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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume. 34, Number 12. June 16, 1971

Sport

page break

Sport

Congratulations to Paul Barrett, John Kiesly and Kerry McDonald for being included in the Wellington team. Barrett and McDonald were the best forwards in an ineffective pack, in the Lions game on Saturday. Barrett won the tight head duel 4 to 1, while McDonald, the University captain, was a prominent figure in all the tight play.

Ian Dunn on Rugby

In a previous colum I wrote about the duty of players to the club, and it seems appropriate that some reference should be made to the duty of the club (and this means the administrators) to the players. Our club is singularly fortunate in having forceful articulate representation from active playing members on the Committee. This is important because in Rugby it is the players who matter most and certain administrators, particularly those in the higher echelons of N.Z. Rugby, should it seems, be constantly reminded of this rule.

The most important official from the players' point of view is obviously the coach. His job is demanding, time consuming, often frustrating, but deeply rewarding, particularly when he sees players executing moves and plays he has shown to them. Really, the only worthwhile coach is the man who, while petting his own way with them, is the players' friend, helpmate and guide and yet who makes himself subservient to the team and its members.

The team manager is important too, in looking after the multitude of tiresome tasks associated with running a Rugby team, so that the players and the coach are free to concentrate on their duties. Other officials, involved as they are in the routine administration of the club, ensure reasonably smooth behind-the-scenes operation of such facilities as the social rooms which form an integral part of the club's activities. But remember, when you are ready to criticise some aspect of the club's administration, that the officials devote their time simploy because of their love for the game and respect for the players.

While on the subject of criticism I now intend to use this column to openly present the factual position regarding one of the select group of sides in the club (Junior 2nd, 7th and President's "B") which are leading their respective grades. John Frazer and his players in the Junior 7th grade have earned a mass of points with strong forward play and hard running backline while the Junior Presidents team produces a happy blend of Taranaki-style forward play and ideal university back play as they go on their winning way.

Any person connected with the club will be aware of my direct association with the Junior 2nd side which, as yet, is unbeaten. Criticism has been voiced that this side includes too many players who are too good for the grade and should be in higher divisions. Let's have some facts, not uninformed gossip, about this. Four members of the side are aged 18, eleven are 19, four are 20 and one 21. With an average age then of just over 19 that hardly puts them in the class of the "older players" (to quote Mick Bremner) who qualifies for the Senior grades -anyway the length of their hair would militate against selection for the A's!!

Have a look at their playing back-grounds from last year also - 6 are first year students who attended college in 1970, 7 played under 19 Rugby, 5 played Junior 3rd and 2 Junior 1st. Hardly the background which would suggest Junior 2nd is a grade beneath their abilities particularly if one notes the size of the Juniors 1st sqaud.

The success of the squad is due to forceful and positive on-the-field leadership plus a team-spirit which Would be the equal, at the very least, of that shown by any other team in the club, or indeed the competition.

Many of those who have criticised this team and attempted to degenerate its efforts have never seen them play a full game... and so they are worse than uninformed critics, and seem to be motivated more by jealousy than any desire to present constructive criticism.

I make no apology for using this column to present the facts of the matter and publicly criticize those who have acted in the way I have described.

Next time we will have a look at the Clubs Junior 3rd sides.

On Ian Dunn on Rugby

Just who is Ian Dunn? You may well ask mate, sit down and prepare yourself for the tremendous disclosue as to the identity of this crud. Ian Dunn is the "first deputy club-captain" of our illustrious thug by club. You'll never disagree with him again, now will you? But will you continue to read the shit he writes in each issue of - what's the name of our newspaper again?

It seems in time-honoured tradition that all rugby players, (like myself, are (a) ignorant or (b) insular, or (c) both. But surely not a person holding the estimible position which 'Dunny" (as I believe his friends rather appropriately call him) fulfills.

Yet, every week, the Sports section of ? farts out an "Ian Dunn on Rugby" which is really "Ian Dunn on Ian Dunn". Christ, this man has neither journalistic expertise nor journalistic discretion.

Do we get an objective and coherent report on rugby in our university? Not on your nelly mate! We get instead a jumbled, emotive diatribe on what Ian Dunn thinks is the case, or should be the case, that's what we get mate.

