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Salient. The Newspaper of Victoria University College. Vol. 20, No. 3. April 12, 1956
Promising Rugby tryout for Varsity Jubilee Cup team
Promising Rugby tryout for Varsity Jubilee Cup team
The VUC Rugby Club held their selection trials at Western Park last Saturday and a wealth of talent was in evidence which augurs well for Jubilee Cup hopes this season. Victoria will be able to field perhaps their strongest senior side since the glorious days of 1952 and will be a major threat to any team with senior championship aspirations.
The backline should develop into a speedy and very effective combination with the Jarden-Fitzgerald duo, the axis around which attacking movements can be turned into dangerous sallies into opponents' territory. Peter Osborne is turning out again at fullback and VUC's last line of defence should be extremely safe in the reliable hands of this unspectacular but sound custodian.
Coupled with Ron Jarden in the wing three-quarter line up will probably be T. Ryan, a young player who showed great promise last season and who it is hoped will develop into a fast, purposeful winger. Jim Fitzgerald's return to the team will be more than welcomed by Varsity supporters who saw in his absence last season a backline which lacked thrust and was unable to make the best possible use of its possession of the ball.
Tony Clark has prospects of becoming one of Victoria's most potent weapons, [unclear: and] has the pace, [unclear: acceleration] and football brains which are the hallmarks of a class footballer. Mike Watson was a find last year in the fly half position and should prove a valuable link between the forwards and the speedy backline.
The forwards will be heavier and stronger than for some time. The acquisition of Reisterer from Taranaki will be of incalculable help to the pack, as he is an extremely able forward who has played in All Black trials. Hill Clark will be a constant menace to opposing hackstand is right in line for national selection to play the Springboks. The retirement of Denis McHallick has been offset by the arrival from the Bush union of Barrowman, who is a steady and tireless hooker. Other forwards who should catch the eye during the season are Barry Hutchinson, who has been playing for AUC for some years and who represented Auckland last season, Gerry Blathwayt, Rua Brislowe, Perry Preston-Thomas and the tireless leader of the team over the past three years, Ivan Stuart.