Shirley team shows up with Gallic flair

Press, 20 July 1979, Page 18

Shirley team shows up with Gallic flair

Rugby youth q Z /"...

One of the most interesting teams to take the field in boys’ Saturday morning rugby is the Shirley under-11 Open side. Employing what their coach describes as “the French style of rugby,” the boys produce some interesting and innovative stuff. They get thrashed in the forwards week after week, but concentrate on flipping the ball out into their talented backs. Saturday was a perfect example of this policy, paying handsome dividends. Up against Hornby, Shirley won the game 128, in spite of loosing 80 J.O 90 nee cent of the ball. Shirley’s backs are really worth looking at. The first five-eighths, Dean Payne, has an excellent pair of hands, while at second fiveeighths Craigh MacGuire has the skiil and strength to break through regularly outside Craig, Dale Thompson is an equally

talented ball handler and runner. In the Hornby team, Paul Cheat cleared the ball well from half-back, and appears to be a player of promise. A lock with plenty of energy on Saturday was Billy Suapopo, whose energy was only surpassed by his enthusiasm. In the front row Mark Tamatu was a hooker of quality. The Christchurch A side in the fifteenth grade has had a successful and enjoyable season. It is a small side compared with others in the grade, but it’s by no means ineffectual. At flanker Paddy Quinlivan appears to be a mature and thoughtful player, while Alister Hooke at No.B uses every bit of his above-average size to advantage. In the backs Julian Kef fry has an innate ability to create a gap. A side with limited success in the fifteenth

grade is the Parkland's fifl teen. The players art enjoyi ing their rugby, but then lack of size makes them prime targets for the big ger teams. Derek Hill a| prop is a toiler whrlt Chris Evans, at first five., eighths, shows judpnenj and class in difficult situ ations. At full-back, non( tackled harder than ken Linkhom, who rarely lej an opponent through. In the twelfth grad th( New Brighton side ha| performed reasonably vel| Glenn Fipps leads bj example as captain; lj i| a flanker who is rarely fai, from the ball. Miaatj Baker, at half-back, i: a| extremely talented plye; with mature tactical bil ity. Only four weeks q inter-club competition irt left, and grade selecoq are out in force. So foj the boys hoping for rejq sentative honours, now ij the time to do their stuf.