WAYNE SMITH: CANTERBURY’S BRIGHTEST RUGBY PROSPECT

Press, 3 October 1979, Page 16

WAYNE SMITH: CANTERBURY’S BRIGHTEST RUGBY PROSPECT

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

At the start of the winter the biggest problem facing the Canterbury rugby team was the finding of someone to succeed Doug Bruce at first fiveeighths, no easy task when it is remembered that Bruce retired as the country's top player in the position. it is therefore a shade ironic that now, at the end of a season in which Canterbury’s fortunes fluctuated wildly, the one player above criticism is the man who eventually replaced Bruce — Wayne Smith. Smith, who turned 22 in April, is undoubtedly Canterbury's “find” of the season. He seems certain to win the award for the best first-year member of the representative squad at tonight’s Canterburv Rugby Supporters’ Club dinner and it will occasion no great surprise if he should carry off the

"player of the year” award as well. Robbie Deans and Kieran Keane were both tried at first five-eighths before Smith, who was handicapped to some extent by the fact that he was little known in Canterbury. He had shifted south from Waikato earlier in the year and a place in the Waikato squad, no games, was the extent of his credentials. However, his play for Belfast, a club he joined because he had a relative living in the area, soon caught the attention of the Canterbury back selector, Gerald Wilson, and Mr Wilson decided to give him a run. “At the time it was a g-mble,” said Mr Wilson this week. “The team was not going well and I felt a bold decision had to be taken. Happily it is one I have not had cause to regret. “Wayne has improved

with every game. He listens carefully to what he is told and is a quick learner. He also spends a lot of time, on his own, perfecting his basic skills” Smith does appear to have all the skills necessary for a top-class fiveeighths. He has safe hands, has a snappy swing pass, can kick accurately with both feet and he has an explosive burst of speed, well demonstrated in the tries he scored in each of Canterbury’s final three games. He certainly looks every bit as good a footballer as Bruce was at the same age and he is probably quicker on his feet than Bruce ever was. Even on the days when the Canterbury backs were rushing around like untrained firemen. Smith exuded calm and competence. The future certainly

looks bright for Smith and already he is being spoken of as an All Black in embryo. He might even have

got the call this year if Eddie Dunn had had a bad game in the second Pumas “test.” However, it will do him no harm to wait a little longer.

As a trainee teacher, Smith does not know where he will be based next year, but he has applied for positions in Canterbury and may even forgo teaching for a year or two if he is faced with a transfer.

He is at present on section at Papanui High School, where his main subjects are geography and social studies. His agility gives a clue to his third teaching interest of physical education.

Smith. a personable young man with the character to complement his

playing ability, said this week that he had greatly enjoyed his first season with Canterbury and would like to stay with the province. “1 was in a bit of a rut up north and I hoped that moving to Canterbury would help my rugby. And I have learnt a lot.

Canterbury has a good team and there is so much experience for the younger players to benefit from.” With an unbroken run of 12 games for Canterbury since his “gamble” debut against South Canterbury in early July, Smith has played outside both the province’s halfbacks, Steve Scott and Gary Barkle.

He has no preference. “They are different types of half-back, but they are both very good. Each throws a long pass and for a first five-eighths this is very comforting.” Mr Wilson’s coaching partner, Stan Hill, tells a

good story about Smith. Recently Mr Hill had a young American friend staying; with him and his visitor expressed interest in playing rugby in

Christchurch next winter. His club choice was Belfast. Why Belfast? asked Mr Hill. “Any club that has taat Wayne Smith playing; for it must be extra good,” came back the reply in a slow American drawl.

Such reasoning might be challenged, but there is little dcubt that in Wayne Smith Belfast has the most promising, and the most exciting. rugby player in Canterbury at present

Over the last 20 years Canterbury has supplied a string of All Black fiveeighths, the most recent being Keane, Smith appears destined to join the list and on his performances this year he could prove one of the best of the breed.