Last appearance for Rushton?

Press, 9 April 1979, Page 36

Last appearance for Rushton?

By .

JOHN COFFEY

Alan Rushton, who was in the front row in all seven test matches played by New Zealand rugby league teams over the last two years, might be making his final appearance for his club, Eastern Suburbs, against Linwood at the Show Grounds on Wednesday evening. Disillusionment which resulted from the unsuccessful Kiwi tour of Australia last winter has persuaded Rushton to step down from ail football this season, although he said yesterday that he would reserve the right to reconsider his decision rather than retire permanently. The news that Rushton would not be available was one of three blows suffered by the Canterbury selectors on the week-end. Terry Gillman and Kevin Franklin (both Marist-Western Suburbs) made it known that they would be restricting themselves to club matches, at least for the next few months.

Rushton and Gillman were prominent in the powerful Canterbury forward display which all but led to victory over Auckland in the grand final of the 1978 Rothmans inter-provincial tournament, and Franklin earned Canterbury honours as a centre only a short time after transferring from the West Coast. “I have had 11 seasons in the premier grade and think it is about time that I had a rest,” Rushton said. “But I want to leave my options open at this stage, and it is possible that I could come back, if for example Canterbury lost a few hookers in a hurry.” “There were some discouraging aspects of the Kiwi tour last year. Comments have been made about us losing the scrums, but it is hard to keep one’s mind on winning the ball when the half-time instruction is to go out and start a fight in the next scrum,” Rushton said. He was referring to the second test at Brisbane, when Rushton was twice cautioned and must have

been close to dismissal be* cause of the rugged treatment he meted out to the Australians. Rushton stressed that he bore no personal grudges. “My chances of holding a place in the New Zealand team look pretty slim, so why should I keep on playing for Canterbury and South Island in the Kiwi trials and deprive someone else of an opportunity?” Rushton, aged 28, said.

If Rushton was not confident that he would extend his international career against Britain in July and August, there are many observers who would be adamant that his purposeful style is needed to challenge the very professional tourists. Rushton had an outstanding debut against Australia in the 1977 World Cup series, becoming the first New Zealand hooker to score a try in his test debut. He was used in his alternative position of prop in the first test last season, his other six internationals being at hooker. Since 1970 Rushton has had 31 games for Canterbury. The surprise decision by Rushton has been made ail the more serious by the nonavailability of Gillman, who also had strong claims to New Zealand selection. Gillman said that he faces a heavy programme for his club in the early part of the season, and has dropped from the Canterbury squad preparing for an away fixture with Wellington on April 24.