Football, running on a punctured lung

Press, 4 June 1982, Page 28

Football, running on a punctured lung

By

JOHN COFFEY

Steve Hann, the Hornby rugby league scrum-half, is one of the slightest players in the premier grade — but his club-mates are unanimous that no ; one has a bigger heart. Last Saturday Hann played through Hornby’s match with Sydenham at the Show Grounds, and then went across to Addington Raceway and represented Hornby in the 600 m rugby league players’ running race during the Canterbury Park trotting meeting.

He carried out both of those assignments bravely, but somewhat breathlessly. The next day it was discovered that he had punctured a lung while playing for Hornby against Linwood on May 22.

Hann had left the field

early in the second half that day and was taken to hospital. Hornby officials are annoyed that no X-rays were ordered, and Harin was released without treatment.

When Hann’s breathing was still laboured last Sunday, he returned to hospital and was admitted. It is expected that he will be released today or tomorrow, and will be a spectator when Hornby meets its co-leader in the N.Z.I.G. premiership, Eastern Suburbs, at the Show Grounds tomorrow afternoon. •

Other than the doubt over who will fill Hann’s role behind the scrum, Hornby will be strengthened by the return of its Canterbury B representatives, Robin Alfeld, Ross Taylor and John Griffiths, and the Kiwi triallist, Barry Edkins.

Injuries to the regular centres, Terry Burnett and Mark Willis, might require some recasting of the backline. Vaughan Low, who was so successful a full-back substitute for Alfeld against Sydenham that he scored four tries, is likely to be switched to a mid-field role.

Eastern is still without Derek McLaughlan — just as Hornby awaits the recovery of Alan Rushton — but has Kevin Placid, Jim Churcher and Nigel Hermanson back from the Canterbury second XIII, and the new Kiwi, Gerard Stokes, w’ill be at prop.

The winner must be conceded a grand chance of gaining the Tavendale Cup as the top side in the first full premiership round.