Cruz Topai Aveai  

Congratulations to Cruz Topai Aveai on signing a three year NRL first grade contract with the Cronulla Sharks. Cruz is currently playing for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, in the U20s Toyota Cup and has been a standout. He is still only 18, so has a big future ahead of him.

Cruz was one of the stand-out players for Shirley in the UC Championship in 2016 and was awarded player of the tournament, alongside Burnsides' Cam Russell.

We wish Cruz all the best with his career.

Tom Christie  

Congratulations to Tom Christie, who was in the New Zealand U20 Rugby team that played Australia on Saturday 6th May. The team swept the Oceania series on the Gold Coast following a decisive 43-6 victory over Australia.  

New Zealand 43 (Luke Jacobson 2, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Will Jordan, Tamati Tua, Tom Christie tries; Tiaan Falcon 5 con, pen) Australia 6 (Harry Nucifora 2 pen) HT: 29-6  

Obituary

The Christchurch Press on 13 May published a long obituary for Dutch-born Berend (Ben) Tabak (at Shirley 1960-62). Under the heading ‘Earthquake hero remembered’, writer Jack Fletcher emphasised that Ben, who passed away aged 71 at Christchurch on 21 April, had been a New Zealand Fire Service veteran. He had helped pull four survivors from the rubble of the earthquake-damaged PGG Building on 22 February 2011. Following this, his crew and construction workers rescued a further fifteen survivors.

‘Ben retired from the fire service just months later, ending a 40-year career of extricating victims from car crashes, fitting out fire trucks with lockers and ladders and extinguishing blazes.’ On his retirement, Ben focused on a special hobby – repairing broken china, something at which he had become an international expert.