RUGBY RIVALRY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 219, 15 September 1943, Page 5

RUGBY RIVALRY

CHANGES IN PACK

AUCKLAND-WELLINGTON GAME

The Auckland Rugby team to play Wellington at Eden Park was announced by Mr. F. W. Lucas after practice last night. As was forecast, the pack has been altered because of transfers of some players in the Services and the fact that Gunning will be representing the Army against the Air Force at Dunedin n Christian appears in the front row'ami Wilson is a new lock. He .comes back to the position he occupied last season The back row position will be filled b'v M Cleary and Ryan has gone into the second row to replace Cunning. First emertrpnev in the forwards is D. Mullett. New Zetland champion heavy-weight professional boxer who was recently transferred from 'the Wellington police force to Auckland and has been playing for Giafton.

Tlie team is as follows:—Full-back C Littlejohn: three-quarters, J. McLean' C Sellars, J. Dunn: five-eighths, T Rae' R Sorenson; half-back, P. Tetzlaff; back row' M. Cleary: second row. W. Smith w' Edwards, J. Wilson, D. Ryan: front'row' J. Gilmour (captain), D. Pike, D. Christian' Emergencies: Backs. D. Barchard p r* Bell-Booth. Forwards. D. Mullett ' T Crowley. Comment on the Visitors Several players who would have strengthened the Wellington side are not available, having been selected to play at Dunedin on the same day. They include 13. Tindill (All Black) and G. Wales two cc the N.Z.E.F. men home on furlough. Another to go to Dunedin is Breed described as one of the best all-round forwards in Wellington, but Young, another Army forward who was chosen as emergency for the southern match, is included in the Wellington team. ' Commenting on the hacks, our Wellington correspondent says that the side has suffered two important losses since it played its first representative match against. Canterbury. E. Boggs, the exAUCkland winger, has gone overseas, and Hayes, a tough little five-eighth, has since become available for the Auckland Navy team. Full-back for the visitors is T. Webster, the former Oiago player, whose omission from the North Island team caused -cmmem in the south. As a matter of fact. he was not nominated. He is described as a dependable full-back, a strong kicker to the line, and a dangerous man with his place kicks. E. Bligh. on the wing, was a Hawke's Bay representative in 1941, and has played in both representative matches this season. B. Roberts, another threequarter, is a son of Freddie Roberts. He is still in his 'teens, is solidly built, and has scored freely when playing centre for Athletic. Patrick, "who replaces Hayes at fiveeighth, came •to Wellington from the Horowhenua district. The first five-eighth is W. Freeman (Petone). a young but tradesmanliko player. The half-back, V. Bevan, is a Wellington College old boy who came to the fore in Army footbail last season. Fast-Breaking Forwards Wellington's forwards are again this season playing the kind of football for which they are well known—fast breaking away and concerted work in the loose, with every man backing up to the utmost, adds our correspondent. Packs of the more solid type have worried Wellington before this, but their style of play is certainly attractive to watch and it often brings 'results. In the front row there will be an excellent rake in Lindsay, a young player who first represented Wellington in 1941 and whose duel with Pike will be awaited with interest, together with Baumber, the son of a famous Wellingtonian of 50 years ago, and Haigh, a toiler from the Hutt Club.

Young will lock with Vic Calcinai, member of a family which has been connected with Wellington Rugby for manv vears, and probably the best of the "whole lot. Calcinai has outstanding physique, a great football and all the other requirements <* a top-ranking player. He played in the North-South match.

On the other side of Hie scrum will be P. Stanawav, whom many regard as New Zealand's outstanding loose forward today. At the back of the scrum is the Wellington captain. White. He was born in Hawke's Bay. but has played practically all his club football for I'etone, winning representative honours by unremitting hard and honest forward play.