Some New Rep Talent In Senior Rugby

Chronicle (Levin), 23 April 1948, Page 7

Some New Rep Talent In Senior Rugby

This season's rugby in the Horo+. 1 whenua district has every inuica- | tion of being a successiui one, the f union being reinforced with some- | vaiuable outside piayers. There is I httle need to choose between this | year's senior teams, as tney are ail | otrong and some exceilent com- » petiuve • football shouid be' seen i when the competitions open to- I morrow. ' " \ Ihe loss of the Foxton team will i be keeniy felt, particuiarly as the | »ate .•al&eration has reduced the ! number of senior teams to five, I whien is reaiiy not in the best | inoerests of football. However, this | oiow has been lessened by the | acquisition of some new representa- "j tive piayers. Nctable among thern j are Ross Smith, Weilingcon rep. last I year- and a sound- three-quarter, I and Colin Mortimer. ■ Morcimer | piayed fpr Pirates, Napier, las't | year and was earmarked for the I reps. until a knee injury interven- j ea. He will be playing for Shan- i ncn tiiis season. It is believed that ! two more new piayers in the dis- j crict will strengthen Shannon's 1 back'line. ! The eombination of Otaki-Raxmi I shouid resuiu in the nelding of a j strong senior team, which will be ! wortn waccning. Their two mosc J outstanding piayers are Rams- ' ootham and . Winterburn, and around these two they shourd build x strong side. Hui iviai nave been fortunate in keeping Brian McCashin, while uiiey will 'aiso again be piaying the; diree Robinspn brothers. Page will oe availaDie for fuil -back. There bhould be no dearth of mareriai ior the Hui Mai coach to turn out a solid ciub fifteen. Wanderers have, it is believed, * acquired Arda Hakaraia from Jtaki; and' his inclusion in the .•earguard shouid strengthen Wan- j derers considerably. ! With ali tneir old piayers agam with thern, Athletic shourd set a good pace this season. They made a sound move in securing Messrs J. Granger and W. Galloway as coaches. They also gain Ross .Smith, who is commencing in business in Levin. Athletic's pack this j year is the heaviest- they have yet fielded. The lower grades will be well worth watching. They are a'.l kten ! io go and if their practices are any indication, shouid turn on some iparklipg play. The stan- : d of the juniors seasm iz particuiarly high.