Canterbury confident

Press, 4 June 1982, Page 10

Canterbury confident

Canterbury will be seeking to improve on the runner-up position it has filled for the last two seasons when the New Zealand 19-years rugby league tournament begins at the Show Grounds this afternoon.

. The Canterbury side starts its campaign against West Coast in the first match of the round-robin series, meets Central Districts and Hamilton tomorrow, Northern Districts on Sunday, and, in a possible grand final, Auckland on Monday morning.

The title-holder, Auckland, and Canterbury, • West Coast and Hamilton have entered provincial combinations. Central’s squad is comprised of players from Wellington, Taranaki and Manawatu, while Waikato, Bay of Plenty •and Midlands representatives have joined forces under the banner of Northern.

Auckland and Canterbury have long been dominant teams in junior rugby league, but Hamilton, in particular, has made giant strides in recent seasons. Hamilton was formerly part of the Waikato league, and has fully justified its separate status. However, Canterbury’s officials are confident of success this time. They apparently have good reason for their positive outlook, for the Junior Kiwis vice-captain, John Blazey, is listed only as the understudy to another Papanui scrum-half, Lee Nelson, who will also lead Canterbury’s challenge.

Another double Junior Kiwi, the forward, David Peach, is not in the Canterbury squad because of his limited appearances before the selection was made. But Canterbury’s other two present Junior Kiwis, Brent Todd and Adrian Shelford, will be appearing in the tournament.

Five other Canterbury players, Peter McClintock, Martin Crequer, Ricky Brown, Shane Gousmett and Richard Setu, participated in the final Junior Kiwis trial at Carlaw Park late last month, and would have benefited from the national coaching school at Hamilton. ' Competition for the National .Tournament Team to meet The Rest on Monday afternoon will be particularly keen, but Canterbury already has 10 players who have earned New Zealand honours in previous underage tournaments. Blazey has been recognised on four occasions — as a schoolboy 15-years Kiwi in 1978, in the 1980 national 17-

years team, and the last two Junior Kiwis touring parties. The other youthful "internationals" are Crequer (17years. 1981). Brown (19-years. 1981), Wally Langatule (15years, 1978), Kerry Pearce (17-years, 1980), Gousmett (17-years, 1981), Todd (17years. 1981), David Billesdon (15-years, 1978). Richard Setu (17-years, 1981) and Murray Hurst (17-years. 1980).

Billesdon. a former schoolboy Kiwi captain, was promoted to the Eastern-Hertz premier line-up against Addington last Saturday, and made a most favourable impression.

The other Canterbury squad members are McClintock, Garron Starr — the runner-up to Chris Towart (Addington) in the footballers’ 600 m race at Addington Raceway last Saturday night

— Nelson, Lance Setu, Pomace Connell, John Green, Glenn Grut, Shelford and Richard Pidcock.

Auckland has a policy of not including premier players in its intermediate sides, and four of its Junior Kiwis. Wesley Siakumi, Joe Ropati, Ricky Cowan and Sam Folau, were ineligible for the 19-years series.

But Auckland still has a formidable appearance. Dean Orr, a slight but very quick wing, made a fine impression in the Junior Kiwis trials, while Luke Gemmell (fullback), George Sorensen (scrum-half), Troy Hardy (prop) and Nahu Timoko (loose forward) were also

chosen to tour Papua New Guinea. The Auckland tournament squad also has two other Junior Kiwi trialists. Tia Ropati (stand-off) and Dean Napa (hooker), in its ranks. Terry Jenkins was the sole West Coast representative in the trials, but there was never any doubt that, at 17 years of age, he would enhance an already glowing reputation by being named captain. In the last four years he has had the distinction of twice being a schoolboy Kiwi, and having achieved national selection for the 17-years and Junior Kiwi sides. The Hamilton backs should be given every opportunity to display their talents. Terry Rapana, who will be making his second tour with the Junior Kiwis, will be at stand-off, outside of James Smith, a trialist for the trip to Papua New Guinea.

Central also has one Junior Kiwi — the former schoolboys selection, Luke Aranga (Manawatu) — and an unsuccessful candidate, Alan Jackson (Taranaki). The strapping centre, Pei Muru, and a prop, Dennis Smith. were Northern players selected ■in the Junior Kiwis, and an inside back, Spencer Blake, appeared in the trial. Muru is a premier footballer with the Turangawaewae club in Waikato, and Smith, a bushman from Taupo, has experience with the Midlands premier side.