Bookshelf

Press, 23 November 1988, Page 36

Bookshelf

Radio New Zealand Rugby Annual. Edited by Bob Howitt. Moa Publications Ltd. 157 pp; $29.95.

It is hard to disagree with Howitt’s opening statement in his review of the season’s rugby that 1988 may well be remembered as “The Year of the Fox” — a twolegged one with a deadly accurate boot. Fox’s achievements were considerable; the records toppled as the kicks soared unerringly between the posts, and when the long season had ended Foxy had played 29 matches for the All Blacks and Auckland without Josing one and had racked up 418 points.

Records overtaken included Don Clarke’s New Zealand test points tally, Robbie Deans’ Ranfurly Shield points total and Fergie McCormick’s mark of the most points scored in first-class fixtures in New Zealand.

Little wonder Fox, aged 26, an astute first fiveeighths whose skills were not just limited to his expert kicking, was the unanimous choice as New Zealand’s “rugby player of the year.” Along with Fox, Howitt chooses the Otago captain, Mike Brewer, the Wellington fullback, John Gallagher, the Auckland right winger, John Kirwan, and the North Harbour and New Zealand captain, Wayne ’ Shelford, as his five “players of the year.” , Again it is difficult to dissent. Shelford, Kirwan and I Gallagher were accorded ; the same honours in 1987,> Brewer and Fox earned i their ratings by the excel- i lence of their perform-, ances throughout a de- '

manding season. In his review Howitt touches on a number of curly issues which arose during the year without taking a strong stance on any. "Poaching” of players to other provinces could have been a subject for more provocative thought and the opportunity presented itself for Howitt to investigate more deeply the reasons why Charlie McAlister, Basil Ake and Emosi Koloto turned to rugby league.

The International Rugby Board is chided for making the worst administrative decision — the 12-week ban on individuals wanting to play overseas — and Howitt adds that the most disturbing news was that it was promoted initially by the New Zealand representatives on the 1.R.8., Russ Thomas and Bob Stuart.

The Rugby Annual gives its usual comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the sport, and the eighteenth edition is enhanced by the quality of its illustrations, both colour and black-and-white, which are printed for the first time on a gloss art paper.

The exploits of the All Blacks in Australia and the disastrous tour by Wales are well documented and the national championship in its three divisions is fully detailed. Bob Howitt, as he has done since the annual’s inception in 1971, has put together an informative and interesting publication, one which is always eagerly awaited by rugby enthusiasts. R.L.S. The possibility of a seventh first-class cricket association in New Zealand, based on Auckland’s north shore, is aired in the 1988 Shell Cricket Almanack.

Though the Almanack’s editors, Francis Payne and lan Smith (the latter of Wellington, and not the test wicket-keeper), retain the traditional statistical format, they offer the opinion that the rise of a cricketing “North Harbour” must continue to be seriously considered. As one would expect,' Payne and Smith can give sound figures to back up ■ v

their contention. The success of the rugby union equivalent and the northwards population drift provide the background. More immediate is the fact that 13 players selected for Auckland last summer (10 of theip national representatives) would have been eligible for the new association.

Perhaps aID that remains is for Auckland teams to exert as much dominance in cricket as they have in some other sports. With all New Zealand players available for district teams this season a true gauge of Auckland’s strength should be available.

Possible expansion of the first-class field' is covered under the headline of “Happenings,” a list of interesting, sometimes fascinating, pieces of information or records established last season. The 1988 Almanack continues to expand in size and quality. In the last 12 months it has increased from 272 to 312 pages, faithfully recording all activities from the first World Cup game on October 10, 1987, to the Sharjah Cup final on April 1, 1988. Martin Crowe and Andrew Jones are the Almanack’s “players of the year,” and Jonathon Millmow, Martin Pringle and Shane Thomson were selected as the “promising players.” The authors have once again earned the gratitude of those cricket followers who demand accuracy and detail, not least the sport’s journalists who once again have had countless hours of research done for them. J.O.C. iiv-