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SOUTHERN VIEW Latest Christchurch news at www. .kiwi
Tuesday May 9 2017 17
Halswell squads head to
large youth tournament
• By Andrew King
FOR THE first time, Halswell
United will send teams to
compete in an Australian football
tournament in Canberra.
An under-14 girls side and
under-13 boys team will head to
the Kanga Cup in July.
It is the largest international
youth football tournament in the
Southern Hemisphere, with more
than 375 teams from a number of
different countries competing.
Halswell United general
manager Sam Bunn said it was all
about player development and it
was the teams that wanted to go.
Bunn said the girls team was
looking to win in their maiden
outing, while the boys would be
competitive.
SPORTS
WARM-UP: Halswell United’s under-13 boys and under-14
girls Kanga Cup sides played out a 1-1 draw against each other
on Sunday as part of their preparation for July’s Kanga Cup
competition in Canberra.
“It is all about experience, and
this will provide quite a bit of
that,” she said.
The cup competition started
in 1991 in Sydney with about 35
teams competing before it was
moved to its current home in
Canberra in 1993.
Previous participating teams
have hailed from Australia, United
States, England, Denmark, Italy,
Russia, Georgia, South Africa,
South Korea, Chinese Taipei,
Malaysia, Philippines, India,
Indonesia, East Timor, Fiji and
New Zealand.
•Halswell United is still
looking for sponsorship of
its two Kanga Cup squads.
Interested sponsors should
email Sam Bunn at
huafcgm@gmail.com
South African leads Cashmere first XI
• By Andrew King
SOUTH AFRICAN Lyle
Matthysen thought he was
destined to be a rugby player
when he moved to New Zealand
12 years ago, but a chance
encounter with the Cashmere
Wanders led to a love of
football.
Matthysen, 18, is now captain
of the Cashmere High first XI
and a regular starter in the
midfield for the Cashmere
Technical Mainland Premier
League side.
Born in Cape Town, in the
heart of Stormers country,
Matthysen left when he was sixyears-old.
A friend took him to
a training when he was younger
and he just fell in love with the
beautiful game.
He has been playing top grade
football for the past four years,
but still remembers one of his
first blunders after making the
Cashmere Tech side.
“I was through on the keeper
and totally tripped over the ball
Cashmere face St Andrew’s in second round
• By Andrew King
CASHMERE HIGH will play
St Andrew’s tomorrow after
recording a solid 3-1 win over
Christchurch Boys’ High in the
opening round of the Connetics
schools premier first XI
competition at the Christchurch
Football Centre.
Cashmere had a number of
players on debut in its squad,
with coach Tom Wilkinson
saying Luke Tolan playing in
central midfield had a brilliant
start earning him man of the
match.
“He controlled the game very
well last night and was a rock in
front of the defence,” Wilkinson
in front a quite a few people,”
he said.
It did not deter him and now
he sees his name in the starting
SKIPPER: Lyle Matthysen
is now captain of the
Cashmere High first XI and a
regular starter in the midfield
for Cashmere Technical.
11 quite often.
“It is something I really want
to pursue as a career,” he said.
He said the natural progression
for most Kiwis is through
an American college on a scholarship,
a dream he is very keen
to chase.
“Ryan Nelson played for
Cashmere and is a huge role
model to me,” he said.
He has had the privilege
of playing with former Wellington
Phoenix and All White
defender Ben Sigmund and
Canterbury United FC and
All White mid-fielder Aaron
Clapham.
“Clapham is still in the
Cashmere Tech side and is
always giving us plenty of good
advice,” he said.
GOOD START: Cashmere
recorded a solid 3-1 win over
CBHS in the opening round
of the schools premier first
XI competition.
said.
“The game was fast-paced in
the first half with both sides
battling well.”
Wilkinson said the team will
be looking to work on consistency
as they look ahead to
the game against St Andrew’s
tomorrow.
The last time Cashmere
played St Andrew’s, the match
ended in a 2-2 draw.
Both teams are undefeated
going into the second round
with St Andrew’s beating Burnside
4-2.
“They will be a tough opposition
and we are relishing the
challenge,” Wilkinson said.
The game starts at 5.45pm.