Guinness-King Appointed Blues Rugby Captain

Canadian international Matt Guinness-King was voted the new Blues rugby captain at a special meeting last night.

Guinness-King, whose 2010 Varsity campaign was blighted by injury, has played nine times for Canada and is an MBA student at the Judge Business School.

He will captain the side for their remaining matches this term and then take charge of next year’s campaign to recapture the Varsity trophy.

The vote to find a new captain involves all the Blues players convening in the Steele-Bodger room at Grange Road in a meeting chaired by the Chairman of CURUFC.

Players first nominate their team-mates for the captaincy by calling out their name. Those nominated then leave the room and return to make a three minute speech about why they would suit the role, before the final vote is taken.

The other players suggested for the captaincy were former Durham skipper Paul Loudon and Aussie flanker Jason Kururangi.

Some will question whether Guinness-King, whose shoulder operation over the summer prevented him from winning a first team spot, is right for the role having played so little rugby.

Yet the back-row’s international experience is reassuring for the squad, who have now chosen three successive foreigners to lead the side, following Aussie Dan Vickerman in 2009 and South African Jimmy Richards in 2010.

Guinness-King is renowned for his physicality at the contact, and his versatility may also be an asset to the side, with the ability to play either in the back-row of the pack or in the backs at center or wing.

The Blues’ next game is against the RAF tomorrow night at 7.30 at Grange Road.