Two team survivors

Press, 1 September 1982, Page 42

Two team survivors

One of the last three links with the great Christchurch Marist Brothers senior rugby team of the early 1920 s died this week in Wellington. Ted Brosnahan, who was 89, was full-back for that mighty side — a solid, reliable defender with a mighty kick which belied his 65kg, much in the mould of- the man who followed him in the green and white. 30. years later, Kevin Stuart., i In common with many outstanding players in those days of first-class matches few and far between, Brosnahan had only three .representative matches. All were in 1919 — both Canterbury’s games against Wellington* and for the South

Island against the North. He was also an obdurate batsman for East Christchurch, with a senior career stretching over 20 years, from 1915 to 1935. In those 151 matches, then a record for East, he scored 4152 runs at an average of 20.6, and hit three centuries. His eight first-class games brought him 281 runs at a similar average, with his best performance in his first match, at Hagley Oval against Otago. Going in at No. 3, Brosnahan batted nearly four hours for an unbeaten 73. There are now only two survivors of the great Marist rugby team, Harry Mullins and Bert Blazey.