ENFORCED EXPERIMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 171, 21 July 1924, Page 8

ENFORCED EXPERIMENT.

NEW THREEQUARTER LINE. AUCKLAND RUGBY TEAM. AGAINST THE ALL BLACKS. The Auckland representative Rugby team which had such a fine record last .year has suffered many vicissitudes since the beginning of the present season, and when the province's first fifteen linos up for its first game of the season on Wednesday it will be almost unrecognisable in its personnel as the side which went through last year's programme of representative matches without a defeat on the home ground. There are only four of the forwards and two of the backs of last year in the side who were there last year. Malloy, who figured as wing three-quarter and at times fullback, is now at Tc Awamutu. Injury in one of the. AH Black trial games has placed out of action Vie. Badeley, whose brilliancy at centre three-quarter was a large factor in the name made by the Auckland rearguard as a scoring combination. Promotion to the All Black ranks has depr'ved Auckland of Cooko and Lucas, while for the same reason Cecil Badeley, wbo stood down last year to get a knee attended to, but was expected to bo in the field as first five-eighth this year, has also gone up one. Sheen, the first five-eighth reserve of last year, had recently to go under an operation for appendicitis and has not yet recovered sufficiently to take up the game again. Removal to Hamilton also took Knight out of the forwards, while an injury to an eye prevented L. Casey from taking part in the early club matches to get into form. These were the circumstances in which Mr. V. R. Meredith ten day 3 ago set about getting together a team with which to oppose the All Blacks in the match scheduled for next Wednesday at Eden Park. It was felt that although the province had been hard hit by removals, promotions and injury to their very hest, there was still the makings of a side which would do Auckland credit, A good solid forward division was chosen, and the gaps in the backs were filled in with players who are not only strong on defence, but are also capable of working up a dashing attack. But once again bad luck intervened, and by Saturday the whole of the selector's new three-quarter line had been swept away. Kirwan, who came from Hawkc's Bay at the end of last season and had developed a keen attacking game, was called away to Reefton by pressing family business. Matson, who had taken up the mantle of Lucas as centre three-quarter for Ponsonby, receh-ed an injury which will keep him out of the game for six weeks, and I. McLean had a recurrence of kneo trouble which demands rest for some time. As a consequence, the selector had to set to work over the week-end and find a new three-quarter line from his second string. Despite the circumstances which have tended to weaken the stopping power of the Auckland side which will be opposed to the New Zealand team on Wednesday, the local team should still make a very creditable showing. It is known that the All Blacks have an exceptionally strong forward section, and that the backs are showing fine combination, but the Aucklanders should be able to keep them extended. Although the backs are not the strong defensive lot it was expected to put on the field, and will be handicapped by inexperience, they are capable of firstclass attacking work should the opportunity come along. The team as now selected is: — Fullback: Goodacre. Three -qupjrters: Tonkin, Olsen, N. Ifwersen. Five-eighths: K. Ifwersen, Loft. Half: Wright. Hover: Lintott. Forwards: Peters, Lomas, Righton, N. McLean, McWillisms, Keary, Fogarty. Reserves: Taylor and Kcenc (forwards), A. McManus, Sinclair and O'Brien (backs). The members of the team are to meet at Victoria Arcade at 7 p.m. sharp on Tuesday prepared for final practice and instructions.