Last match the 'test’ for Old Blues rugby team

Press, 27 March 1980, Page 38

Last match the 'test’ for Old Blues rugby team

How does United States club rugby compare w'un its New Zealand equivalent?

“Pretty well, but I would like to wait until Saturday to make a final judgment,” said the coach of the visiting Old Blues team, Mr Ron Mayes, on his arrival in Christchurch yesterday. On Saturday at Straven Road, Old Blues, the champion club side in the United States last year, will meet a senior side from the High School Old Boys club.

which as the champion Christchurch club last winter has a reputation to protect. Saturday’s match is the last in the Old Blues’ fivematch tour and it is, according to Mr Mayes, the “big one”. “We understand Old Boys favour .bright open rugby, just as we do, and if we can win ,we will go home well satisfied. At present the tour record stands at three wins and a loss. The loss was in the opening game, to Taka-

puna, of Auckland, and as this game was played in a near-cyclone, Old Blues were at a disadvantage. “We have never played in conditions like it," said Mr Mayes. “The wind was bad enough, but the rain was completely foreign to us.” Since that 4-18 loss, Old Blues have beaten Kaierau (Wanganui), 27-10, Victoria University (Wellington), 21-13, and, earlier this week, Star (Greymoufh), 19-3.

The visiting party, which numbers 44 and includes four players who have appeared for the American national side, the Eagles, boasts plenty of size.

“So far our forwards have more than held their own and the backs are improving all the time,” said Mr Mayes. One reason why the forwards could be measuring up is that they have had the benefit of a few coaching sessions under the former AH Black

and Canterbury coach, Mr Stan Hill. Old Blues have already won their northern Californian competition and soon after they return home they will be involved in the defence of their United States club championship.

“This tour is important to us for that reason, but this is a great country to play rugby in and we are enjoying every minute of it. The hosnitalitv has

been fantastic,” said Mr Mayes.

He said that rugby was continuing to make steady progress in the United States and there were more than 60 teams in the northern Californian area.

In Greymouth on Tuesday evening property belonging to members of the Old Blues team was -emoved from one of their hotel rooms at the Duke of Edinburgh hotel. “It was mainly sporting

equipment and very identifiable,” said Senior-Ser-geant J. A. L. Wright of the Greymouth Police yesterday.

“We are very concerned that a visiting team was the victim of such a sneak theft and we would suggest that the sourvenir hunter return the gear to the hotel immediately so that we can get it back to the team before it leaves New Zealand.”