, under 15 and ladies’ grades — will also serve as a basis of selection for the national squad from which the team for the New Zealand Games will be chosen. And although a New Zealand team has just returned from a European tour, there are perhapfoui openings — perhaps more if a final squad of more than the statutory 11 is chosen to train until the eve of the Games. W. R. Williamson, the captain, has retired. His vice-caotain, G. L. Schuster. although available, will probably not be considered at 38. The former captain, K. A. Mark, is not playing this season. His career, too, has prooably finished. As well, the country’s No. 2 goalie, R. K. Borge'rs, in a commendable effort to win back his top ranking, is still overseas, training in the Netherlands, and R. E. McConnochie is denied, by

examinations, of a major opportunity to strengthen his claims. From the last team, seven young men remain almost certainties and a likely core of the national squad for some years: D. J. W. Reid, M. A. Harding. B. M. Mustchin, M. G. Davie (Canterbury), D. H. Spoor, W. E. Martlew and R. P. 80l (Wellington). Very close behind them in the “certainties" selections are I. L. Gunthorp (Canterbury), the player unhtekiest to miss the European tour, and the American playing for and coaching Wellington, J. N. Bustard. It the 23-year-old Bustard is to remain in New Zealand, and if he is as good as reports indicate, there will obviously be a keen desire to have him in the team for the Games. As well, there are the other reserves from last year to consider. But, P. G. C. Hay, a natural left-hand-er, who was also unlucky to miss selection for the

touring team, and G. Stevens (Wellington), another left-hander, are in the same category as McConnochie: sitting examinations. P. C. Tuoro (Auckland) has tremendous physical attributes and youth on his side. The Canterbury No 2 goalie, M. H. F. Godinet, has undoubted courage and team spirit to commend him. M. J. Craig, the Otago youngster, appears to have lost the incentive he had last season. The new players to be considered will almost certainly' be very young. Perhaps the most likely of these is K. G. McLaughlin. arguably the finest player in last year’s championship final. His skilful defence helped Wellington to retain its title. There is his young teammate, A. J. Fogel, who forsook water polo for a while and won a place in the Commonwealth Games swimming team. Also from Wellington are R. M. Patterson and P. W. Dyson. The latter, unquestion-

ably, will play' for New Zealand one day. Hopefully, the selectors — of whom his father is one — will resist the temptation to expose this talented boy, who is only 15 to the rigours of international play. Patterson, who will probably captain the New Zealand schoolboys’ team to Australia in six weeks or so, is another bright young prospect. The two Canterbury players with the best chances of advancement are R. A. Clark and G. W. Campbell. The latter was expected to make a strong challenge last season but only found his best form near the end of the tournament. Clark was consistently excellent for the under-21 tieam, although its youngest regular player. More than anyone else in Canterbury, he has adjusted to the differing demands of the “European” style brought back by the touring players. It is inevitable that one or two will make significant improvement at this tournament. Such capable young players as the Manawatu trio, P. A. Shaw, S. Dornney and D. Hellaby, could well have been on the verge of greater things had they lived in Wellington or Christchurch, where the competition is much fiercer. With the encouragement that selection for a squad of 20 or more could provide, the best might still be seen from them.