Feminine guidance for team

Press, 30 July 1980, Page 20

Feminine guidance for team

Rugby youth

Rugby is often regarded as being the bastion of male chauvinism and dominance.- But even this sacred cow is showing signs of liberation with the presence of Gail Harris as a coach of the eighteenth grade Linwobd side. Far from feeling isolated and downtrodden, she is having a great time. The boys seem to regard her as something special and unique, while other coaches and administrators have been full of advice and encouragement. Gail’s side has! been having a mixed season, but show plenty of potential. Jayson Biyth at No. 8 and Brian Kerr at prop are both hard-working forwards. At half-back Brendon Beyers has developed a fine pass, and at first five-eighths Scott Holden has considerable potential.

An under-9 side to have a good win on Saturday was Hornby, which won

12-6. Stewart IVJcCrystal, normally at first fiveeighths, adapted well to playing at half-back. Shane Allison had a successful day, scoring a try and converting two. In the forwards Stephen KingiHazel, gave a great display for his age and size, while Michael Anderson and Tony Bremner shone in the front row.

The New Brighton seventeenth grade side found its Christchurch opponents pretty hard work on Saturday. Lance Reynolds at second Ifive-eighths, Richard Quested at first fiveeighths and Greg Muir at half-back have forged a talented and close knit combination. In the forwards Scott Willis is a driving lock.

In the Christchurch team, James Dobson ran powerfully while the bootlace tackling of Nicholas Willis was a feature of the game. David Nichols is a lock who has improved markedly, while the half-back, Michael Harrison, has learned to exploit to blind-side well. The Belfast under-10 side engaged in a hardfought battle against Hornby, winning by the small margin of 4-0. Richard Reveley has a good pair of hands at first five eights, while the halfback, Paul Robinson is a talented pjayer. The side is also lucky to possess a formidable forward pack; all eight members contributed plenty. The Burnside sev-

enteenth grade team found the strength of Shirley too much in spite of a solid team effort. Shirley is the competition’s top side; unbeaten to date. Burnside has been fortunate to have three of its players selected for the representative side —. two wings, Peter Ryan and Brendon Guerin, while the first five-eighths, Jeremy Wadeson, has also been selected.

Not many players in the youngest grades can. boast of scoring a century of points in a season, but that mark was reached last Saturday by Aran Holmes, a member of the Hornby E eighteenth grade team. His tally reached 104 and there have been 23 in. tries in that total.