YESTERDAY'S TRIALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 178, 29 July 1937, Page 20

YESTERDAY'S TRIALS.

MATCH IN THE MUD. POSSIBLES AND PROBABLES. QUEST FOR REP. PLAYERS. It is probably on known form and not on their display of yesterday that some of the Rugby League players will be considered in the New Zealand team to meet th e touring Australians on Saturday week. The ground for the trial match was a quagmire, and rain at intervals did not improve things. Some of the players on both the Possible and Probable sides rose superior to the circumstances; there were others who did not relish the depressing conditions and the heavy going. In spite of it all there was some good constructive play with praiseworthy efforts to make an open game. The fact that Possibles won by 25 points to 11 did not matter much. There were several retirements through injury, and the five-eighths of the respective sides were transferred at half-time, and one player finished the day with the rare distinction of having scored for both teams. It was expected that the match would throw some light on the New Zealand League strength of the season and if one judged by the calibre of players in the trial and the ability of some who were not included, it could be assumed that this year a very strong team can be put in the field for a national occasion. That the selectors have a difficult task ahead is evident, as for some of the kev positions there are several candidates of practically equal ability offering. The three full-backs seen in action yesterday were Hemi, Watene and Glover. The first-named retired early with a leg injury. The other pair plaved soundly in their respective ways and Glover lived up to his reputation of being one of the best defensive full-backs in the game. Hemi fit and well would probably be the ' first choice, but there are still full-backs of the class of Dempsey and Kerr to be considered. The standard of the three-quarter play was in keeping with the general conditions. Kay was the most versatile of the centres and Davison, of Canterbury, wag the pick of the wings, although Bebam, the West Coast man, showed up :well, as did McCallum, the> speedy. Aucklander. . ' ' ' ! * ' , M Five-eighths Compared. 1 Bickerton and W. Tittleton made a better five-eighths -line'' than the Chaise brothers, of Manukau, although for sheer I solo ability R. Chase was the best scoring 'back 'ow the ground. ■ i ~n , ■

Mahima and Halloran provided a sharp contrast in half-back play, the former [rugged and solid, the latter showing refreshing enterprise in attack. From two fine forward divisions the selectors should have no trouble in gathering one of the best packs that New Zealand has fielded, but the real difficulty will be who to leave out. The first choice must be a hooker, and although there is

not a Lowry or a Somere in sight, either Leatherbarrow or Glynn, the West Coast player, would be. a good choice. The latter was. about the outstanding forward ot the match. Others who showed up well all the way were Mataira, McLeod, Gault, Breed and Morgan. Finest Feature. The forward play was the finest feature of the game. There was weight, pace and virility and the Xew Zealand vanguard of this year should be one of the best that-ihaa been fielded. .Much will depend on the weather conditions that, the Australians experience in Auckland. In heavy going, such as it was yesterday, the advantage should decidedly lie with New Zealand. On the other hand, with favourable conditions the fast interplay of the Australian backs is likely to be just 'such a fine feature as it has been in other years, with a very sharp thrust if Norman, the brilliant " Sydney player, is in the stand-off position. It has been the decided sharpness in the inside, back play that his been disconcerting to New Zealand teams on previous occasions and it can only be matched by play of a similar kind. '

I It could not be said that yesterday's trial match added much to general knowledge of representative players, no reputations were added to and some were tarnished. On the morass it was a test of endurance as much as anything else