Easy pool enhances hockey prospects

Press, 29 July 1976, Page 30

Easy pool enhances hockey prospects

By

KEVIN TUTTY

A relatively easy pool draw has enhanced Canterbury’s prospects of winning the Challenge Shield at the Rothmans New Zealand hockey tournament at Nelson from August 22 to 28.

Canterbury has drawn Wellington. Manawatu, South Canterbury, and Nelson in pool B. while the other pool consists of Auckland (which won the Shield last year), Northland. Hawke’s Bay, Wanganui, and Otago. Canterbury lost 0-2 to Auckland in last year’s final at Hamilton, after holding the sh'eld for eight successive years.

On the first day, Canterbury has a bye. Its first two matches are against teams which Canterbury should beat comfortably — Nelson on August 23 and South Canterbury on August 24. Canterbury’s third pool match is against Manawatu, and its last is against Wellington. . Canterbury will not find it easy to reach the final this

year. It will field a team below strength for the tournament, as four of its players — John Christensen, Thur Bcrren, Tony Ineson, and Alan Chesney — are at present with the successful New Zealand Olympic team in Montreal, and have indicated they are unlikely to be available.

This must weaken both defence and the attack, and put a heavy burden on the shoulders of the young Canterbury players who will be chosen to replace them.

The draw, however, is favourable to a degree. Canterbury will have its first two matches, against South Canterbury and Nelson, to settle down, before meeting Manawatu and then the tough nut in the section, Wellington. Canterbury, and its coach, Mr C. V. Walter, have behind them the knowledge that the team has already beaten this season all four teams in its pool, and should therefore at least reach the semi-finals.

At the Trans Tours quadrangular tournament in Christchurch in June, Canterbury had good wins over Wellington (2-0), and Manawatu (5-1). Unfortunately for Canterbury, Wellington, which has two players in the Olympic team —Trevor Manning and Alan Mclntyre -— will be at full strength for the New Zealand tournament. It will however, be without its right-wing. Bruce Judge, who with Mclntyre has been

the spearhead of the t lington attack for years, but who this men: • retired from representative hockey. In pool A, Auckland, too will be at full strength. It will have Jeff Archibald, am the ot'lliant Ramesh Pate! from the Olympic team, am probably Greg Dayman, whe has been living in Europt for two years, but is be lieved to be returning tc New Zealand with the Olympic team. Mohan Patel, the othei Auck'and player in the Olympic team, will remain in Canada. Auckland should have few worries in reaching the semi-finals, but the second position from pool A might be close. Northland was a disappointment last year, but it it plays better hockey this year will be a definite semifinal prospect. It has « young team full of vitality, but showed a tendency last year to worry more about the tnan than the ball.

Otago dropped dramatically in the rankings last year, but showed at the quadrangular tournament that -.t has restored much ol its lost confidence. The return of its coach of twe years ago, Mr B. Berkerly, has done much to improve Otago r, position.

Hawke’s Bay is a consistent team and its brand of fast, open hockey has upset many top teams in the past It, too, might be a semi-final prospect.