ASHBURTON GUARDIAN, Saturday, February 9, 2013
Weekend
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McCullum hoping ‘Taylor-gate’ closed By Kris Shannon There’s no surprise that Brendon McCullum is looking forward to tonight’s Twenty20 against England at Eden Park - it’s the opening match in his first home series as New Zealand skipper. But there’s another reason McCullum is eager to get the games under way. With Ross Taylor back in the team - welcomed with open arms by McCullum, coach Mike Hesson and the rest of the team - the messy captaincy saga may finally have reached its conclusion. Barring another scandalous leaked letter or public falling out, yesterday should have been the last day McCullum was asked questions about the man he replaced. And he did so exhibiting the same straight bat he has used repeatedly in the two months since his elevation to skipper. How’s your relationship with Ross, Brendon? “As both Ross and myself have stated, there was never really an issue between us. We’re both looking forward to playing together.” Has the team spoken about the switch in captains and resulting fall-out? “Not this time around. The inner sanctum of the group is working well together and is a cohesive unit so far, so we’re comfortable where it sits.” Has there, as has been reported, factions within the team? “No, that’s media spin.” As the answers may suggest, McCullum and just about everyone within New Zealand cricket must be tiring of the repetition, exacerbated by the arrival this week of the touring English media.
There may have been a few awkward greetings when Taylor arrived in camp but, after those formalities, it was in the best interests for all parties to banish the matter to the back of their minds. “It has played out on the outside,” McCullum said of the saga. “I think within the team it’s been dealt with really well. Ross has come back into the group and fitted in seamlessly, and we’re expecting a big performance out of him.”
Black Caps’ skipper Brendon McCullum: ‘never an issue’
If Taylor lives up to those expectations, not only will his sacking as skipper start to become a distant memory but it will provide his side an excellent start for the limited overs portion of England’s visit. The three T20s and three onedayers are clearly the Black Caps’ best hope of taking something from arguably the premier all-round team in world cricket, as was evidenced by New Zealand’s recent roller-coaster tour of the Republic. “In South Africa - from the start of that trip to the end of it - there was some progress,” McCullum said. “We saw that, especially in the one-day version of the game in South Africa. “We had a good finish to the South African tour, but that shouldn’t be the exception for us. That should be the norm for the team in short-form cricket, we just haven’t been living up to that in recent times. “So we’ve got an opportunity in the coming six weeks to show we’ve learned some lessons from the South African tour and we’re able to build on the momentum.” Another man looking to build on momentum is Hamish Rutherford. After impressing while opening the batting for New Zealand XI this week, the 23-year-old will make his international debut and do likewise tonight. McCullum said Rutherford, opening with Martin Guptill, would be given a free rein to attack and would be followed by himself and Taylor. Grant Elliott and Ian Butler have been ruled out through injury and Jimmy Neesham, called up to the side yesterday, may be the man from the 12 to miss out. - APNZ
Growth spurt in junior rugby ranks By Jonathan Leask The knock-on effects of the All Blacks World Cup win had Mid Canterbury Rugby record an 11 per cent overall increase in player numbers last year. The Mid Canterbury Rugby Union had 1950 players registered in 2012. The growth is coming at the junior level (JAB) with Mid Canterbury Rugby chief executive Ian Patterson saying their figures showed continuing growth in the junior grades in the under 12 year age band, with numbers up by 25 per cent. “We do not take it for granted that kids will always choose rugby,” Patterson said. “It’s important that we keep working hard to make rugby attractive, accessible, and most of all, a fun sport.” The continued growth allowed Mid Canterbury to revise the JAB structure to a “more progressive model” for 2013. Most sports use two year age bands in junior grades which can be challenging for the younger players in the bands. This year Mid Canterbury
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JAB will consist of under 7, U8, U9 and U10 before going to 18 month age bands at U11.5, U13 U14.5 and U16. “These grades reduce the age spread of participants giving them the opportunity for more progressive skill development and greater player confidence in the game.” Patterson said. “Squad numbers will also be managed to ensure every child gets as much involvement in the game as possible.” Patterson welcomed the continued growth and attributed that growth to the excellent work of clubs and schools in the district, which is supervised by the union’s development officer Craig Dunlea. “Craig continues to do an outstanding job in the recruitment and training of coaches and players and the results can be seen in the growth in registered numbers.” Mid Canterbury is hoping to at least match the 2012 player number this year with JAB registration at all the clubs later this month. But where would the players be without coaches, whose numbers also rose from around 155 in 2011 to 181 in 2012.
Elliott heading into unknown By Steve Deane
Don’t try telling Matthew Elliott he’s in charge of a Warriors team stacked with talent. Don’t even try to ask him if he’s hoping to utilise the obvious talent in his back-up halfback. “We don’t use the T word here any more,” Elliott said after unveiling a first trial team light on top grade experience but stacked with ... ability. “Every player in the NRL is talented. These guys have heard too much of that. Talent gets you to the NRL, that’s all it does. It will get you here but it ain’t gonna win you games. I see your lips moving but I didn’t hear what came out.” Elliott talks a very good game. Whatever happens with the Warriors this season, reporters won’t be short of pithy lines. Here’s Elliott on a new game plan the players have helped create. “It’s all different when you get out on the field. The best-laid plans go out the back door as soon as you get a punch in the face. We’ve got a fight plan, but we’ll see how that fight plan goes when we get punched in the face.” The unknown is still a bit of a theme for the new coach. The names of his players don’t yet roll freely off the tongue - “hell, I’m still struggling to get my street name right” - and his view of many of them is limited to what he has seen in the training. - NZH