TEST RUGBY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 214, 10 September 1931, Page 8

TEST RUGBY.

WALLABIES ARRIVE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FORM.

STRANG TO SKIPPER . ALL ' BLACKS.

AUSTRALIAN TEAM ANNOUNCED,

Confident that they, have, played themselves into form and combination, the Australian Rugby tourists arrived back in Auckland, this morning to prepare for, the only Test match against the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday. They have been considerably encouraged by their ■: display against the Maoris at Palmerston North yesterday, and they are hopeful.of giving a bright against New Zealand. : • .//'-•

"We have been just a bit unlucky," said Mr. T. C. Davis, manager of the team to-day. "Every game has been ' closely fought,, and at times the boys have played brilliantly. But, unluckily for us, every ground we have played, on I lias been rain-drenched, and our boys, especially those from Queensland, are not used to such conditions. I think iour best football was produced in the ■match against Canterbury, but there ;were periods in the Wellington match in ! which play was brilliant. Again the iluck turned against us in Wellington, iiAlthough-the ground was heavy, it-was ;fine until half-time, but after that we Iliad to face the weather, and the players .were almost blinded by big hailstones. (Over in Australia-• we would call it a cyclone. . Mark .. Nicholls. realised the position and said to his team, 'Come on. Show's the time* for a'-" few tries. .They can't see.' And he was right." . j All through the country the-hospitality Ijad been wonderful, said Mr; Davis. It bad been-, almost too - good. He and all (jhe members, of the team; wire deeply grateful, for ' the gxeat 1 timeUthey had Been given,' and they; were' sorry, that tibe tour was nearing" an end. ' . , J The Australian team for Saturday's 3} est was selected by Mr. T; C: Davis, ,SJ. J. Malcolm - (captain) apdj'J. Dla.rk (j, r ice-captain) to-day.'-- It is:— j Full-back: A. W. -Ross. : ' .• r i Three-quarters : Hemmingway,"Towers. Qowper,. Tolhurst. -. • ' ), '"i 'i. | Five-eighth":" Steggall.. ' Half-back: 1 - Malcolm (captain). | Forwards: J. Clark, P&rrid, ; Palfrfeyrn an, M. White, Judd, Blair, Bonis, arid" COrutti. ' ~ . ' j All southern members ,:of. the '.Keyr* Z«ialand »team . were, due to j arrive din Auckland tliis morning, but the only one w*Jao got- off the, train was. Gf. Purdue (ij Southland). R. ,G. Bush (Otago), the ftj'il-back, who played in , the. -matcft against Auckland last. Saturday, did not gq to Taranaki with his team. To-day a j telegram 'Avas received from thb New Zealand .Rugby Union -stating th%t - all a' embers of the team-will arrive in Aucknd to-morrow morning.. They will tr.ain at Eden Park later. It was announced by Mr. A. C. Kitto, til e New Zealand Rugby Union's represantative with the Wallabies, that W. A. Strang (South Canterbury) has been appointed captain of the All Blacks. Mr. £v Hollander, of Christchurch, who cont* oiled three of the four Tests against tine British team last year, has been ciiosen as referee. The Australian team had a run at ID den Park this afternoon.

THAMES REPRESENTATIVES.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

THAMES, this day.

The following will represent Thames against Paeroa at Paeroa on Saturday : R. ]3uchan, K. Dowell, B. Harrison, S. Mcaialion, L. Edwards, L. Adams, J. Arthur C'. Cameron, M. Watene, K. Baker - A Cameron J. Strange, J. Tonge, K. Strange, I'. Russell. Reserves: W. Kelly, C. Hool, A Boyle.