West Coast Rugby Football Union

WEST COAST RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION - 1956

Share |

Acknowledgments to the NZ Rugby Almanack Franchise:

1956 Season

WEST COAST COLOURS: RED AND WHITE HOOPS
(Founded, 1890; Affiliated, 1893)
Selector: Mr.B.Watkin

Being successful in half of the fixtures, and ending the season holding the Seddon Shield, this Union enjoyed a much more profitable season than in 1955. A fiery, if light, pack was supported by enterprising backs, with McNabb a sound fullback, and a splendid touch-finder and goal kick; McEnaney prominent on the left wing; and Dawson and Negri lively inside backs. Eastgate, back after a season in Auckland, captained the side, the other leading forwards being Ross, the other front-row prop, Bird and Egerton at lock, Ferguson, the hooker, Inkster and Foster on the side, and Gardiner, a new rep., at the back of the scrum.

The 33 players called on included seven new representatives, Venis and Punch having last appeared for Coast in 1954, and McCone in 1953, whilst Champion had played for Nelson in 1954. A loss from the previous season was the transfer of J. A. Dawson to Wellington. Gugich, Williams, Negri, Bird, Bebbington (a new rep.), Foster, Egerton, Ross, McNabb, Inkster, Champion and McEnaney were members of the combined West Coast-Bullet side. Foster played in the South Island Trial.

1956 Squad
K.J.Brown (Hokitika St.Mary's Old Boys)
A.J.Lindbom (Greymouth Star)
F.W.Gugich (Hokitika Excelsior)
C.W.Thorpe (Hokitika Excelsior)
A.J.McEnaney (Blaketown)
R.D.Hyndman (Hokitika Excelsior)
E.G.Walker (Hokitika Excelsior)
J.M.Patrick (Greymouth United)
N.K.Williams (Greymouth United)
L.E.Stratford (Greymouth United)
A.W.Negri (Blaketown)
A.A.McNabb (Hokitika Excelsior)
A.G.Dawson (Blaketown)
L.W.Champion (Greymouth M.B.O.B.)
A.R.Taylor (Hokitika Kiwi)
M.G.Bellis (Inangahua Junction)
G.S.Coleman (Hokitika Excelsior)
N.R.Venis (Ikamatua)
N.J.S.Bebbington (Hokitika St.Mary's Old Boys)
A.J.Krakosky (Cobden)
G.O.Ferguson (Hokitika Excelsior)
R.R.Eastgate (Hokitika Kiwi)
B.L.Ross (Hokitika Excelsior)
P.J.Punch (Hokitika St.Mary's Old Boys)
T.I.Egerton (Cobden)
K.C.Foster (Hokitika St.Mary’s Old Boys)
T.A.Bird (Blaketown)
R.R.Gardiner (Greymouth M.B.O.B.)
R.N.Inkster (Blaketown)
A.A.McCone (Cobden)
C.J.P.McPherson (Greymouth United)
J.Reid (Cobden)
G.A.Fyall (Greymouth Star)

MATCH RECORD
Played 8; Won 4; Lost 4. Points: For 117 ; Against 150

May 5 v BULLER at Westport Won 17 to 14
R.R.Eastgate, F.W.Gugich, C.W.Thorpe and N.K.Williams, tries
K.J.Brown, penalty goal and conversion

May 26 v BULLER at Cass Square, Hokitika Lost 5 to 14
F.W.Gugich, try
K.J.Brown, conversion
Referee: Mr.J.B.Hughes (Buller)

June 4 v CANTERBURY at Rugby Park, Greymouth Won 12 to 8
C.W.Thorpe and A.J.McEnaney, tries
A.A.McNabb, 2 penalty goals
Referee: Mr.H.E.Ellis (West Coast)

June 23 v NEW ZEALAND MAORI TEAM at Rugby Park, Greymouth Lost 20 to 26
J.Reid and A.W.Negri, tries
A.A.McNabb, 4 penalty goals and conversion
Referee: Mr.I.W.Webby (Nelson)

September 5 v CANTERBURY (Ranfurly Shield) at Christchurch Lost 17 to 38
R.N.Inkster, try
A.A.McNabb 4 penalty goals and conversion

September 8 v GOLDEN BAY-MOTUEKA (Seddon Shield) at Motueka Won 6 to 3
L.W.Champion, dropped goal
A.A.McNabb, penalty goal

September 20 v SOUTHLAND at Rugby Park, Greymouth Won 19 to 14
N.K.Williams, A.J.McEnaney and A.R.Taylor, tries
A.A.McNabb, 2 penalty goals and 2 conversions
Referee: Mr.A.V.O’Brien (West Coast)

October 6 v CENTURIONS CLUB at Rugby Park, Greymouth Lost 21 to 33
E.G.Walker, A.W.Negri, J.M.Patrick and R.R.Gardiner, tries
A.A.McNabb, penalty goal and 3 conversions
Referee: Mr.A.R.Lindbom (West Coast)

1956 WEST COAST-BULLER XV
COLOURS: RED & WHITE HOOPS.
Selectors: Messrs. B.Watkin (West Coast) and G.A.Orman and Oliver Smallholme (Buller)

Once again Buller and West Coast were in partnership, and besides competing against the combined northern Seddon Shield Districts XV. and the New Zealand Maori team met the visiting South Africans. Except for a draw in the first engagement, the side was not strong enough to present anything more than token resistence.

MATCH RECORD
Played 3 ; Drew 1 ; Lost 2 ; Points: For 15 ; Against 55

June 20 v NELSON, MARLBOROUGH & GOLDEN BAY-MOTUEKA at Nelson Drew 6 to 6
S.P.Orman, try
A.A.McNabb, penalty goal

June 27 v NEW ZEALAND MAORI TEAM at Victoria Square, Westport Lost 3 to 22
S.P.Orman, try
Referee: V.J.Jackson (Marlborough)

July 25 v SOUTH AFRICA at Victoria Square, Westport Lost 6 to 27
B.L.Ross, try
A.A.McNabb, penalty goal
Referee: Mr.W.J.D.McGonagle (Wanganui)

1956 West Coast-Buller XV Squad :
A.A.McNabb (West Coast)
F.W.Gugich (West Coast)
J.Ross Burrow (Buller)
A.J.McEnaney (West Coast)
N.K.Williams (West Coast)
L.W.Champion (West Coast)
M.G.White (Buller)
M.J.Easton (Buller)
J.H.Hunt (Buller)
A.W.Negri (West Coast)
N.J.S.Bebbington (West Coast)
P.L.Dent (Buller)
T.A.Bird (West Coast)
K.C.Foster (West Coast)
T.I.Egerton (West Coast)
A.R.Hawes (Buller)
S.P.Orman (Buller)
J.B.Shaw (Buller)
J.H.Duncan (Buller)
B.L.Ross (West Coast)
R.N.Inkster (West Coast)
O.H.Nahr (Buller)
Geo.Anderson (Buller)
J.E.Cockfield (Buller)