PREPARATION FOR TEST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 142, 18 June 1930, Page 9

PREPARATION FOR TEST.

STEWAUT MAY NOT PLAY a FORWARDS AVERAGE 14ST 3LB. (By Telegraph.—Special Kenorzer.) OAMARU, this dav. Several hundred people saw - the All Blacks, in the traditional jerseys, practice here this afternoon on a hard ground. Eore (Otago) was the only absentee, though he is in Oamaru. Stewart, whose knee was injured in the Canterbury match against Britain, is keeping his play down, and it io unlikely that he will be played in the first Test. The other men are in great form. Porter took the forwards in hand at practice. The backs were sent away on attack from the line-out, and the forwards spread out behind them to carry on the movement when the backs purposely fumbled passes. In dribbling rushes the forwards did not show the same command - of the ball as the Britishers have. Nepia and Lilburne were in wonderful kicking form. Cooke handled the ball faultlessly. Irvine . showed miich of his old-time dash in gathering in the leather from ail quarters of the field. More Experience Than Youth. • Host of the team —among whom Hart and Oliver looked mere boys—gave Oamaru the strong impression, of being war-scarred veterans,- with much more experience than youth, and of being a hard side to come up against. The older members of the team are fairly confident of winning the first Test. All nineteen players, who arrived under the charge of Mr. E_ McKenzie (Wairarapa), chairman of the selection committee, wilt be played at stages of the match against North Otago tomorrow. The other New Zealand selectors, Messrs. N. McKenzie (Hawke's Bay), G. Nicholson (Auckland), W. Maxwell (Canterbury), A. McDonald (Otago) and A. J*. Geddes (Southland), will arrive here to-morrow. Weights of the Player 3. The average weight of the ten for- . wards, from whom the New Zealand vanguard will be selected, is 14at 31b. The average of the nine backs is list 71b. Following are the' players in order of weight:— ' ;;: 1 Forwards.—Stewart, 16st; Finlayson, lost 81b; Hazlett, lost 71b; Steere, I4st 121b; McWilliams, I4st slb; Irvine, 13st 121b; Porter, 13st 31b; Hore, 13st 21bj Batty, 13st; Cotterill, 12at 121h. Backs. —Nepia, 13st 51b;. Johnson, 12st. *41b; Lilburne, 12at; Hart* list 101b;Oliver, list 101b; Nicholls, list 71b; Lucas, list 71b; Mill, list 41b; Cooke, list 31b.