Profile of a league player

Ruapehu Bulletin, 11 August 1992, Page 8

Profile of a league player

BY

JAN!

SAVELL

LCpl Jackson Puketapu is among the soldiers invited to attend the 1992 Army Rugby League Coaching and Training Camp to be

held in Waiouru next week. LCpl Puketapu propped in the New Zealand Army team last year and played Papua New Guinea as a member

of the Northland Invitation team earlier this year. He is one of four Waiouru soldiers who play for Manawatu. Presently with Queen Alexandra Squadron, LCpl Puketapu belongs to the Armoured Corps and this means he'll be in Waiouru for some time to come. He said he appreciated the opportunity to play the international side which they beat 43-26. LCpl Puketapu switched to League three years ago after enjoying success playing rugby/union for Poverty Bay/Gisborne at under16, under-18 and colts level. After his first year in Waiouru he was talked into playing for the Bobcats. He found the switch relatively easy. "There is more freedom. You can really run with the ball", said the 23 -year old soldier. Jackson Puketapu is one of 30 potential Army Rugby League representative players selected to attend the training camp. Ten potential coaches will also be attending a clinic in conjunction with the camp. The training camp/coaching clinic is an innovative idea and replaces the inter-re-gionai tournament

which is normally used to select players for the Army Rugby League Team. Organiser WOl Clive Fremlin explains that cost was the driving force behind the decision. "Army support of sport is very cost conscious. We anticipate that inter-regional competitions will become a novelty rather than the norm. We wanted to be pro-active in looking for a way of getting the best value out of the money set aside for inter-regional competition." The training camp concept also promotes and supports regular players. "In the past getting a team together for inter-regional competitions has sometimes been a numbers game. We've put the onus back on the individual to preform during the season rather than selecting on the basis of one good tournament." Mr Joe Gwynne, National Coaching Director, is among the guests who will be working with the players and coaches. Sgt Jim Solomon of Burnham will coach the Army team and W02 Jack Milford will be the assistant coach.