Trial for Canty league players

Press, 21 April 1984, Page 64

Trial for Canty league players

Ray Haffenden, the Canterbury rugby league coach, is treating tomorrow’s match against New Zealand Marist at the Show Grounds very much as a trial.

All members of the Canterbury XIII are being regarded as candidates for the provincial A team which will defend the southern zone championship against West Coast and Wellington later this season. Also the coach of South Island, Mr Haffenden intends to have the Canterbury XIII use some of the tactics that he has planned for the national Travelseekers inter-district series which begins with South meeting Northern at the Show Grounds next Tuesday evening. “It will be an interesting experiment. I used the same coaching methods and moves for South Island and the Canterbury XIII at training. Some manoeuvres might be shown to require refinement before Tuesday and we will have a greater pool of players aware of what is required,” said Mr Haffenden yesterday.

Mr Haffenden has no guide to the strength of the New Zealand Marist side, which was chosen after a tournament in Wellington last October.

The halves, Lee Nelson and a former South Island representative, John MacGougan, and the secondrow forward, Gary Leek, are from the Christchurch Marist-Western Suburbs club. Of the players from other provinces, only the former Kiwi prop, Paul Te Ariki (Wellington), has more than a smattering of firstclass experience. . The teams are:—

Canterbury XIII: L. E. Hudson; B. Huriwai, B. J. Brown, L. Setu, R. Ah Kuoi; J. Rangihuna, J. Blazey; L. M. Hale, B. T. Todd, G. J. Stokes; A. P. Coll (captain), B. Mayell; M. J. Smith. Reserves: M. W. J. O’Donnell, A. T. Shelford, W. J. Parker, M. Forsey. New Zealand Marist: P. Maloney (Well.); H. Wulk (Auck.), A. Lomax (Well.), P. Gosche (Auck.), R. Young (Auck.); J. MacGougan (Cant.), L. A. Nelson (Cant.); E. Tewhui (Auck.), P. Te Ariki (Well.); S. Hansen (Auck., captain), G. Leek (Cant.); K. Johnstone (Auck.). Reserves: D. Bernard (Auck.), P. Reilly (Tar.), H. Sampt (Auck.). Referee: Mr Don Wilson (Wellington).