Marist must look to new players to retain its standing

Press, 10 March 1987, Page 30

Marist must look to new players to retain its standing

Marist, which has been consistently the most successful club in Christchurch senior rugby in recent years, faces a big challenge this year if it is to maintain this high level of achievement. The club has had just about a complete clean out of its representative players, but it can take some comfort from the fact that it may have the depths of strength to fill the gaps. The Marist senior Bs have been even more successful than their seniors in the last five years. After an absence of two seasons, Des Hansen will again coach the Marist seniors, in partnership with Wayne McWhirter, who has shared the job with Kevin O’Gorman in these two years. McWhirter will take the forwards and Hansen the backs.

They have a long list of

defections to consider. For a start, Pat O’Gorman is staying overseas, and there are indications that Steve Baker and Tala Kele will do likewise. All three are considering playing this southern winter in South Africa. Richard Connell, who was the Canterbury fullback before he broke a leg last winter is, on medical advice, having a full year off, and although Greg Coffey is expected to return from a season in Europe he is unlikely to be playing for a while because of injuries. Furthermore, Marist has lost Mike Taylor (now in the United States), Phil Gibson (retired) and Bede Mahoney is living in the Cook Islands. Gibson, a key man in Marist’s pattern, will be a big loss. The club has no new players of note, and the gaps will be filled from last year’s senior Bs, a

fair reward for a number who have stayed loyal to the club when they could well have got senior rugby elsewhere. Shirley, which beat Marist in last year’s final, has hardly any changes.

Garry Hooper, who made a brief comeback last winter before being injured, is not persisting with it this year and so well off is Shirley for wings that Gordon Ngatai, a former Canterbury Country and Hornby wing, will start the season in senior B. The only notable addition to last year’s squad is expected to be Ng Katae, the former New Brighton flanker. The new Albion coach, Peter Sutherland, is will pleased with the numbers at his disposal. Albion has picked up Mark Bell from New Brighton and Ned Tamatea from Sydenham, while Ralph Robertson, an evergreen half-back, and Ricky Gaitt, a handy hooker, are back in action after a year’s break. There are also one or two other players, new to Christchurch, who have

been shaping well at the Albion trials. Belfast has lost three players overseas—Deane McKinnel to Australia, Brent Hutchinson to France and Theo Gommans to the United States.

Mason Dalzell is expected back any day from a season in France, and the club is hopeful that Wayne Smith will turn out when he returns from Italy in May. The club also has a likely-looking American, George Dolan, as a possible new second Greg McFadden, who played for New Zealand schoolboys last year, will probably go straight into senior rugby, behind the Belfast scrum. The non-availability of Stephen Neave and Alistair Watson has left Burnside’s propping ranks a bit thin, but one possible replacement is John Han•rahan from Merivale. In the backs, Stuart Lindsay has retired, but David Blackwood, from New Plymouth, could solve the first five-eighths problem that Bumside

had for much of last season. Duke Jones, formerly New Brighton and Otautahi, and Michael O’Neill, back from Suburbs, are other possible inside backs.

Christchurch has hardly seen enough of Jock Hobbs in the last three seasons to greatly lament his departure, and the arrival of John Mills from Linwood will further soften the blow. A mid-field back, Lou Vieceli k has moved to Auckland, and there is a possibility that the lock, Viv de Beus, will be heading overseas during the season.

In addition to losing Ngatai to Shirley, Hornby has suffered a big blow with the transfer of its Canterbury Colt fiveeighths last year, Paul Treves, to University. However, the arrival of a couple of country forwards should help Hornby increase its strength in this department The major loss for High School Old Boys is the full-back, Michael Reeves,

who has gone overseas. Marty O’Cain, who proved a handy replacement back last year, is also abegit to leave New Zealand. Old Boys is hopeful of getting a full season from Don Symons, who is still keen to make a mark in rugby. However, how much time he will give to