Canty team from top clubs

Press, 4 July 1983, Page 23

Canty team from top clubs

By

KAY FORRESTER

Canterbury’s netball coach, Cath Brown, has relied on the province’s top three club sides to provide the provincial team for the national tournament in August. Four of the representative side’s players are from the Burnside club, three from Sacred Heart A and two from St Nicholas. The three clubs finished first, second and third in the first section of the senior competition and lead the second section.

Burnside’s representatives include the New Zealand player, Wai Taumaunu. The tall defender had an excellent world tournament in Singapore and will prove the pivot of the Canterbury defence. Support will come from Sandra Heffernan, of Sacred Heart, who has been selected as goal keep. The selection of the aggressive defence player in that position has meant there is no room in the side for Jennifer Readman. Miss Readman, who plays goal keep to Miss Heffernan’s goal defence for the Sacred

Heart club side, was in the Canterbury squad for the South Island Squad tournament at Queen's Birthday week-end. She played well enough under the pole but did not adapt comfortably when moved out to the wing. Miss Brown has opted instead for Burnside’s Nicky Lay, who had an excellent squad tournament. Miss Lay plays at goal defence for Burnside but began the season at centre and should adapt easily to wing defence if necessary. For both Miss Lay and the second young Burnside player to make the side, Dianne Brown, it is their first Canterbury selection. Miss Brown plays at wing attack in the club competition but will be played on the wing in the defence.

Three shooters — two goal shooters and a goal attack — have been given the job of turning possession into points. Dianna Sullivan (Sacred Heart) and Anne Davidson (St Nicholas) have retained their places from last year. Miss Davidson is back in thfe side after being dropped for the Queen’s Birthday matches.

The third goal shooter is Geane Hohipuha, who returns to the provincial side after missing selection last year. A reserve for the national team to Singapore, Miss Hohipuha has had a mixed season in club netball. Goal shooters to miss selection, because of their play during the squad tournament, were Donna Smith (Sacred Heart) and Jan Pickering (Burnside). Miss Smith began the season well but did not have a good tournament. Miss Pickering is eligible for the under-20 provincial side and will benefit from another year at that level before stepping up. Leigh Gibbs, Sacred Heart’s, Canterbury’s and New Zealand’s centre for the last few seasons, will again lead the side from the mid-cburt. Miss Gibbs has proved a strength for Canterbury in the past and her experience will again be invaluable.

..Lynne McLennan (St Nicholas) will be the firstchoice wing attack, although she can play centre. Miss McLennan is having an excellent club

season. Karen Erickson, who filled in as the province’s centre while her clubmate, Miss Gibbs, was in Singapore, has not been included in the team. Three of last year’s side are not in the 1983 team. Adrienne Hayes, the captain, is now playing in North Shore, Jane Eddington is teaching in Wellington and Maxine Munro is expecting a baby. The team’s first match will be against South Canterbury at Timaru for the Lane Cup. That match will be played next Sunday. A fortnight later Canterbury will meet Wellington in preparation for the national tournament in Gisborne next month. There are no plans for the side to repeat its northern tour prior to the tournament last year. Canterbury was hard pressed last year to hold its national title and had to be content with sharing it with Waikato. Waikato will be the strongest challenge again this year and Canterbury will have its work cut out to retain its supremacy.