So Ian Dunn doesn't agree with Mike Poremnet when the latter maintains that short hair is a necessary condition for one's being mature and respectable. But the rugby column of... yes, that's it "Salient"... isn't the place to voice his opinions. And so all his team have long hair and staggered along to practice after sinking piss at "Splash" - no need for him to spring to their defence in the rugby column, where what is wanted is factual, unbaised reporting.

Only a certain rugby writer in a certain local newspaper could hope to match his literary ability. This same writer is on record as writing that "The All Black back movements were as ragged as the lowest! clothes of the Bantu in the crowd." Yet not even this equals Dunn's comment that some are "languishing on he sideline" every Saturday "like some village Hampden yet unborn". See what I mean eh?

Winter, you must be bloody short of copy to include this sort of drivel. Aren't you meant to edit it?

Sorry I've raved on a bit Rog, but I do wish that at least you'd do something about your sports pages. Why else does one bother to read your paper anyway?

Gabriel Vey sey

P.S. Why not send Winter and Dunn to China with a rugby team? Hell they could out write you friend Mao - think of that.

Bikies

In the first week of the May holidays the V.U.W. Motorcycle club conducted a trip to the South Island. Six bikes went down... five came back. And most of these suffered some kind of damage! The casuality list was;
(i)For clowning on the trip one bike and its rider was awarded the highest order of speeding tickets (70 m.p.h.), and a small spill on a bridge.
(ii)Two bikes broke down; both of these were later stopped for speeding by a cop who has apparently given his neighbour a speeding ticket and his wife a parking ticket. One of these bikes also suffered the indignity of receiving a speeding ticket for doing 70 m.p.h. with pillion!
(iii)One bikie, in a fit of anger, attacked a taxi. He inflicted deep wounds over the door, while completely demolishing his own forks and cracking his engine mounting. He did no other damage to himself, apart from binding his frame!
(iv)One of the club daredevils was approaching a one-way bridge at 60 m.p.h. when he saw a car coming along the bridge from the opposite direction...
(v)The Honda 750 displayed in the foyer last week was the only bike not to suffer an injury. Therefore it seems that if you want to travel throughout the South Island without crashing, invest $1,900 in a Honda. 4.

Footnote: According to members of the bike club there is a planned trip to a riding school soon as a result of the above efforts.

Men's Basketball

At the start of the winter season numbers suggested that Victoria would be a reasonably strong club. As in the past, however many lower grade players dropped out through lack of ability and lack of willingness to organise themselves, (because as in previous years Vic had no recognised coach) As a result we ended up with only two teams.

With seven of last years "A" team back again, plus an exciting new prospect in Peter Mitchell, an American player from Lafayette College, Pennsylvania, Vic's early season hopes looked good.

We still lacked tall players of ability with such players as Paul Bevin, Greg Billington and Tom Pivac, all attending University full-time, but still overlooking the University Club and playing for outside teams. Another American player, Loren Gresham, although only here till July, also opted to play for an outside club. Had all the players attending Victoria made themselves available, Victoria would have romped away with the Wellington competition and would have had one of the strongest club sides in New Zealand.

The "A" team, playing in the top league at Newtown, seems to be continually underestimated by the Wellington Association.

Although we were runners-up in the end of season playoffs last year (losing narrowly in the final to Marist 62-61), the Association still failed to invite Vic to enter an intercity competition, to which they invited the top 2 teams from Palmerston North, 3 from Hutt Valley and 3 from Wellington. However, so far this year we have decisevely beaten Seatoun, seeded top equal with Marist, 42-31, and also beaten a complacent Marist team on the second encounter, after losing to them earlier in the season, 43-32. In fact, although recognition of our strength does not seem apparent, we have lost only one game to date, winning five and thus heading the competition.

Fixtures for the "A" team in the near future include a trip to New Plymouth to participate in a North Island Club tournament, and a possible trip to Christchurch to play in a triagular tournament with Otago and Canterbury Universities. Our chances of winning the New Plymouth tournament are good, and our trip to Canterbury" should provide some indication as to how we will fare at Winter Tournament in August, as Otago have won the previous two tournaments.

The Victoria "B" team, playing in the "A" division of the weaker Central City League, are also enjoying success and at present are top-equal, having had four wins and a draw.

R.J. Agnew

Netball

The Netball club got off to a shaky start with a poorly attended A.G.M. and a flunctuating membership for several early weeks. Two teams were entirley sorted out and entered in Senior Second Grade and Fourth Grade respectively, and after the usual disruptions caused by holidays and homecomings, both now appear to be settling.

