BIG LEAGUE GAME

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 236, 5 October 1945, Page 8

BIG LEAGUE GAME

PROVINCIAL RIVALRY

BEST PLAYERS IN N.Z,

The biggest fixture of League football in New Zealand will be played at Carlaw Park to-morrow when the annual North v. South Island game takes place. It is a test of provincial football, the North team comprising ten Auckland players and three from South Auckland, and the South nine from the West Coast, and two each from Wellington and Canterbury.

The Auckland public has already seen the local representatives play West Coast, and In a gruelling match Auckland prevailed by one point only in a small scoring game. In that match the visitors upset the usual rhythm of the local play In the first spell by beating the opposing pack for possession of the ball and nonplussing the Auckland backs with tactics which had a distinct Rugby

savour. Auckland forwards played a harder game in the second spell and gave the backs the opportunities they had missed before. In a spectacular game Auckland prevailed in the last minute B—7.

It appears that back play will be the deciding feature of to-morrow's game. The personnel of both teams has been changed since the West Coast-Auckland match. A. Kay has come back into the North side as it captain, a South Aucklander, L. Allen Is behind the scrum, P. Kelly 1b a winger In place of Lowther, while J. Smith, back from the Middle East, a 1939 Kiwi, is in the full-back role.

The South backs are all West Coast men with the exception of C. Davison, on the wing, and M. Mallinder the half. It should be able to develop combination from the experience of each other's play. Rather extravagent claims have Deen made for the capabilities of the full-back, J. Soster. In his last appearance he was no better than the Auckland full-back, W. Clarke. The latter has been dropped in favour of Smith, who has really been included on his past performances.

Both sets of forwards have proved players and it looks as if they will be evenly matched. It promises to be an outstanding attraction.

North.—Full-back, J. Smith; three-quarters, B, Nordgren, A. Kay, J. Murray, P. Kelly- halfbacks, R. Clarke L. Allen; forwards, A. Hambleton, J. Rutherford, D. Ryan, P. Rlrlnul, T. Hardwlck, P. James. Reserves: Back, I. Stirling; forward, N. Johnson.

South.—Pull-back, J. Soster (West Coast); three-quarters, C. Davison (Canterbury), W Mountford, A. Stcnhouse (West Coast); fiveeighths, J. McNaughton, C. Mountford (West Coast); half-back, H. Mallinder (Wellington) forwards, P. Smith (Canterbury), R. Aynsley, J Newton, K. Mountford, C. Mcßrade (Wes Coast), P. Moses (Wellington). Reserves: Back R. Brown (Canterbury); forward, A. Glllmar. (Canterbury).