Wanganui rugby union stops boys playing for KC

Waimarino Bulletin, Issue 3, 5 August 1988, Page 2

Wanganui rugby union stops boys playing for KC

Seven Ruapehu College rugby players have been banned from playing representative rugby for King Country.

Adam Ashcroft, Ray

Charles Herewini, Brendon Wills, Anthony Callaghan, George Hinana and Shane Edwards and Regan Sue were selected to play in the King Country Secondary School's Representative team for this season. But the Wanganui Rugby Union placed a ban on the boys playing for King Country because the college is within their boundaries. Union chairman Brian Vaughn said it was up to the college whether the team were to play in the King Country region but when it came to representative rugby the players were definitely in the Wanganui Rugby Union. He said if the Wanganui selectors didn't want the players then they could play for King Country. "It's a bit Micky Mouse but it's the best we could come up with," said Mr Vaughn. "We've got to look at it from the long term point of view, when they've left school they'd be back in our area anyway," he said. Under 16's selector Wallis Barrington said he had not been told where the boys were playing which made it difficult for the selectors. "I'm still short a winger and a forward, I might have been able to use some of the Ruapehu boys," he said. He said because the boys had not been seen by the Wanganui selectors they wouldn't be able to play for King Country. Ruapehu College coach Wayne Marsh

said the King Country selectors made the effort to contact the school and to see the boys and make their selections. "The Wanganui selectors haven't been seen," said Mr Marsh. Mr Barrington said the boys had been selected for the King Country team before the Wanganui Rugby Union were asked for permission to release them. The boys have missed two representative games played by the King Country team. But Mr Barrington said the King Country Rep team wouldn't get any championship points if they won with Ruapehu College players. A planned trip to Australia by the boys as part of the secondary school's team has been given special dispensation by the Wanganui union. But Mr Barrington

said because they would be in Australia the boys would miss out on the Wanganui rep games. There would be more King Country rep games after the Australia trip, however. Mr Marsh said the college decided to play their teams in the King Country region because of travel costs. He said to transport three teams to Taumarunui rather than to Wanganui was much cheaper, and that the King Country union had offered to subsidise the travel expenses. "We went to King Country because of travel costs, not because we were fed up with Wanganui," said Mr Marsh. "They (the King Country Union) want Ruapehu College to boost their numbers and Ruapehu College probably thought they would get a real hiding in Wanganui," said Mr Barrington. He said there were three very good teams in the first fifteen division i n Wanganui.