N.Z. water polo team chosen for games

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33740, 13 January 1975, Page 11

N.Z. water polo team chosen for games

(By

RAY CAIRNS)

lan Gunthorp, the shock omission from the New Zealand ja er polo team less than a year ago, came back into the top night in matches at Queen Elizabeth II Park during the weekend.

Gunthorp was not only chosen for New Zealand for the first time in a most distinguished career but had the additional honour of captaincy thrust upon him.

Another Canterbury player, Bryan Mustchin, was appointed vice-captain in the team of 12, selected by Messrs W. H. Dyson, M. C. Scott, and L. G. McKay. There are no surprises in the team, which includes two new caps besides Gunthorp: the massive Auckland 18-year-old. Paul Tuoro, and the 16-year-old Otago player, Martin Craig, who plays for Maranui (Wellington).

Additionally, the selectors named the 15-year-old Paul Dyson as “thirteenth man,” to continue training with the team and to stay with it, as a full squad member, in the New Zealand Games village. The team, in the order in which it was named, is:— Tuoro (Auckland), Craig, W. E. Martlew, D. H. Spoor, R. P. 801, R. K. Borgers (Wellington), M. G. Davies, D. J. W. Reid, M. A. Harding, Gunthorp (captain), Mustchin (vice-captain), R. E. McConnochie (Canterbury). CONTINUITY AND CONSISTENCY A feature is the continuity and consistency of selection policy. The nine survivors from last year’s European tour who were named in the squad went on to gain eventual selection. The average age is also steadily coming down: Gunthorp is 28, Martlew 27, and the next oldest is Mustchin. who is 24. Perhaps the most notable feature is the selection of five Beckenham-Sockburn players: ail the Canterbury representatives with the exception of Gunthorp (Wharenui).

This was a passing tribute to the hard and well-earned success yesterday of the club side in the Trans Tour national championship. What' a tremendous battle it had before again being presented with the Ryan Cup, which it won for the first time a year ago.

The only unbeaten team before the final match, against Maranui. Beckenham-Sockburn lost to that side. 4-6 This put it level on points, with the need for a replay, only half an hour later.

But Beckenham-Sockburn was this time a different proposition for Maranui It was fortunate

to have a full squad—Maranui had only one spare player—and after a scoreless first quarter. Beckennam-Sockburn steadily wore down the side that it beat in the final last year. THE SCORING Maranui scored first, through the left-handed Peter Jamieson, but Mustchin replied imine, diately and Dennis Reid, the captain, put Beckenham-Sockburn two minuates later into a lead it never relinquished. From that time, there was really only one team in the contest. Reid scored again in the third quarter, and Russell McConnochie added two more goals in the final quarter. Maranul’s only reply was a goal by Craig. Maranui had given a most creditable performance in the first match, however, and fully deserved its 6-4 win, the cousins, Craig and Dyson, scoring five of the goals between them. But the feature was the brilliant goal-keeping of Robert Borgers, for Maranui; his place in the New Zealand team must have been in some jeopardy, but after this performance there was no question of his right to be named again. Similarly in the replay. Murray Davie, who had not had the happiest of tournaments, was back to something more like his commanding self. MATCH OF TOURAMENT On Saturday evening, however, he had had the unusual experience of being excluded from the balance of the match against Wharenui, for showing disrespect to the referee. Even without him and Reid, fouled out in the second quarter, Beckenham-Sockburn still had reserves of strength to win, 11-10.

Although as it happened, this match did not carry the eventual importance of the final two matches, it was unquestionably the match of the tournament

Many old and experienced judges of the game were adamant that it was the best match they had seen in Canterbury. Some went so far as to say that they had not seen a better one in New Zealand.

It had all the ingridients: a local derby between old rivals, the possibility of a four-way tie in the tournament if Wharenui won, and two highly skilled teams. Both scored three of their, goals from penalties, and Beckenham-Sockburn won its goal advantage in the third quarter, mainly thanks to Mustchin, who sometimes reached great heights. The upshot of this match was that Wharenui, with nothing left to play for, went on to lose to Avondale yesterday morning and dropped to fifth place, this although scoring more goals than any other team at the tournament. Maranui was forced into the play-off situation by losing its derby, to Hutt, also on Saturday evening. It only once, in the third quarter, drew level, but Bene 80l would not be denied and he scored the most valuable of his 13 goals at the tournament. nils was the greatest

tally, closely followed by Richard Clarke (Wharenui) with 12. Craig Gunthorp, and Barry Britten (Victoria University) all scored nine. DETAILED RESULTS The final two day’s results were:— Replay: Beckenham-Sockburn 6 (M A. Harding 2, S. L. Domney 2, D. J. W. Reid, R. E. McConnochie) beat Avondale 3 (J. M. Banner-Martin, R. Bremner, C. H Tuoro) Maranui 5 (M. J. Craig 3, K. W. Brodie, P. Jamieson) beat Wharenui 4 (I. L. Gunthorp 3, ; R. A Clark). Beckenham-Sockburn 8 (Reid 4, B. M. Mustchin, C. D. Robinson, Domney, Harding) beat Victoria University 4 (B. J. Britten ' 2, K. D. Stoneman 2). Hutt 8 (R. P. 80l 5, K. G. , McLaughlin, G. Duffy, P. . O’Reilly) beat Avondale 3 (G. A. Knights, P. S. Tuoro, Bremner). Hutt 4 (801, Duffy, W. E. Martlew. K. Garrett) beat Maranui 3 ' (R. M. Paterson 2, P. W. Dyson). Beckenham-Sockburn 11 (Hard- ' Ing 4, Mustchin 3, Reid 2, ' Demney 2) beat Wharenui 10 , (Clark 3, Gtmthorp 2, T. M. McGirr 2. P. G. McClure, G. W. Campbell, M. H. Timms). Avondale 9 (P Tuoro 4, C. ; Tuoro 3, R Harding 2) beat Viei toria University 5 (Stoneman 3, G. B. Stephens, I. M. Brown). Hutt 8 (Duffy 2, O’Reilly 2, G. L. Schuster, Martlew, 801, J. Morrison) beat Victoria Univer- ' sity 2 (R. Walker 2). Avondale 4 (P. Tuoro 3, ! Banner-Martin) beat Wharenui 3 ' (Timms 2, Clark), ' Maranui 6 (Craig 3, Dyson 2, D. H. Spoor) beat BeckenhamSockburn 4 (Mustchin 2, I McConnochie. Harding).