Rugby fortunes at low ebb

Press, 3 July 1979, Page 32

Rugby fortunes at low ebb

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

Canterbury’s rugby fortunes are really at a low ebb. On top of the A team’s two recent defeats and the nonselection of any Canterbury players in this week’s test team comes poor representation in the New Zealand Juniors and the trials to pick the New Zealand Colts. Only two players from the province are in the Juniors, the Merivale-Papanui midfield back, Dave Ngatai, and the University A half-back, Gary Barkle, who was also in the side last year. Ngatai, in fact, was only nominated for the Colts, but the selectors apparently consider him sufficiently developed to play for the Juniors. Canterbury made nine nominations for the Juniors and among those passed over are Brent Codlin (Lincoln College), Paul Molloy (Marist), Wayne Smith (Belfast) and Dave White (Lincoln College), all players of considerable potential.

The Colts situation is no better. Canterbury made 18 nominations, yet only three have won places in the trial teams to meet in Nelson on July 18. The three are the Christchurch club-mates, John Collinson and Neil Porter, both of whom were New Zealand Colts last year, and Brad Whitelock, a lock who was living in Culverden but has recently moved to the North Island.

Collinson was actually nominated for the Juniors and it would seem that he and Ngatai have been reassessed by the national selectors.

Three others have been included in the reserves, the High School Old Boys forwards, Ken Pope and Robert Mclntosh, and the Christchurch first five-eighths, Robbie Deans.

Ross Gibson, a Colt last year, is the most surprising Canterbury rejection, while Simon Brown, Jock Hobbs and Richard Loe are others who were expected to at least receive a trial.

The .Juniors, who begin

their six-match internal tour against Wairarapa-Bush at Masterton on July 18, are: M. Gunson (North Auckland), F. Woodman (North Auckland), K. Taylor (Hawke’s Bay), E. Gallagher (South Canterbury), D. Ngatai (Canterbury), L. Cameron (Manawatu), P. Macfie (Otago), G. Cederwall (Wellington), G. Barkle (Canterbury), A. Donald (Wananui), M. Shaw (Manawatu), H. King (South Canterbury), S. Vaaotua (Auckland), Q. Schofield (King Coutnry), J. Williams (Waikato), P. Tuoro (Counties), P. Koteka (Waikato), W. Murcott (Southland), T. Murphy (South Canterbury), W. Preston (Auckland), W. Benson (Hawke’s Bay). The Colts have a fivematch internal tour and the trialists are:

Probables; I. Frew (Auckland), V. L. Simpson (Poverty Bay), J. Collinson (Canterbury), M. J. Ormsby (Hawke’s Bay), E. Halligan (Otago), G. Brunsden (Auckland), C. W. Hiini (Southland), P. Hawkins, (Waira-

rapa-Bush), G. Hines (Waikato), B. Whitelock (Canterbury), P. R. Johnstone (North Otago), C. Cooper (Taranaki), N. Porter (Canterbury), H. Reid (Bay of Plenty), J. D. Fortune (Southland).

Possibles: G. W. Muir (Poverty Bay), P. Riley (Counties), J. Salmon (Wellington), W. Hill (Auckland), M. Mills (Auckland), B. Haig (Otago), I. Waterson (Auckland), C. Dickson (Otago), C. Ferguson (Waikato), G. Whetton (Auckland), M. Fransen (Nelson Bays), J. O’Connell (Otago), K. B. Boreovich (King Country), K. Asby (Counties), T. Tollier (Auckland). Reserves: P. Lawson (Wellington), R. Mclntosh (Canterbury), K. Pope (Canterbury), W. Monk (West Coast); M. Brooke (Horowhenua), D. McDonald (Otago), M. Torrance (Otago), R. Deans (Canterbury).

N. Allen (Auckland), B. Cameron (Poverty Bay) and P. Dailey (Hawke’s Bay) were not considered because of injuries.