Great season for league Bobcats

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 659, 22 October 1996, Page 16

Great season for league Bobcats

The Waiouru Bobcats Rugby Football League team had a successful season for players, coaches and managers, according to spokesman Sonny Toka. The club has a membership of over 70 and after attendance at the Academy of League in January 1996, three Bobcats were selected for national training positions. George Tuhoro was the overall toumament controller for the National Under 14's that involved 18 teams from 15 provinces playing in three divisions. George was then selected as manager for the Central Districts Rugby Football League team that recently played the curtain raiser for the New Zealand 1 3 against the Great Britain side. The curtain raiser was against the Great Britain Colts and the Central Districts team won 38-30. Steven Bishop was strapper/trainer for the New Zealand Under 1 6' s that toured Australia, beating Cronulla, Penrith and Canberra. The U16 representative squad were seeded 6th in the national toumament, but finished 3rd equal and were given the fair play award of the toumament. Steven

is also the strapper/trainer for the Manawatu development squad, the Under 23 's and the Maori side that are scheduled to play in the national toumament at Whangarei this Labour Weekend. The Maori side has already played Taranaki and won 21-19. Sonny Toka was the strapper trainer for the Manawatu Under 18 representative squad that won the Accident Compensation Corporation Award for the best prepared team of the National toumament and the Tainui Trust Award for the best dressed team. Sons Manu Tuhoro and Nathan Toka both played for the Manawatu Under 18's and Riki Toka played in the Under 1 4' s for the Otago squad. Premier Bobcat players selected for the Manawatu Development Squad were Mike Howell, William Lorigan and Mike Shearer. Up and coming player Owen Flaws played for the Manawatu Under 14' s and was awarded the Matthew Ridge Scholarship worth $1000. He was selected to attend an academy of excellence to be held at Hopu Hopu (Ngaruawahia) in January 1997.