Rugby format changed

Press, 20 July 1977, Page 38

Rugby format changed

Many senior rugby clubs are apparently unaware of the format under which they are playing for the remainder of the season. A departure has been made with the top four teams in that they will not have a knock-out series culminating in a grand final. Instead, they will all play each other, and the two leaders will play for the Canterbury Savings Bank Trophy on Sunday, August

Meanwhile, the remaining 12 teams have been divided into two sections; after a round-robin in each division, the winners will play in the grand final for the D.C.L. Shield at Denton Park, on Wednesday August 24. Only eight of the 15 senior clubs were represented in the regional qualifying round of the Middlesex Cup seven-a-side tournament on Saturday. Mr W. Russell said the competitions committee would next season look at playing the round in April, in reporting the lack of interest to last evening’s Canterbury Rugby Union management committee meeting.

Three players who have appeared this season for Canterbury A are in the Town XV to play North Canterbury at Rangiora today. They are Doug Heffernan, Stuart Purdon and Don Hayes. The team is:—

Heffernan; G. J. Hopper, B. Harris, I. Mather; K. Keane, P. A. Macfie; G. Ellis; J. Rowberry (captain), Purdon, R. Smith, G. Brown, Hayes: P. Oliver, R. Davidson, M. G. Davie. Reserves. — Backs: K. ] Jewell, W. Tinker, M. Le Compte. Forwards: B. M. Mustchin, B. Henderson, P. B. McKay. The Town Colts to play Country Colts in the cur-tain-raiser are:—

B. W. Codlin; M. O’Donovan, J. Collison. M. Ryan; R. Wixon (captain), W. Burleigh; G. Barkle, M. Hammond; J. Patterson, K. Mitchell, S. O’Gorman, S. Rees; N. Porter, J. Froggart, G. McKenzie. Reserves. — Backs: S. Bloomberg, B. Dickison, B. Nahkies. Forwards: A. Hollander, G. Fuller, K. Flood.