Soldier stands out

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33944, 10 September 1975, Page 32

Soldier stands out

The Army gave NewZealand Rugby an outstanding forward in Stan Hill, and it appears to have a champion back in the making in Richard Wixon, an 18-year-old Regular Force soldier stationed at Burnham Military Camp.

Last week-end, Wixon scored 35 points for the Canterbury under-19 team in its 73-0 drubbing of the South Canterbury under-19s at Rugby Park. A utility back who can play creditably in most positions, Wixon has marked this season with a succession of splendid displays and high scoring.

! He scored 230 points for the Burnham side which won the Ellesmere under-19 competition and went on to beat the champion city team, Marist, 36-4. From Southland, Wixon played for the South Island under-16 and under-18 teams before joining the Army. While stationed at Waiouru he played for Wanganui Colts, and at present he is a member of the New Zealand Army Colts, with two of his fellow Burnham players, Neil Jury and Jamie Moodie. The team will play Wanganui Colts in Taihape today, and the three young soldiers will then return to the Canterbury under-19 side for a game against Canterbury under-20s at Shirley Boys’ High School on Saturday.

Wixon will be at second five-eighths in this game. Experienced Rugby judges rate him an outstanding prospect both in this position and at full-back.

In cricket, too, Wixon has bright prospects. A protege of Jack Alabaster, he played for the Otago Brabin Cup XI two seasons ago as a spin bowler and hard-hitting lower-order batsman.

Last summer, playing for Combined Services against a Wellington XI, he bowled the test batsman, John Morrison, for a duck, and made 72 not out.

It is good news for Canterbury sport that this gifted young likely to be stationed at Bumham for some time.