FIRST TEST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 182, 3 August 1936, Page 15

FIRST TEST.

NEW ZEALAND TEAM. NINE AUCKXANDERS. i WATENE AS CAPTAIN. The following team has 'been chosen to represent New Zealand in t'he Test match against the English League team at Carlaw Park next Saturday:— Full-back.—Hemi (Auckland). Three-quarters. — L. Scott (Auckland), W. Tittleton (Auckland), L. Brown (Auckland). Five-eighths.—T. Trevathan (Auckland), A. Kay (Auckland). Half-back.—W. Powell (Auckland). Forwards.—J. Cootes (Wellington), W. McNeight (West Coast), J. Calder (West Coast), W. Glynn (West Coast), V. Pickrang (Auckland), Steve Watene (Auckland), captain. Trevathan, having been picked for Not Zealand, will not be available for Taranaki. rt A feature of the selection of the New Zealand team is it hat Auckland will supply the whole of the, back division. Hemi will be a popular choice at fullback and i£ on t'he day the Wairarapa man is in one of his brilliant goal-kicking moods he will be a big asset to the Dominion side. There has not this season been an opportunity to teat him seriously in defence, that is, as far as man-stopping power goes. It was in that respect that Dempsey did not come up to expectations.

Again L. Scott comes back to Test football and oil his form this season deserves his place. Trevathan was the logical choice for five-eighth, and his versatility may supply something that was lacking when the Englishmen played Auckland. Powell's defence as half-back convinced the selectors that lie -was .the best choice, but some would have preferred to have seen Coman, the clever little Wellington half, included.

The back division, provided that they play to form and mark their opposites properly in defence, holds fair hopes for New Zealand, but Haslani, had he been included, would have added all-round solidity to the backs.

It was anticipated that there would be a big leaven of the Southerners in the pack ami the inclusion of Caldcr, McNeight and Glynn was expected. Cootes, the Wellington forward, played an outstanding game in Auckland on the King's Birthday, while Pickrang is the best forward in Auckland. Watene, as the last man down and with the added honour of being captain, is another very popular choice.

It seems painfully evident that New Zealand League football cannot produce a first-class hooker ■ at the moment, although in past years the code has had specialists of the calibre of S. Lowry and W. Hadley. The placing of McNeight in the middle of the front row is a sporting compromise which may or may not be a success.

NORTHLAND V. ENGLAND. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WHANGAREI, this day. The Northland Rugby League will bo strongly represented in the match against tiie Englishmen at Jubilee Park, Whangarei, 011 Thursday week, August 13. The sole selector, Mr. E. J. Parkes, in piecing together his thirteen lias had a keen eye 011 defence and in this respect the team has no weak links. The side has been strengthened by the inclusion of G. Kerr and R. Hollows (Devonport) and A. L. H'aslam (Marist). The first two are ex-Wliangarei players.

Mr. Parkes' train is:—Full-back, G. ICcrr (Devonport) ; three-quarters, C. Hamilton (Ilikurangi), A. L. Haslam (Marist), D. Parkes (Kensington) ; five-eighths, L. Verrall (Kaino), F. Hollows (City); half-back, C. Lenne (Kamo) ; front row, It. Hollows (Devonport), E. O'Callaghan (Hiktirangi), V. Payne (City) ; second row, 11. Bowyer (City), J. Taylor (Kamo); , (Kensington). Reserves: Back, D. Thompson (Portland); forward, A. Tooth (Portland). Realising that Northland has no chance of getting the ball from the scrums, the selector lias dropped Tooth, unquestionably the best hooker in the League in favour of E. O'Callaglian, thus adding weight , and speed to the pack.