Cartwright decides to remain on the sideline

Press, 10 April 1979, Page 24

Cartwright decides to remain on the sideline

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

An All Black at 22 and now, at 25, virtually retired from all rugby. This is the unusual story of Scott Cartwright, the flying Christchurch wing who blazed a short, but memorable career at the top level.

Cartwright surprised everyone, including some of his closest rugby friends, when after playing in a preseason match last year he announced his decision to drop out of the game. He said then that he might be back next season.

But Cartwright will not be back this season and he sees very little chance of his ever taking the game up seriously again. “I won’t be playing this year and after two years away I don’t think I would get back into representative football again,” he said yesterday.

However, Cartwright stops Just short of making his retirement complete. “I would be quite happy to play the odd festival game, if asked, and if Christchurch was short and wanted me I would not let the club down,” he said.

Cartwright did, in fact, play a few club games towards the end of last winter when Christchurch was hit by injuries. His form on those occasions left no doubt that the club was the poorer for his late start. But Cartwright is an honest and sincere young man and his decision to stay out

of rugby is based on this honesty. “I simply don’t have the desire to play and when your heart is not in it, you are cheating yourself, your team-mates and your club,” he said. “I have given it a lot of thought and I guess I no longer have any ambitions in rugby. I enjoyed playing the game and becoming an All Black — he was on the 1976 tour to Argentina — was further than I ever thought I would go.”

Cartwright still watches Christchurch play, but watching, he said, did not

spark any great desire to become active again. His main rugby interest nowadays is following, and assisting, teams from his old school, St Andrew’s.

Cartwright came into the Canterbury team in 1975. He became a regular in 1976, the same year he was picked for the New Zealand Juniors, the South Island and then for the tour to Argentina.

He was also Canterbury’s “Rugby player of the year” that season, plus the province’s leading try scorer and second, with 14, on the national list.

Cartwright had a good tour of Argentina, good enough anyway to get him to the All Black trials the following season. With his natural speed his future in the game remained bright. But 1977 was to bring its sadnesses as well as its joys. His form slipped a little, but this was only temporary and after being dropped by Canterbury he returned to play an outstanding final match. However, Cartwright might be best remembered for one indiscretion that season, one stemming entirely from a bubbling enthusiasm that always marked his play. He was the Canterbury

back caught off-side in the last minutes of the game against the British Lions and it was from this penalty that Andy Irvine kicked the goal that carried the Lions to victory, 14-13. Cartwright was deeply upset at the time and it is still a burden he carries. “Hardly a week goes past without someone reminding me of it, but it was just one of those things that happen in rugby and there is no point ’n worrying about it now,” he said.

He does not believe that that incident has anything to do with his decision to stop playing. “I certainly never gave it any thought when I stood down last year,” fie said.

So it would seem that. Scott Cartwright is finished as a rugby player, although cricket in the summer and golf and squash in the winter will keep him active in sport. He is also a keen follower of the turf.

Rugby is a game which needs players like Cartwright. He was an ebullient character, could run faster than most, and he scored tries.

The decision must be his, but it is a sad one nevertheless.