Young league squad

Press, 4 October 1977, Page 56

Young league squad

By

JOHN COFFEY

Canterbury should be able to mount a reasonably strong challenge for the New Zealand rugby league seven-a-side title when the second annual tournament is held in Wellington next Saturday. Several of the province’s more experienced players were not available — nor were any members of the' Papanui premier squad, which will be away on an end-of-season trip — and the selectors (Messrs Trevor Bisman. Gary Clarke and

Mel Clinton) have chosen a young and speedy squad. Leadership will be provided by the former Kiwi second-row forward, Wayne Robertson, who has just completed his two-year term as the Hornby captain-coach. Robertson has not been available for Canterbury since his return to Christchurch and will be donning the red-and-black jersey for

(the first time since his previous spell with Hornby in 11969. J There will be guidance for | the backs, too, from Lewis Hudson, who will no doubt Ibe looking forward to a rest from football over the summer months. He has virtually played for three consecutive seasons, having spent the last northern winter with Warrington in England. The outside backs, Francis Lawrence, Robin Alfeld and Kevin Steel, are all quite fast and evasive. Lawrence’s 'style should be ideally suited to the requirements of seven-a-side ruby league, Alfeld will be seeking to add to the favourable reputation he earned over the second half of the representative programme, and Steel deserves his inclusion after a i string of notable performances at club level. They should be capably served by the scrum-half, Murray ' French.

Roberston’s assistants in th* forwards will be the 18-year-oid loose forward, ■ Wayne Wallace, and Paul ; Truscott and Kerry Corkran, ; two front-rowers who have been pressing some more established rivals for places in the full Canterbury squad. The non-travelling reserve is Grant Stocker, a fine attacking full-back and goalkicker who did well in a struggling Addington XIII in his first year since switching from rugby union. Four other players from Canterbury will be in action for other sides. Mocky Brereton and his MaristWestem Suburbs threequarters partner, Lyn Koevoet, are in the New Zealand Police team, and the young backs. Chris Charlton and John McGougan, will appear for New Zealand Marist. Training for Canterbury team, Spreydon Domain, 6, p.m. Wednesday. — Advertisement.