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MSP sevens’ success rewarded
A 47-game unbeaten streak by the Marist St Pats sevens team has been rewarded with the selection of three players for NZ Marist.
MSP coach Trent Eagle has also been appointed coach of the national side. MSP captain Sam Rasch, Brendon Watt, and Simon Porter have all made the New Zealand team, which travelled to a tournament in Samoa in February.
Other team members include Esava Teko, Toese Lealamanua, Chris Slade, Ene Fa’atau, Pio Savaii, Saina Mekaio, JP Tocker, Lafaele Savaii, and Kalolo Toleafoa.
Apoua Stewart and Lome Fa’atau have been dedicated trainers although other commitments have limited their appearances.
Sevens has proved a big drawcard for recruiting new players to the club, says Trent, and has also enabled several players to markedly improve their skill levels.
Since October last year, the MSP team has won five consecutive tournaments. After winning two local events, the team travelled to the Mt Maunganui sevens in January.
That tournament is regarded as one of the toughest in the country, but MSP defeated a team containing three New Zealand reps on its way to winning the final against Waikato side Hautapu 26-7.
Winning the next tournament, the Taupiri sevens in Hamilton, came with the added bonus of collecting 11 airfares to the Gold Coast sevens next October.
On 10 February, the team won the NZ Marist sevens, taking the final with a 36-5 win over HOB Marist.

Repeating the successes of the 2001 premier team would be a dream start for myself as the new chairman.
I look forward to being involved with the 14 or 15 MSP teams this year - all of which have a place within the club and all of which are important.
I welcome all new and returning committee members. Volunteers are our club’s foundation and I thank in advance all the coaches, managers and administrators willing to be involved this season.
My top priority is to develop our network of volunteers. My approach is to ensure no one person is overloaded and that each volunteer has a role tailored to his/her skills and interests.
For example, we are fortunate to have a base of wonderful coaches. However, by recruiting more team managers and assistant coaches we can share the load and enhance the enjoyment for everyone.
My other “pet project” is establishing a programme to coach the coaches, again to enhance the enjoyment of our coaches and our players.
Previous chairmen have set high standards which I hope to emulate. Every chairman has his own personal style and this inevitably requires some adjustments all round.
Thanks to the efforts of past committees our club is in great heart and our clubrooms are a fantastic venue. I look forward to meeting many more of you on the sidelines and at the clubrooms.
I would like to think any person’s ideas would be listened to and valued, and anyone wishing to become involved with the club is welcome to approach me.

Pre-season games
Sunday 10 March: Club trials and training.
Saturday 16 March: Seniors and colts v Masterton Marist in Masterton.
Sunday 17 March: Seniors and colts v Palmerston North Marist in Wellington.
Sunday 24 March: Seniors and colts v Petone at Petone.
Club season begins
The first round of club rugby is on Saturday 30 March, which is Easter Saturday. The premier ones and twos are drawn to play Johnsonville at Rugby League Park. That weekend, two colts teams will travel to Palmerston North for the annual Easter Spillane Tournament.

Following are Marist St Pats’ coaching appointments for the 2002 season.
Premier:
Coach: Peter Russell. Ph 04 568 0962 (w), 025 241 2120
E-mail: peter.russell@alstom.co.nz
Technical adviser: Iain Potter. Ph 04 472 5777 (w)
Senior 1:
Coach: John Duignan. Ph 388 8690 (h), 025 222 8783.
E-mail: duigs@paradise.net.nz
Senior 2:
Coaches: Liam Halpin. Ph 801 2794 (w), 025 233 2832.
E-mail: l.f.halpin@massey.ac.nz
John Bell. Ph 025 828 990.
E-mail: john.bell@m-co.co.nz
Senior 3 Red:
Coaches: Patrick Mapu. Ph 04 383 7090 (h)
Steve Cavanagh. Ph 04 386 4787 (h), 025 3111 777
Senior 3 Green:
Coach: Ollie Tafua. Ph 04 380 9072 (h), 025 611 4844
Senior 3 White:
Coach: Perelini Coffin. Ph 04 971 9917 (h)
Colts:
Rob Evans. Ph 04 499 4025 (w), 0274 471 087.
E-mail: qwrc@xtra.co.nz
John Spillane. Ph 027 220 6131
John Bishop. Ph 389 6275 (h)
Tony Spillane. Ph 025 449 704.
E-mail: tony.spillane@customs.govt.nz
Dean Dalton. Ph 04 383 6537 (h), 025 449 704.
E-mail: DeanD@DalBus.co.nz
80/80 convenor:
Jeff O’Sullivan. Ph 04 567 3334 (h), 025 224 091
E-mail: jfosullivan@kpmg.co.nz
80/80 A:
Coach: Phil Grigg. Ph 025 424 489.

Members of MSP’s management committee for 2002 are:
Chaplain: Reverend Father Geoff Broad
President: John Knox
Chairman: Alan Woods
Treasurer: Mary Ann Spillane
Secretary: Dale Renouf
Asst Sec: Pat Martin
Management Committee: Perelini Coffin, Tony Duffin, Rob Evans, Catherine Laing, Agnes Madden, Tony Meachen, Bob Metcalf, Ruffy Mollo, Paul Quinn, Michael Sood, Ollie Tafua.

The Marist St Pats clubrooms above Hataitai Park will be open following the premiers’ first game on Saturday 30 March. A warm welcome to all new and returning club members. See you there!

Three MSP life memberships awarded
Three outstanding club administrators were nominated for life membership at the AGM on 29 November 2001. All three were voted in with acclamation. Following are profiles of their contributions to Marist St Pats.

