New Brighton, Marist to battle for Cup

Press, 8 June 1985, Page 80

New Brighton, Marist to battle for Cup

The two main senior rugby trophies were won by New Brighton and Marist last season, and both are in line for the first of them, the Championship Cup, when they meet in the vital tenth-round match at Rugby Park this afternoon.

Marist, which won the cup last winter before losing in the trophy final to New Brighton, knows a victory today is essential to its hopes of retaining the cup. It has met with one reversal, against Christchurch, and a draw last Saturday against Burnside has dropped it below Belfast and New Brighton on the

points table. Belfast, a point ahead of New Brighton, should be untroubled to beat the bottom team, Lyttelton, today and New Brighton, which had its one loss against Belfast on the opening Saturday, will want to stay in contact with the leader. The team coaches were cagey about their combat plans. “Just to win and keep our head above water,” commented the New Brighton coach, Mr Terry Mitchell. Kevin O’Gorman, who coaches Marist along with Wayne McWhirter, had drawn plans “but not for

publishing.” New Brighton will be without its aggressive wing, Ross Gibson, who badly damaged knee ligaments playing for Town against Country on Monday. He is likely to miss the remainder of the season. Ross Adler, the goal-kicking half-back, is also out through injury.

Marist, too, might be without its skilful first fiveeighths and accurate goalkicker, Greg Coffey. He had a leg injury and was on the doubtful list. A hamstring injury had put the fast flanker, Bernie Ryan, on the sideline.