Top rugby men to coach

Press, 22 February 1978, Page 6

Top rugby men to coach

Two former rugby players who fell just short of becoming All Blacks will take up coaching appointments this year with the University club. Morrie Collins, a high scoring wing for both Otago and Canterbury a few years jigo, will share with Laurie O’Reilly the coaching of the University A team, which last season won the premier C.S.B. Trophy competition. Mr O’Reilly was the sole coach last year, although he was assisted on an unofficial basis by John Creighton. Mr Collins, a schoolteacher, has lived in both Nelson and Dunedin since his first-class playing career ended in 1974. He transferred back to Christchurch this year.

University’s second newcomer is Mel Dunne, a very efficient loose forward for Canterbury

from 1958 to 1965 and a player considered very unlucky net to win selection tor the All Black tour to South Africa in i 960. He will join forces with Brian Ween ink in the coaching of th# University B team, with which Mr Weenink has been associated for the last couple of seasons.

Mr Dunne represented a number of other unions besides Canterbury and later while living in Australia he played for New South Wales. He also toured New Zealand as the captain of a New South Wales country team. Like Mr Collins, Mr Dunne played for South Island and New Zealand Universities and he also graduated to within a whisker of becoming an All Black by playing for the Rest of New Zealand against the IMO national side.