League gets Timaru footing

Press, 18 June 1976, Page 24

League gets Timaru footing

By

RAY CAIRNS

The spreading of rugby league into former rugby union preserves continued this week with the formation of an interim governing body in Timaru. The secretary-manager of the Canterbury Rugby League (Mr D. G. Gaynor) led a delegation to a meeting in South Canterbury designed to sec up the game on a firm footing and to give some guidance. And such is the quality of coaches and players available in Timaru that Mr Gaynor believes a very good team could be fielded. "They have a 27-y ear-old Englishman, Dave Cunliffe, who played semi-professional rugby league and had trials for the British 17- and 19-year-old teams,” said Mr Gaynor. “He has been here about four years, tried rugby union — which he quite liked — then played some soccer. He is prepared to play in and coach the forwards.” And of more immediate interest to Canterbury followers is that the 21-year-old former Eastern Suburbs premier three-quarter. Dean Harris, now in Timaru, is prepared to play and to coach the backs. Harris was a regular Canterbury representative in agegroup teams. A tentative programme is being drawn up for the steering committee — under the chairmanship of Mr "Snow”

Whibley, with Mr Alan McGregor as secretary — to consider. It proposes that a senior second or third grade team should play a Timaru side on August 1, and premier clubs will be approached for two of them to play an exhibition game the same day. In the meantime, the Timaru players will probably be invited to play friendly matches against Canterbury teams from the senior second and third grades: both at present have byes.

Mr Gaynor said the rugby league enthusiasts had had difficulties in securing a ground. “But now they are a properly set-up club, they may find things a little easier,” said Mr Gaynor. He was also confident Timaru or South Canterbury could field a strong team. Three of the prospective players are former Waikato 19-year-old representatives and another played for Wellington in the same grade. There are also a number of freezing workers keen on playing the code, and they were represented at Tuesday evening’s meeting.

Soccer. — Czechoslovakia reached the final of the European Nations Cup with a shock, 3-1, win over the favourites, Holland, after extra time in their semi-final in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. Their opponents in the final will be either Yugoslavia or West Germany, who clash soon m Belgrade.