Gisborne’s Hogan to help prepare MacRobertson Shield team

Gisborne croquet great Joe Hogan will be playing his part in the New Zealand team's preparation for the prestigious MacRobertson Shield international series in England. Photo /Chris Taewa

Gisborne’s former world croquet champion, Joe Hogan, has been called on to help prepare the New Zealand team for the MacRobertson Shield series in Britain.

Croquet New Zealand will fly Hogan and Christchurch player Roger Murfitt to Auckland at the end of this month to help with preparation for the series, in late July/early August.

Hogan and Murfitt were in the New Zealand team which won the shield in England in 1986 – the only time a team other than the hosts have won the MacRobertson Shield when it was contested in Britain.

The MacRobertson Shield is an association croquet competition contested every three or four years by England, Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The venue rotates among the participating countries.

This year’s tournament, from July 24 to August 9, will be the centenary edition and will be played at Hurlingham/Roehampton, Sussex County and Surbiton. The shield was first contested by England and Australia in 1926.

Hogan became the World Croquet Federation’s inaugural singles champion in association croquet at the 1989 tournament held at Hurlingham in London.

Barry Memorial Croquet Club member Hogan, 67, was competing in the association croquet nationals in January when he wrenched his back and had to withdraw from the bowl and shield rounds of the tournament.

He has ventured back on to the croquet courts to hold coaching sessions and looks forward to getting back into competitive play.

He hopes to take part in the WCF association croquet world championships next year. They are set to take place in Wellington and are tentatively scheduled for late January/early February.

He also has his sights set on the national association and golf croquet tournaments next year.