NEW ZEALAND TEAM FOR AUSTRALIA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 135, 7 June 1907, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND TEAM FOR AUSTRALIA.

FIVE AUCKLAND FORWARDS INCLUDED. TWELVE ALL BLACKS IN THE TEAM. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, .Thursday. The following team will represent New Zealand on the Australian tour: — Fullback: G. Spencer (Wellington). Threequarters: \V. Wallace and F. Mitehinson ( Wellington), E. Dive (Taranaki ), F. C. Fryer ( Canterbury). Five-eighths: J. Hunter and S. Mynott (Taranaki), A. Eckhold (Otago). Halves: F. Roberts (Wellington), R. Colman (Taranaki). Wing forward: S. Gillett (Auckland). Forwards: Front rank, S. Casey (Otago), Tyler (Auckland) ; locks, VV. Cunningham (Auckland), H. Paton (Otago) ; side and back, J. O Sullivan (Taranaki), A. McDonald, Johnston (Otago), C. Seeling and A Francis (Auckland), J. Hogan (Wanganui), and J. Spencer (Wellington).

The team selected is undoubtedly a very strong one, and the Australians will have to play good football to beat it, To comment on the play of the men comprising the side would be a work of supererogation, since all are well known throughout the colony, and the greater number played in Auckland last season. Eckhold and Paton are the only two with whom Aucklanders are not familiar. Eckhold is a useful, if not brilliant, five-eighths. He is quick in getting up speed, takes a bail and passes well, and uses his head ufcutting in. His defensive play is sound, and he is a good hand at stopping rushes. Paton is a burly forward, who has been in the Otago reps for a number of years. While not as clever at working the scrum as Cunningham, he is a solid player.

The most notable absentees of the Aucklanders are Geo. Smith and G. Nicholson. The Auckland threequarter has been playing right at the top of his form this season, and his non-inclusion comes as a big surprise to followers of the game in this city. Probably the reason for the dropping of Smith and Nicholson was that their work did not come under the eye of the selectors in the interisland match, while that of the other threequarters was observed.

No exception can be taken to any of the threequarters included, and a matter for congratulation is that three of the four—iryer, Mitehinson, and Dive —are young players. Mitehinson played at Alexandra Park last year, and his game greatly pleased the critics. This year he has shown greatly improved form, and he is looked upon in Wellington as likely to develop into one of the finest threequarters in the colony. Dive also played remarkably well for Taranaki against Auckland. Fryer has all the requirements of a threequarter, being fast, clever, and cooL He is a strong runner and a fine kick

Colman, who is picked as reserve halfback, played on the wing against Auckland last year, but is equally good as half-back, and can play in the threequarter line if necessary. He will be available as wing should Gillett become incapacitated.

The forwards are as good a lot as ever left the colony. They are heavy, fast, and clever all through, a fine S3t of seruinmagers, quick to break up, and always on the ball. It will be a good pack that outplays them.