UNICORNS PLAYERS TACKLE 'P' PROBLEM

The Hawke's Bay Unicorns rugby league squad is turning to a few of the
game's own philosophies to tackle the drug-scene 'P' epidemic.

The squad, preparing for a crucial North Island division two match in
Hastings next Sunday, has decided to put its weight behind campaigns to wipe
out use of the backyard, "pure" methamphetamine, being blamed for increases
in serious violence and suicides.

The proposition was put to the team by manager and former Hawke's Bay
District Rugby Football League chairman Denis O'Reilly, who earlier this
year carried out a study for the Ministry of Health on issues concerning
building community resilience against methamphetamine by Maori New
Zealanders.

Mr O'Reilly said the team's approach was not one of telling people what not
to do, but about encouraging players, their families and supporters to make
better use of their lives, and will extend to asking opposition teams to
play ball as well.

"This is a let's-get-some-go-forward proposition," Mr O'Reilly said.

"We're not so much worried about the backgrounds - it's the foreground that
we are looking at."

"The Unicorns accept that people can make a mistake, correct it, and then
recover their direction," Mr O'Reilly said.

"They're not interested in what someone may have done in the past, but are
vitally interested in what they want to do in the future."

"If a person wants to be a top-level rugby league player in Hawke's Bay,
then they'll have to make a personal choice not to use P."

"This is purely an idea that we've had as a kaupapa of our our own," he
said.

Underpinning the team's approach was a unique whanau or family bond which
had built-up in just three weeks since coach Alan Mason named a rookie squad
to lead the Unicorns back into representative league after an absence of
four years.

The team immediately scored an upset win over Tasman, was beaten in the last
minute by Manawatu, and on Sunday will qualify for the division's playoff if
it can upset Wellington.

"The Unicorns encourage family members to support each other to make the
changes necessary for a successful future," Mr O'Reilly said.