A PROBLEMATICAL SIDE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 182, 3 August 1926, Page 11

A PROBLEMATICAL SIDE.

The team chosen to represent Auckland against the All Blacks to-morrow has not been greeted with loud huzzas in Rugby circles. Rather the contrary. At the° same time, it must be remembered that the task of the selectors has not been an easy one.*-A steadily-mounting injured list has deprived the province of several of its leading players, and with Knicrht, Lomas and 'Sheen in the opposite camp for the time being, the choice of the selectors has been a restricted one in several respects.

The chief criticism has been directed at the breaking at what may be termed, for want ,of a better expression, "the Ponsonby combination." This applies to the backs. The blue and white rearguard is weak in defence, and the Rugby cognoscenti claim that if an attacking side was wanted the selectors should have "gone the limit" by keeping the bulk of the "Ponies" together in the backs, instead of separating them.

The selection of G-oodacre furnishes a fruitful subject of controversy. Apart from the question as to whether he is quite fast enough to serve as an ideal link between Cammick, Lucas and Hook, there is the fact that he is due to leave Auckland any time now, and the argument is that the selectors are not looking to the future- by retaining his services right up to the last. With Lucas in his usual place at centre, it-is contended that the opportunity should have been taken in earlier matches of trying out Holmes (Shore) or Ruru (Grafton), while many think that Donnelly (Thames) would give any of the present wings, outside of Hook, a run for the position. _ .... , _:_.

The biggest surprise in the team was the selection of Freeman ac first fiveeighths. Probably nobody ever thought of the 'Varsity flyer for the position until Saturday, when a half-time change brought Freeman into the inside berth, and he infused a dash and sparkle into the subsequent play • which no doubt influenced the selectors in giving him the job against the All Blacks. It was a daring experiment, and it would be unsafe to predict the result. At the same time, big games are not generally regarded as the place for experiments.

In regard to the forwards, a wellknown supporter of the game threatens to resuscitate the mythical "C" team to oppose the selectors' vanguard. He says the first four he wants in his team are Righton, Knox, Hay ward (Thames) and Gallagher, and after that he is prepared to take pot luck. The forwards selected are of the light, skirmishing order, and just how they will fare against the All Black giants is problematical. On a hard, fast ground they might very easily set the travel-worn tourists a merry pace, but the majority of Rugby followers would have liked to have seen more weight and height in the pack.

The selection of Finlayson for the side row suggests a compromise. Close followers of the game who understand the intricacies of front-row play are in many cases of the opinion that he is a better hooker than either Palmer or Hadley, while it is a sufficient tribute to his allround play as a forward that he is able to find a place in the rep. team as a pack forward, and not in his usual position in the front row.

The prospect of Auckland repeating its memorable triumph over the 1924 All Blacks is not a rosy one, but there is no saying what will happen "till the numbers go up." It can at least be said that the unusual composition of' the Auckland side will stimulate considerable interest in the performance they are likely to put up against their redoubtable opponents to-morrow afternoon.