Tony Duffin
Tony joined MSP in 1973 from St Joseph’s College in Masterton. After one junior game, he went straight into the premiers.
For two years, he was the team’s youngest player and a Wellington colt. Late in 1974, he was hospitalised with arthritis, but the following year he became club captain and also coached a third grade side.
Back playing senior 3 at the end of 1975, Tony made the Wellington second and third grade reps.
He resumed premier rugby in 1976, and on MSP’s 1978 tour of Ireland he played every game. In 1979 he was selected for a Wellington XV but a knee injury limited his first-class appearances to seven.
From 1978 to 1980 he was an integral part of the club’s most successful premier team which won 42 consecutive games. A third serious knee injury ended his playing career at the end of 1980. He had played over 100 games and scored over 100 premier points.
Tony rejoined the committee in 1991 as treasurer and, when he left in 1995, a serious financial situation had been righted and major clubroom alterations had been completed out of cash reserves.
Tony computerized the club’s accounts and more recently, set up the club’s office. For three years he organised the club’s famous $100 raffle.
He also liased with many sponsors and, as an MSP Shamrock Club committee member, helped raise funds, particularly through corporate test weekend packages.
For the last six years, Tony has brought a sense of humour and professionalism to his role as MC and an organizer of the annual club dinners.
He has also been MC at the clubrooms on Saturday nights, and at a number of prize-giving socials. A vocal and animated sideline supporter of MSP, Tony is now back on the committee.

Brian McGuinness
A St Pats Town old boy, Brian first played for the St Pats club. Later, with MSP, he captained Budgie’s championship-winning junior first side and made the Wellington junior reps.
In 1973 he won the club’s Sportsman of the Year Award, a feat repeated by his son Dave in 1998.
Brian joined MSP’s management committee in 1992. In 1993, as head of the house committee, he was the driving force behind renovation of the clubrooms which saw the deck added and the rooms modernised and extended.
In 1991 Brian was a founder member of the Shamrock Club, which comprises some 50 business supporters of MSP.
The Shamrock Club not only broadened MSP’s membership base, but was also instrumental in restoring the club to financial health.
As club chairman for the past three years, Brian has contributed an enormous amount despite his own family and business commitments.
In those three years the club has won two Jubilee Cups and two Swindale Shields. Management meetings under his chairmanship have been relaxed and harmonious.
Brian has also worked hard to promote the cause of amateur club rugby. He has vigorously urged the WRFU to focus on the club scene and to implement the amateur charter.
His efforts played a big part in the Rugby Union’s review of club rugby which led to a number of positive changes for all clubs.
Improved communication, including the establishment of the club’s website, has been another of Brian’s initiatives.
Brian has stood down as chairman this year, leaving the club strong and in good heart across the board.

John Stretch
St Pats Old Boys players were still wearing blue and white jerseys when John be-came involved in rugby administra-tion in 1963-64.
He was assistant manager of the club’s top senior side, a position he also held on the 1964 team trip to New Caledonia.
From 1965 to 1972 he returned to his home town of Blenheim. Back in Wellington in 1973 he became secretary of the capital’s newest club, Marist St Pats, which had been formed just two years before.
John went on to hold the position of secretary for the next 12 years, and from 1980-84 he was also on New Zealand Marist’s board of control.
In 1986 he edited the club newsletter, the Red Machine, and in 1990 he was the club’s president.
In 1988, John’s administrative skills saw him take a Wellington rugby union position for the first time. For six years he was on the union’s junior rugby management committee, and from 1992-95 he was also on the committee that organised the union’s centennial.
In 1994-95 he was on the WRFU board that organised women’s rugby. In 1995 he became Marist St Pats’ rep on the WRFU’s rugby committee.
Although a severe heart attack in 2000 brought an abrupt end to nearly 40 years in rugby administration, John remains an active and dedicated MSP supporter.

Monday 25 Feb to Friday 1 March Junior enrolments completed.
Saturday 16 March Team lists and coaches & managers confirmed.
Thursday 28 March First school term ends.
Tuesday 2 April “Intro to Coaching” and Rugby Smart courses commence.
Saturday 20 April MSP Children ‘n’ Coaches Day at the Hataitai Clubrooms.
Saturday 27 April Junior rugby kicks off!

Fair play charter supported
The MSP Junior Rugby Club applies the principles of the Hillary Commission’s Kiwi Sport Fair Play Charter.
MSP supports the right of children to participate in sport regardless of age, ability, ethnic background or gender.
The club promotes fair play that sets a foundation for lifetime physical activity and social development.

Small Blacks
(touch rugby):
5-8 years old. Best entertainment around on a Saturday morning! A simple, non-tackling introduction to rugby. The game is two 15-minute halves and teams are 7-aside.
Junior Black Rugby
(easy intro to tackle rugby):
9-10 years. Teams 10-12 aside that play across the field. Correct tackle techniques are taught, and weight limits apply. Two 20-minute halves
Super Black Rugby
(a step to full rugby):
11-13 years. Teams 12-15 aside, playing the full field. Safety is paramount (weight limits apply), and player enjoyment is maximised. Two 25-minute halves.

For more information on the MSP juniors, please contact:
Under-9 to under-13 tackle grades: John Holden. Ph 970 8949
Under-6 to under-8 touch grades: John O’Keefe. Ph 473 6345
(see also the Juniors page).

Junior support appreciated
The Marist St Pats junior club is proudly supported by:
The Society of Mary (the Marists!)
Trust House
Pak ‘n’ Save Eastern Suburbs Sports Trust
Community Trust of Wellington
the Hillary Commission, and
the Wellington City Council.