Western News: February 12, 2019

10 Tuesday February 12 2019
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
WESTERN NEWS
Promising Hornets chase NRL dreams
• By Gordon Findlater
THREE PROMISING young
Halswell Hornets have shifted to
Sydney in pursuit of their NRL
dreams.
Reuben Wilson, David Knight
and Montell Peppard all made
strong impressions during trials
with Wests Tigers
late last year and
will now spend
the year in Sydney
among the club’s
feeder ranks.
Knight, 17, has
been named in
the Tigers Laurie
Daley Cup squad,
while Peppard, 17,
has been named
in the Western
Suburbs Magpies
SG Ball squad.
Wilson, 18, has
joined the Ryde
Eastwood Hawks
– a feeder club for
the Tigers.
“If we can open the door for
a young boy from Christchurch
or the South Island, it’s a big
plus towards the pathway,” said
former Hornets president Jeff
Whittaker.
Reuben Wilson
“The big plus for these boys
is that they’re now in an NRL
environment.”
Wilson – a fullback and
hooker – earned a number of
appearances for the Hornets’
premier side last season. His
father Walter Wilson is a former
Halswell, Canterbury and New
Zealand agegroup
player,
and has coached
the boys at the
Hornets.
He has joined
his son in Sydney
to support him
on his journey.
“Reuben
had two trials
with the Tigers
last year. They
said he would
be strongly
considered for
their under-20s
if he was in
Sydney. That was
the catapult for us to make the
move,” said Walter.
Peppard – a back rower – only
started playing league last year
after previously playing rugby
at St Thomas of Canterbury
College.
SPORTS
“Jeff [Whittaker] and I sat
down with him and his parents
and had a good chat about what
opportunity rugby league could
have for him,” said Walter.
“He’s a strong physical player
and has a great attitude.”
Knight, who is a back rower,
was introduced to league as a
12-year-old and has made his
way through the junior ranks at
the Hornets.
Knight and Peppard will
attend secondary school in
Sydney, while Wilson – who
recently finished at Christchurch
Boys’ High School – is doing
landscaping work in the
morning and training with his
club in the evening.
STARS: David Knight and
Montell Peppard have
relocated to Sydney,
along with Reuben Wilson,
following a successful trial
with Wests Tigers.
Halswell club softballer
takes skills to the max
• By Jacob Page
MAX SARGEANT (left) is
turning the skills he learnt in
his backyard into a promising
softball career.
The 14-year-old Halswell
Softball Club player was part of
the Canterbury under-15 infield
which went undefeated at the
national championships.
He was named in the Rest
of New Zealand tournament
team, and will also trial for the
development Black Sox later in
the summer, which could lead to
a tour of Australia this year.
Max can play any infield
position but prefers second base
or short stop.
“I like how you get a lot of
balls coming your way and
you’re always in the action,” he
said.
Max has been playing softball
since he was five and has
practiced his technique in
the backyard with his dad
Peter.
He has a family pedigree with
his uncle, Michael Sands, being
a former Black Sox player in the
early 2000s.
Max also plays premier
reserves, under-23s and under-
18s for Halswell, meaning he
often has three games a week.
“It’s playing against big people
which has been difficult, but
it’s been a learning year and,
hopefully, I can put those skills
into my 18s game.
“I’d like to make the
Canterbury under-18s and keep
moving up to national squads.”
Max said he would love to
emulate his uncle and become a
second generation Black Sox.
He also wants to play at college
level overseas.
But for now, Max is just
motivated to get better.