Cable rugby

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 8, Issue 374, 19 February 1991, Page 16

Cable rugby

The Turoa and the King Country Electric Power Board boys have found a new game. It's called cable rugby. But rather than play each other they join forces against a heavy-duty helicopter and a reel of power cable. (see story last week's Bulletin). The helicopter takes the "ball" (the drum of cable) and tries to run it to the other end of the field (the ski field). But rather than try to tackle the helicopter (that would be a tad foolish), the 21 man team attemps to tackle the cable and lay it in a trench. What makes the game really interesting is the field - it's covered in scoria boulders and bluffs. Also the fact that 21 guys are all trying to get at one cable means they tend to miss the cable and tackle each other. The helicopter has tactics up its rotor sleeve like running out the cable at 30 kilometres an hour which means the guys tend to tackle themselves on the rocks. Final score? - Groudn Team: nil broken bones, 75 bruises, 9 twisted ankles, 21 pulled muscles. Helicopter: one touch-down.