Wayne Soper and Bill Harper coach 1982 Pirates U23 Black team. Invercargill.

On reading Yacck, I see where Neil Gibb (Gibby) captained the third grade side.  I remember him coaching us in the U 23 black side.  The coaches were Wayne Soper and Bill Harper.

Glen Mearns started the season at full back and was probably our key player but was sidelined through a bad injury which was a huge setback for our team.
But in saying that he was aptly replaced by Edgar Potter who scored over 100 points for the season.
Peter Forde and Grant McKenzie were the wings, with Grant playing half back on several occasions.
Alf Grant was our fastest back but also one of the characters at the mock court sessions.  Brian Hildyard, was by far the best 2nd five eight (when we could get him out of bed).  He was also the colonel.  Steve Nicholson played half back and was always a gutsy player.
Other backs were Carl Alsweiler, Paul Dale, Warren Scott, and Mervyn Eade, who had just come back to our team from the greyhounds.
In the forwards were No. 8, Greg Springer and Grant Wood with loose forwards, Garry Tippett, Geoff Clark who was the captain, Grant Duthie and Philip Dawson.
Ross Black was our tight loose man, was the best trainer in the team and was one of the finds of the social hour.
Locks were Mark Smith, Darrel Burgess.  Bruce Thomas, Craig Bullivant and newcomer to the team Wayne McDonald were our props.
Hooker was Geoff McDowell.  
We were only marginally successful on the field but were the best off it.
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