Ceddy Smith back with N. Brighton

Press, 14 February 1986, Page 32

Ceddy Smith back with N. Brighton

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

Ceddy Smith, who might well have become the Canterbury rugby coach four years ago if he had not had Alex Wyllle as a rival, is returning to club coaching this year. Two years ago Mr Smith stood down as New Brighton’s senior coach after eight years in the position. In this time New Brighton won the Trusteebank Trophy once and the Trusteebank Cup twice. His successor was the former All Black wing, Terry Mitchell, and when New Brighton won the trophy in 1984 Mr Mitchell acknowledged his indebtedness to Mr Smith for giving him a team that was so efficient. “The win belongs to Ceddy Smith as much as it does to me,” said Mr Mitchell at the time. “All I had to do was pysch them up each week; Ceddy had done the spade

work.” For the last two years, Mr Smith has selected and coached the Canterbury under-18 team, winning the South Island tournament each year. It was widely thought that Mr Smith would try for Canterbury Colts or Canterbury B this year,

and therefore put himself in a good position to challenge for Mr Wyllie’s position when the Wyllie term does end, which could be this year. Instead, Mr Smith has elected to revert to club coaching and his return to New Brighton was made easier when Mr Mitchell decided not to seek a third year. "Coaching is like playing, you have got to be involved all season to get the most out of it. The game is changing all the time and only by regular coaching can you keep abreast of the developments. “I enjoyed taking the under-18s but there was only a couple of weeks actual coaching towards the end of the season and this I found frustrating,” said Mr Smith, who is confident that New Brighton will again be a top contender this winter.