Bowls: Brassey confirms Harbour move

By LINDSAY KNIGHT

Rowan Brassey, twice a world champion and one of Auckland's greatest lawn bowlers, confirmed yesterday that he was switching his allegiances to the neighbouring North Harbour centre.

Brassey has joined the Takapuna club after a disagreement with the Auckland centre management over the staging of this season's premier club playoffs.

Though Takapuna and Harbour will now be his main affiliation, Brassey emphasised that he was remaining a member of the Avondale club, with which he had no quarrel, and would still play in some Auckland centre events.

"But I'm looking forward to representing Harbour from now on," he said.

"Where I live in Auckland it's only about 15 minutes away and I'm always travelling against the Harbour Bridge traffic flow."

Brassey was confident that the Harbour interclub and intercentre programme could be accommodated with his commitments in Australia where, especially towards the end of the season, he competes in the New South Wales premier league.

He met Harbour centre officials yesterday and agreed to have a role in promotional activities and coaching representative teams.

Brassey said he already knew many of Harbour's leading bowlers. Two of his old team-mates from his early days at Okahu Bay - where under Nick Unkovich he won his first national titles - were Max Dick, now with Northcote, and Barry Greer, now with Silverdale.