Four qualify for rugby blazers

Press, 14 September 1988, Page 48

Four qualify for rugby blazers

The Burnside midfield back, Michael Lake, and the Shirley lock, Chris England, became the latest provincial rugby representatives to earn their Canterbury blazers when they played against Manawatu in Palmerston North last Saturday.

Both contributed whole-hearted efforts in their twelfth appearances for Canterbury A and they played significant parts in Canterbury’s, 22-6 victory Jn the

national first division championship match. Lake capitalised on a typical Manawatu backline blunder to score the fifth and final try, while England, especially in the second half, made life miserable in the line-outs for his former team-mates as he strode through yawning gaps to further harass an already flustered defence. Two other squad members qualified for their blazers in the Waikato match on August 31. Robin Penney, the Burnside loose forward who played twice in 1985 but was not required again until this season, and the Marist tight-head prop, Tala Kele, who has played eight matches this season after making his debut in 1986, both reached their personal milestones in the same match.

Barring injury, a fifth blazer is likely to be awarded before the end of the season. The New Zealand, Colt, Andrew McCormick, has flayed

in all of Canterbury’s first division matches to date and the Linwood midfield back, who made his debut against West Coast, should play his twelfth match for Canterbury A against Counties at Lancaster Park on September 24.

McCormick is still some way short of the record number of appearances for Canterbury held by his father, Fergie, with 222. 808 SCHUMACHER.