Disappointment yet again for Glenmark

Press, 15 August 1980, Page 20

Disappointment yet again for Glenmark

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

Once again the showdown between the town and country senior rugby champions has run into problems and there is almost no chance of the match — set down for next Wednesday evening — being played. The two teams involved are University A, which last Saturday won the premier town competition, and Glenmark, which in addition to taking the combined North Canter-bury-Hurunui competition recently beat the top Ellesmere team, Lincoln, to find the over-all country champion. The game was to be played under lights at Denton Oval next Wednesday, but the hitch is that

the Canterbury' selectors are unwilling to release University A’s five representative players — Randal Scott, Victor Simpson, Kieran Keane, Gary Barkle and Dale Atkins. The convener of the Canterbury panel, Mr Gerald Wilson, said yesterday that the squad had been hit by more than its fair share of injuries this season and he was against running the risk of any more at such a vital stage of the season.

“We have a very important game against Wellington on Saturday week and some of our players have had a lot of football lately, particularly the Maori players, Simpson and Atkins. Another big

club game next week would add to the pressure.” Mr Wilson said that he was being consistent on the question as he had asked the Canterbury Maori selector, Tane Norton, not to play any of the A squad players in a match Canterbury Maoris have this Sunday. Mr Wilson is supported in his stand by the president of the Canterbury union, Mr Benj Drake, who also, as it happens, is the president of the University Club. “The representative players have had a heavy load lately and it is going to continue right through until the end of September. I think Mr Wilson’s

stand Is fully justified,” said Mr Drake.

The Canterbury union, said Mr Drake, had no power to insist that the match be played. “It is organised purely on the

basis that the teams involved both want to play and I think University A has sound reasons for withdrawing.” These reasons, as explained by the coach, Mr Lawrie O’Reilly, yesterday, are mainly that the game would have no point if University A fielded a “patched up” side.

In addition to the five

Canterbury players, University A would also be without the services of one or two others, who will be away on holiday, but it was the loss of the four best backs which

made the game unacceptable, said Mr O’Reilly. “We are disappointed that things have worked out this way, as I think there is a place for such a game. It is a pity that Glenmark, or whoever the top country team might be, cannot get the opportunity to test itself against the best in town. “But even if we were to

fill the gaps with B team players, who disbanded two weeks ago, the game would have no point,” said Mr O’Reilly. The Glenmark captaincoach, Alex Wyllie, agrees with these sentiments, but he lays the blame squarely on the Canterbury union.

“After tire experiences of the last two years we half expected this would happen,” said Wyllie, when informed yesterday that the game was almost certain to be abandoned.

Two years ago Glenmark met, and beat, a reluctant New Brighton side some weeks after the championships had finished and last year when the circumstances were similar the

winning town team, High School Old Boys, refused to play Glenmark. It is noteworthy that if New Brighton had beaten University A in last Saturday’s C.S.B. Trophy final, the game, which some country people see as a Canterbury champion-of-champions event, would not have been played either. Even before the final New Brighton told the Union it was not interested.

i Wyllie was critical of tite union for putting the game on its fixture list and now bowing to pressure to have it wiped. “It would be aimless unless the tivo teams were at full strength and some thought should have been

given to this when a date was set. Still, it was all right last week-end for top players to have two hard games in successive days. It’s a different story now’.”

Wyllie said that not only Glenmark, which has not lost a game this year, but all country clubs would be disappointed that the game was off.

“The country’ clubs think they should have the chance to meet the best in town, but until such time that the union is big enough and strong enough to back up its promises then the muddle will continue,” said Wyllie, who with his appointment this week as the new Country coach is in almost certainly his last, playing season.