Terry Mitchell’s career in first-class rugby has all but ended

Press, 18 April 1979, Page 34

Terry Mitchell’s career in first-class rugby has all but ended

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KEVIN McMENAMIN

Although he has still to make a final decision, it seems almost certain that Terrv Mitchell’s career in first-class rugby has come to an end.

“I doubt very much if J Will be available for Canterbury this year. 1 think I have done my clash,” said the 28-year-old wing yesterday. However, he intends conferring with the Canterbury back selector, Mr Gerald Wilson, before making a definite decision. Mitchell came close to making a retirement announcement at the end of last winter, but he decided to wait and see how he felt after a summer break. Then came the possibility of regaining his place in the New Zealand Maoris side for its forthcoming Pacific tour.

So Mitchell began training as usual in February, although it was always his intention to play a full season for his Linwood club. Last week-end the touring Maori team was named and Mitchell’s name was not among the chosen 25. “I am neither surprised nor disappointed,” said Mitchell. "After missing selection for the last two years I knew I only had a rough chance and I am not getting any younger. But it was such an attractive tour that J thought I would at least make myself available.” After this reverse. Mitchell has turned his thought back to retirement. “I have achieved all I am going to In rugby and when there are no longer incentives the desire to play — and all the training that goes with it — declines.”

The training is a major bogey, but not for the physical demands it makes. "Last season I was training Monday to Thursday nights, playing Saturdays and then training again Sunday. There was hardly any time for the family.” And with two young daughters, aged four and three, Mitchell feels it is time he gave more attention to his family. He also believes that he should concentrate more on his job — he is a representative of a tobacco firm. But even if he does give away first-class rugby, Mitchell will be devoting himself wholeheartedly to senior club play. “Linwood has been a damn good club to me and as I may stop playing altogether next year I would like to give it one last good season,” he said. Mitchell can look back on a full and interesting career. He came to prominence as a

teen-ager in the old Golden Bay-Motueka province and was there when it changed its name to Nelson Bays in 1969. New Zealand Maoris selection In 1971 was his first taste of top-class rugby and in 1973 he shifted to Canterbury in the hope of furthering his career. “It’s a move I have never regretted,*’ said Mitchell, who won immediate Canterbury selection and in 1974 became an All Black on the tour to Ireland. He was selected again for the 1976 South African tour and it was in the fourth international of this series that he made his solitary test appearnace, as a replacement for Grant Batty. He played 17 games for the All Blacks, all overseas, and his total for Canterbury stands at 59. He does have a special claim to fame: being one of the nine New Zealanders to have scored a century of tries in first-class rugby. He reached three figures when he scored five against Mid-Canterbury at Ashburton last season and his present total is 107, placing him eighth, between Batty and Ross Smith. Although bothered greatly in recent years by hamstring injuries (tie suffered another at training this week), Mitchell says he has enjoyed every minute of his 10 years in top rugby. “Sometimes I used to get a bit frustrated when the ball didn’t come my way, but after a while you learn to accept the fact' that in

some games the wings are going to be neglected." If he has a grouch it is that South Islanders are not getting a fair go in national Maori sides. “There are dozens of good Maori players in the South Island, but unless they are All Blacks they are not given a chance to show what they can do,” he said. The fact that there are only four South Islanders in the Maoris team for the coming tour gives substance to Mitchell’s complaint.

Terry Mitchell will always be remembered by Canterbury crowds for his pace, dazzling footwork and tryscoring abilities. Some will miss him, too, as a heckling target. Even Mitchell would concede he was not the greatest tackler ever to pull on rugby boots and spectators were' included to make much of his failings in this area. But Mitchell harbours no ill feelings. He learnt from his Linwood club-mate, Fergie McCormick (who preceded Mitchell as the player Lancaster Park crowds most loved to decry) that if one player is being picked on the other 14 are being left alone. “It never really worried me; in fact it was nice to know that people were taking such a keen interest in me, even in Town-Country games when I really used to get the ‘treatment.’ People who heckled me would later ask me to have a drink with them, so it was all in good fun,” Mitchell said.