UNIQUE RUGBY GAME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21931, 15 October 1934, Page 15

UNIQUE RUGBY GAME

FAMILY FORMS A TEAM SUCCESS OVER DRURY A team comprising members of one family was fielded at Drury on Saturday, when a match was played between mimbers of the Cossev family and a senior team representing the Drury Ilugby Club, which plays in the ManuLau sub-union. The Cosseys won by 12 points to S. Fourteen members of the tram were grandsons of Mr. J. Cossey, of Drury, who kicked off at the commencement of the game, and the other player was a greatgrandson. There wore several reserve players attached to the Cossey team, while two or three * youngsters of the family, who are worthy members of the Drury School fifteen, would have taken the field had any <jcfeelions occurred. The referee was Mr. J. M. Co?sey, a Manukau sub-union referee. Th.e Drury Club had a difficult task m fielding a team without the services of the Cossey family. No guarantee was given that some relatives were not included in the •club fifteen. The Cossey team comprised:— Fullback. F. iiippcombe; . threequarters, A. E. Co'as'ey, J. L. Cossey, P. Liijscombe; fiveeighths, T. R. Cossey. W. H. Cossey; halfback. K. H. Cossey; forwards, P. Piatt. >•. McKinstry, K. Morgan, L. J. Cossey, R. Cossey, R. Morgan..,A. R. Cossey and R. Bregman. This season and during the last two or three years both T. R. arid A. ,R. Cossey have been South Auckland reprefientatives. Of the team which part in th<x- match on Saturday. A. tS. Cossey, W. H. Cossey. E. H. Cossey, P. Piatt, L. J. Cossey and T. R. Cossey have won Mani!kau representative honours. In addition, T. R Cossey, who was this season residing at Patumahoe, represented the Pukekobe Rugby Union. The average age of the team was only 25 years. The oldest player is 40 and 'father of the youngest, aged 13/ . , . • The mutch attracted considcrabls interest in the district. T. R. Cossey scored three tries for his team. A. E. Cossey also scored a try. The fullback. F. Lipscombo. the 13-year-old member of the side, showed great determination. The match marked the conclusion of the Rugby season in the Manukau sub-union. While the ball was being blown up before the game commenced, it burst, and another was procured from 1 npakura. The work of organising the match was donp by Mr. A. Cossey, who acted as line umpire. , . . Mr. ,T. Cossey. senr.. patron of the match nnd grandfather .of the team, is an old pioneer. lie was born at Onehunga 84 years am, but has lived almost 80 years at Drury. where his parents moved eight years before the Maori "War. When hostilities commerced Mr. Cossey was 12 ysars old and he retains n vivid recollection of the period His family, with other settlers of the district, spent a/week in refttge at the old Drury Anglican Church, which ,is stil. in existnice. Cool;ingr was done in the cnurcnyarcl. "Within the building the beds of the various families were arranged in rows and rolled up military style in the day-time. Mr. Cossey is still a very active man. He works half of every day in his gardm. About 34 years ago he lost' Jug ett, arn; in a machinery accident. # but he nas triumphed over his disability in a wonderful manner. His interest has always been in sport, particularly that- of his sons ana grandsons. He said the match served as a family reunion, as one of the players, had journeyed with his family from Ro-dan and two had come from Onehunga. J™" sons of Mr. Cossey, Messrs: Ai and J. M. Cossey, fro fathers of seven 1 members of the team. It is largely due to their work and enthusiasm that Rugby has been kept alive in the Manuknn sub-union. They were both players of ability in the district 20 yea's ago and played in Drury teams with their sons up until about five seasons ago. Mr. •T. M. Cossey was chairman of, the ManuKHU Referees' Association last season.