Rookie masters

MASTERS ROOKIE: Dwayne Russell made his Poverty Bay-East Coast representative golf debut 13 years ago but has not played for the region since. He will end that as a member of the PBEC team for next month's Freyberg Masters in Hamilton. Picture by Paul Rickard

DWAYNE Russell won't be overawed when he makes his Freyberg Masters national interprovincial debut in Hamilton next month.

As a successful former professional rugby player and coach here and overseas, Russell is familiar with the pressure that goes with the turf.

He can also take some confidence from the one and only time he played representative golf for Poverty Bay-East Coast.

In 2007, Russell marked his debut for the PBEC senior team with a win in his opening match at the Central North Island interprovincial quadrangular in Taupo.

And if that is not inspiration enough, he can always look to his whanau — in particular auntie Frances Pere, a New Zealand junior and senior golf international, Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay great and multiple Maori women's champion in the 1970s.

St Stephen's old boy Russell, now teaching physical education and Maori at Gisborne Boys' High after 14 years of various roles with Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union, is one of two players who will taste Freyberg Masters (over-40s) action for the first time.

BDO Gisborne advisory partner Glenn Morley is also in the six-man side who face a week of matchplay on the St Andrew's course.

Morley was bitten by the golf bug after a long and distinguished cricket and football career that featured 100 Poverty Bay cricket caps, including four centuries, and Northern District age group representation, and plenty of goals for Gisborne City that twice earned him player of the year and golden boot honours.

Like Russell, he also has a strong family connection to the fairways — mother Jean and aunties Agnes Gray and (the late) Thelma Hoole were all top golfers.

“Looking forward to the challenge,” said Morley, who has sacrificed a trip with the Poverty Bay Golf Club “Sunday “School” to take on what will be the most demanding test of this third sporting passion.

He described himself as “the pure rookie with zero representative golf experience”.

Russell (a member of Patutahi) is team reserve, although is likely to get plenty of game time.

Morley (Poverty Bay) will start in the anchor No.5 position.

The rest of the team are Anaru Reedy (Gisborne Park, No.1), Simon Jeune (PB), No.2), Tony Akroyd (Pat, No.3) and Peter Clayton (PB No.4).

All have Masters experience, particularly Jeune, while Akroyd had a long senior representative career before moving into the masters age group.

PBEC masters regulars Pete Anderson and David Solomann are unavailable.

Anderson has work commitments while Auckland-based Solomann is to play for PBEC at the national interprovincial as it is being played on his home Whitford Park course.

Over the duration of the Masters — from November 2 to 6 — PBEC face Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Bay of Plenty, Aorangi, North Harbour, Otago, Northland and Southland.

PBEC were 13th out of the 15 provinces last year, including a team win over North Harbour and a half with Taranaki.