WEST COAST RFU – 1978
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1978 Season
WEST COAST COLOURS: RED AND WHITE HOOPS
(Founded, 1890; Affiliated, 1893)
Selector: Messrs S.R.Pittaway, D.J.Kelly and D.McLean
Engaging in a record number of 13 fixtures, West Coast experienced one highlight, the capture of the Seddon Shield from Buller, but its only other success was in the earlier national championship match with its neighbour. A union with the Iimited resources of West Coast finds such a big programme too great a demand, and a total of 36 players were called on. The old problem of a pack that was unable to obtain possession through lack of height and weight, which in turn meant a lack of opportunity to the back-line was an ever-present problem. Individually West Coast possessed several quite good players but opportunities were rare and no player from this union received national consideration.
Fifteen of the previous season’s 26 representatives were again called on, though veteran Beams was not always available owing to injury and his absence was felt. on the credit side, Nelson, who has since announced his retirement after eight seasons of representation, Skates, Fitzgerald, Bruhn and Monk who had last represented in 1976 and Thomson and Bromley 1975, and Beardsley 1974, were old representatives to reappear. Thirteen players were in their first-season, Kissick appearing in every match either at five-eighths or at fullback and proving a key player as well as contributing 59 points over half his side’s total.
Other new players to impress were 21-year-old ‘Tony’ McKenzie, at No.8 and Livingstone a side-ranker. Steffans, the lively prop was the strong man of the scrum, with new-comer ‘Tony’ Sullivan hooker and lively forward; flankers Jon Sullivan and Johns all standing out as useful members of the pack. The tall Fitzgerald, and in the earlier matches, Wynyard, but later newcomer Mattinson were, the locks, with Dixon, who captained the side when Ken Beams was absent, the other prop. Ogilvie was a capable, hard-working half-back with Boon a useful and versatile back. Skates displayed his strength and pace with five tries. Cook was not always available.
Teen and Davidson were given few opportunities on attack.
1978 Squad
A.F.Kissick (Greymouth Star-United)
S.C.P.Boon (Hokitika Excelsior)
R.F.Nelson (Blaketown)
C.R.Skates (Greymouth Star-United)
P.A.Teen (Hokitika St.Mary’s White)
J.J.McCarthy (Hokitika St Mary’s White)
K.W.Thomson (Blaketown)
D.J.Lynch (Blaketown)
G.A.McBride (Harihari)
B.G.Davidson (Hokitika St.Mary‘s White)
D.C.Beardsley (Greymouth Star-United)
G.J.Cook (Greymouth Star-United)
K.J.J.Beams (Hokitika St.Mary’s White)
C.R.Buckley (Greymouth Marist)
T.W.Bromley (Blaketown)
M.K.Ogilvie (Hokitika St.Mary’s White)
M.J.G.Elliott (Hokitika St.Mary’s Red)
R.G.Johns (Greymouth Star-United)
J.D.Sullivan (Harihari)
M.Wynyard (Hokitika Excelsior)
A.R.‘Tony‘ McKenzie (Greymouth Star-United)
R.F.Dixon (Greymouth Star-United)
A.T.‘Tony‘ Sullivan (Greymouth Marist)
J.A.Steffans (Hokitika St Mary’s White)
J.A.Fitzgerald (Harihari)
G.C.Crawford (Greymouth Star-United)
John Davies (Harihari)
B.H.Monk (Blaketown)
D.H.Henham (Blaketown)
P.F.Holmes (Greymouth Marist)
R.L.Mattinson (Blaketown)
M.D.Livingstone (Blaketown)
K.L.Thompson (Cobden)
Blair Hopkins (Greymouth Star-United)
A.H.Bruhn (Blaketown)
S.J.Keenan (Hokitika St.Mary’s White)
MATCH RECORD
Played 13 ; Won 2 ; Lost 11 ; Points: For 115 ; Against: 301
* National Second Division Fixture
| SECOND DIVISION (Sth Island) |
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
Pts
|
| Marlborough |
5
|
5
|
–
|
–
|
10
|
| Nelson-Bays |
5
|
4
|
–
|
1
|
8
|
| Mid-Canterbury |
5
|
3
|
–
|
2
|
6
|
| North Otago |
5
|
2
|
–
|
3
|
4
|
| West Coast |
5
|
2
|
–
|
3
|
4
|
| Buller |
5
|
–
|
–
|
5
|
–
|
| South Canterbury 10 drew with Marlborough 10 in the promotion-relegation match, and so remain in the first division. | |||||
April 18 v AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY at Rugby Park, Greymouth Lost 7 – 25
C.R.Skates, try
A.F.Kissick, penalty goal
Referee: Mr.B.Williams (West Coast)
May 17 v CANTERBURY at Rugby Park, Greymouth Lost 4 – 40
C.R.Skates, try
Referee: Mr.S.McKnight (West Coast)
June 14 v a CANTERBURY XV (Sub-union Selection) at Rugby Park, Greymouth Lost 9 – 17
K.J.J.Beams, try
A.F.Kissick, penalty goal and conversion
Referee: Mr.G.A.King (West Coast)
* June 24 v BULLER (Rundle Cup) at Rugby Park, Greymouth Won 17 – 6
A.T.Sullivan, R.F.Nelson and P.A.Teen, tries
A.F.Kissick, dropped goal and conversion
Referee: Mr S. Walker (Nelson-Bays)
* July 6 v MID-CANTERBURY at Rugby Park, Greymouth Lost 9 – 10
A.F.Kissick, try , penalty goal and conversion
Referee: Mr.B.E.Powell (Canterbury)
July 15 v NEW ZEALAND COLTS at Rugby Park, Greymouth Lost 4 – 33
C.R.Skates, try
Referee: Mr.A.W.J.Lilley (Mid Canterbury)
July 29 v MANAWATU (Ranfurly Shield) at Palmerston North Lost 10 – 51
C.R.Skates, try
A.F.Kissick, 2 penalty goals
August 12 v BULLER (Seddon Shield) at Westport Won 15 – 7
M.K.Ogilvie, try
A.F.Kissick, 3 penalty goals and conversion
August 28 v NORTH OTAGO at Oamaru Lost 4 – 10
C.R.Skates, try
September 2 v MARLBOROUGH (Seddon Shield) at Rugby Park, Greymouth Lost 3 – 25
A.F.Kissick, penalty goal
Referee: Mr.G.Anderson (Nelson-Bays)
* September 8 v NELSON-BAYS at Motueka Lost 17 – 23
J.D.Sullivan. K.W.Thomson and B.G.Davidson, tries
A.F.Kissick, penalty goal and conversion
* September 10 v MARLBOROUGH at Blenheim Lost 6 – 32
A.F.Kissick, 2 penalty goals
September 18 v a CANTERBURY XV (‘B’ Selection) at Rugby Park, Greymouth Lost 10 – 22
P.A.Teen, try
A.F.Kissick, 2 penalty goals
Referee: Mr.B.Williams (West Coast)