Last week the Senior Seconds had their first win and the Fourth grade, their first near-win! Two members of the club have been selected as Wellington trialists; Linda Christian, for the under 20 team, and Theresa Wall, for the Wellington Senior Seconds. We extend to them our best wishes.

As the teams gain confidence the club spirit is improving. With tournament ahead, mutters of "fitness training" and "practices" should not be ignored.

Potential is very obviously present in terms of both leadership and playing ability: a determined effort this year will ensure the club's vitality in 1972.

Jocelyn Robson

Photo of a man in speedos

Andy Wright says -

Winter Tournament this year will be at Auckland, not Canterbury. Though travel arrangements are not finalized as yet, so far it seems that we will be travelling up on a special train on the 14th August, with Lincoln and Canterbury students. Clubs had better start arranging teams etc. God only knows when the ski tournament is to be held, but it could well be at Cragie-Burn.

As you may or may not know this years Exec has decided that strong measures are needed to get the association out of the financial suit it is in at the moment. In other words club-grants are the first to get the axe. At the moment 5% has been chopped off the grants, dropping the sports grant from $5,800 to $5,510. This constitutes a magnificient $10 increase over last year's sports grant, and is just what is needed to combat the inflationary situation that has fouled up the association's finances, and the clubs finances!.

The situation is that inflation has hit both clubs and the association. Now, in order to counteract its effect on assocation finances, club grants have been hit at a time when they should be increased to counteract the inflation.

So, in actual fact clubs are bearing the brunt twice-over:

(i)firstly from the general inflationary situation at the moment, and (ii)secondly, because they have been coerced into "helping" the association with its monetary troubles.

In the past one or two members of exec have frequently displayed marked anti-club tendencies! These tendencies have been particularly manifested in their opposition to sports clubs - consequently, they were only too happy to see grants for these clubs cut!

So it was not surprizing that when the treasurer proposed out of the blue to cut club grants by 5% the motion was passed 5 - 4. The reason for the sudden decision was simple... clubs were calling for their money and it was therefore necessary to make a quick decision about how much they were to be allocated. There was no time to examine in any great detail the state of club finances!

The idea behind Eric's thinking here is that the cut will supposedly be borne equally by all clubs. This is simply not practical. Some clubs don't receive a grant at all, because they don't need one, and so they won't suffer. Other clubs need a set amount each year to survive and they can't easily be cut back. (The paying of court fees for example.)

What all this boils down to is that clubs which apply for grants so that they can buy gear will be the hardest hit, for they are the easiest to set back.

Personally, I think this is a piss poor situation for sports council to be in. At the least there should have been a 5% increase on the amount budgeted for this year.

The Billiards club is endeavouring to raise a short term loan of $730 from Exec for a coin-operated pool table. Strange as it may seem, while this could be quite a profitable operation it is meeting opposition in some quarters, mainly due to the hang-up of where it is to be housed.

To be successful surely it needs to be in the Student Union? Last year Otago made $1,100 from its three tables, and if the housing problem can be solved some filthy lucre could be made here as well.

Squash Racquets

This year, the formerly almost redundant squash club has taken a new form. Handicapped in the past by a lack of active members, 1971 has seen an effort to increase interest and enthusiasm in the club. This effort has taken the form of an attempt to tailor the club to the needs of the squash playing members of the University. Positive action to be taken has included a substantial reduction in the memebership fee to $3.50, increased concessions to squash club members at John Reids Squash Centre, and provision for two club nites.

So far results have been very encouraging. Member participation on club nites (Mondays from 7.30pm) has been so good that the Committee has negotiated with John Reid to hold a second club nite on Fridays (from 6.30pm). Another feature of the club this year has been the interest in the position ladder. So far competition has been very keen, the top positions on the ladder in August determining who will represent Vic at Squash for Winter tournament.

It should be emphasised, however, that playing ability in the club covers a wide range - from a big proportion of social squash standard to those of a much higher standard. This is good to see and in line with the priciple aim of the club which is to provide a forum where squash players of all abilities may meet and enjoy their squash.

However, this aim cannot be realised unless members and those with an interest in squash give their support to the club. So, if you play squash now and do not belong, or if you think you might like to play, then come along to club nights and join up.

Mike Knowles