Sevens team for Cardiff

Press, 2 May 1986, Page 32

Sevens team for Cardiff

PA Auckland New Zealand will compete in a Sport Aid seven-a-side rugby tournament at the National Stadium, Cardiff, on May 16 and 17.

The side will be coached by the former All Black selector, Bryce Rope, who guided New Zealand to victory in the New South Wales and Hong Kong tournaments recently.

“The Cardiff tournament is part of the Bob Geldof appeal for Sport Aid,” said Mr Rope yesterday, "and will contain eight teams —• New Zealand, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Rumania and Australia. “I am not sure of our playing programme, but there will be two pools of four teams and we are due to play England in bur first game.”

The New Zealand team comprises five Aucklanders in John Kirwan, David Kirk, Zinzan Brooke, Mark BrookeCowden and Terry Wright, along with Colin Phillips and Neil Ruddell (North Auckland), Frano Botica

(North Harbour) and John. Schuster (Wellington). Ruddell, Wright, Kirwan and Schuster are newcomers to the squad replacing the Hong Kong representatives, Wayne Smith, Mike Clamp, Craig Green and Wayne Shelford, who are in South Africa with the Cavaliers side. Mr Rope said he expects the new players to fit into the New Zealand pattern. “We have been impressed with Neil Ruddell in the North Auckland sevens side. He is fast, strong, has good hands and is very useful in the line-out,” he said. “Terry Wright was in our squad in Sydney, and we had John Kirwan in the Hong Kong sevens last year. “John Schuster has played for Western Samoa in the last two Hong Kong events, so he will know the drill.” The New Zealanders will leave on May 12 and return on Mav 21.