Stuart in Coil’s footsteps

Press, 24 May 1985, Page 19

Stuart in Coil’s footsteps

The appointment of Tony Coll as coach and the inclusion of Brent Stuart in the New Zealand XIII to oppose Auckland in the Kiwi trial at Carlaw Park on June 5 suggests that the wheel of rugby league progression is taking another turn. Fourteen years ago Coll was a young second-row candidate in the trial which preceded a highly successful New Zealand tour to Britain and France. Although overlooked for that trip, Coll went on to appear in 30 tests in an international career which lasted until 1982.

Now a South Island selector and West Coast coach, Coll has vast experience to impart to the present crop of hopefuls. It is Coll’s first coaching appearance at national level and, appropriately, the Kiwis are again due to visit Britain and France later this year.

Stuart is one who should particularly benefit from Coll’s knowledge. He will be making his first bid for Kiwi honours and is not

only a second-rower but also a member of Coll’s club, Greymouth Marist. The similarities do not end there. Both Coll and Stuart reached senior representative level after displaying considerable potential in the junior divisions, and made an immediate impact when graduating to the best company.

Ironically, Stuart owes his opportunity to his injuryplagued club-mate, Wayne Dwyer. A rib problem caused Dwyer to withdraw from South Island’s first inter-districts match against Northern, and Stuart was his replacement. Although Dwyer returned for the game with Central, he had the misfortune to break an ankle. Stuart was the substitute, scoring a try and proving he was worthy of a position in the starting line-up for the final against Auckland. In that match, in the familiar surroundings of Wingham Park, Stuart maintained an exceptionally high work-rate in a most impressive South Island pack. It was no surprise when he was named in the trial team.

Stuart has already been a New Zealand 17 years and 19 years representative. A repetition of the form he displayed at Greymouth in the Kiwi trial would ensure Stuart of serious consideration for the tour, in spite of

the depth of talent available in the back three positions of the scrum.

Aged 20, Stuart hails from Hokitika, and will be playing alongside team-mates ’ from as diverse rugby league centres as Hull, Hamilton, Huntly and Hornby against the Auckland combination which only just edged out South Island.

The stand-off half, David Field, and Stuart were the only South Islanders chosen in their specialist roles. Ross Taylor is a reserve, and Adrian Shelford (prop) and Wayne Wallace (loose forward) are in their alternative positions in the pack. Shelford will have something of a family reunion while in Auckland. His cousin, Kelly, is the reserve back. While Adrian Shelford was causing so many problems for the Auckland defence at Greymouth, Kelly Shelford — a stand-off half with Manukau in Auckland — was scoring two tries for the Junior Kiwis against

Bay of Plenty at Rotorua. Switching Adrian Shelford and Wallace from their regular places should not harm their tour chances. Both had successful districts series, and prominent displays in the trial will testify to their utility value leading up to the tour. There is a wider element of experimentation. Northern’s improved showings in nearly beating South Island and easily accounting for Central were reflected in the choice of the strong centre, Pihama Green, the scrum-half, Neville Ramsay, and Stuart’s second-row partner, Mark Horo. All three are from Waikato. Auckland will have the benefit of going into the trial with a background of six matches as a unit, but that should be balanced by the inclusion in the trial XIII of the established Kiwis, Gary Kemble, Dane O'Hara, Gary Prohm, Kevin Tamati and Howie Tamati, and the former test wing, Joe Ropati. JOHN COFFEY