Injury halts Paul’s career

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34087, 26 February 1976, Page 28

Injury halts Paul’s career

Injury has cut short the rugby career of one of the most promising first fiveeighths in the country, Paul McEwan.

He learned this week that he must have an operation on an ankle, and he has been advised to give rugby away completely.

The news has come as a blow to McEwan and to his club, Christchurch, which will be striving for its third consecutive senior championship this season. "I’m pretty disappointed, but the way the ankle was playing up. something just had to be done,” the 22-year-old McEwan said yesterday. “I was looking forward keenly to this

rugby season after breaking into the Canterbury squad last year and then having things messed up by injury.” Within two days of his selection in the provincial squad, McEwan suffered a severe ankle injury in a club match.

He returned to action near the end of the club season, and played a brilliant game when Christchurch beat Linwood in the grand final. But further examinations of the ankle disclosed bone damage. and an operation was recommended. His leg will be in plaster for three months.

A swift and decisive

runner and an astute, tactician, McEwan seemed destined for the top in rugby. But he has other strings to his sporting

bow. He Is a low handicapped golfer and a fine cricketer; he was a member of the Canterbury squad for this week’s match against Wellington in the Shell series.

“1 want to get the ankle really fixed before coming back into sport next summer,” he said. “It will be cricket and golf for me from now on.”

The news had brought an air of gloom to the ranks of the Christchurch club’s senior team, the club captain (Mr T. P. George) said yesterday.

“Paul was a talented and popular player, and his team-mates feel his loss keenly.”