Claim angers Auckland rugby chiefs

Press, 31 January 1986, Page 30

Claim angers Auckland rugby chiefs

PA Auckland Auckland rugby leaders reacted angrily yesterday to a claim that the union was luring away young players from the smaller provinces. The move of the talented Otago full-back, Greg Cooper, to Auckland on Wednesday led the Otago coach, Laurie Mains, to say: “I’m disappointed that unions like Auckland seem to have the money to buy players from smaller unions.”

Cooper will work in Auckland as an assistant to its coaching co-ordina-tor, Peter Goldsmith, but the chairman of the Auckland Rugby Union, Malcolm Dick, yesterday disputed, there was anything improper about his appointment “We’re annoyed with this insinuation that we buy players,” said Mr Dick yesterday. “It is incorrect and without. foundation. > “We have too great a depth ot players in Auck-

land to have to resort to that” Mr Dick said Cooper was moving to Auckland of his own accord and was ideally qualified to fill a role helping Mr Goldsmith in the coaching system which the A.R.U. instituted last year. . Cooper has been working in a similar job in Otago. The Auckland selectorcoach, John Hart said it was “absolute nonsense” to claim Cooper had been bought '

“The Auckland union doesn’t get involved in this sort of thing,” he said. “Greg’s made this move himself. “As I understand it, he - was going -to come to Auckland anyway and perhaps has made the move sooner seeing that Lindsay Harris has decided not to play. “He has got to get in our team first, of course, but obviously I’m pleased. We now have a prime candidate to fill the posi-.

tion.” Hart disputed claims that Auckland bought players by pointing to last year’s side. Other than David Kirk and Steve McDowell, he said, all were home-grown products. “Inevitably because of its size and standing as the country’s business headquarters, a lot of young people come here,” he said. Auckland’s captain, Andy Haden, said pleased Cooper was

transferring. “I think the main lure for Greg Cooper would be the attraction of playing in a team that plays a good style of rugby,” he said. Cooper is likely to play for the Marist club in Auckland and his addition would give it an even more potent backline. Already in its line-up are John Kirwan, Terry Wright, Bernie McCahill and Joe Harvey.