Canty rugby union may drop two-man panel

Press, 2 October 1979, Page 34

Canty rugby union may drop two-man panel

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

The first step in finding; who will select and coach I i • the Canterbury rugby team | next winter will be taken at tonight’s meeting of the; union’s management com-| mittee. The topic was raised and|. discussed briefly last week, before the chairman, Mr R. W. Thomas, asked members to give the matter a week’s ' thought before taking it any , further. Mr Thomas said yesterday ; that the decision which had I to be made at this stage was ! whether Canterbury wanted i to continue with the two- < man panel that it has hadjf

ifor more than 40 years or I try some other method. I “There may be some members of the 'committee who favour a change, to a sole I selector-coach, possibly with I power to co-opt coaching assistance, and I thought it w’ise to give everyone time to sort out their thoughts I before the discussion is resumed and a vote taken.” The question of a change to a sole selector-coach was last raised about four years ago and it was only on a split vote that the two-man panel was retained. It is known that one or two members who supported the status quo then, now lean towards the appointment of just one man, providing the right man can be [found. There are others,

however, who have turned in the other direction. Mr Thomas said that at i one time he had favoured a ■ change to one man. but now he felt that two men were needed to give adequate coverage to both town and country clubs. “It is more important now that the territory is covered with the selectors having ■ not only to pick their own team but also make recommendations for national juniors’ and colts’ sides." Mr Thomas said that once the committee had made a policy decision nominations would be sought from clubs and both the provincial A and B selectors would be appointed in December. The Colts selectors, or selector, would be left until February.