ALL BLACKS FOR FIRST MATCH

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25811, 24 May 1949, Page 5

ALL BLACKS FOR FIRST MATCH

SELECTION DELAYED BY INJURIES PLAYERS SEE UNIVERSITY ' GAME tFrom CLAUDE klNCLft>*cial Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.J May 22. A crop of mipor injuries, none Gf them serious, has delayed the selActidh of the All Black team fof th* first match. It will probably be announced on Thursday. Those on the easy list because of injuries are:—J. W. Goddard, . F., R. Allen, J. C. Kearney, K. E. Guds&l, R. A. Dalton, C. C. Willocks, afid L. A. Harvey. The probable team for the first match is:—R. W H. Scott; I. W. Sotting, M. P. Gcddard, P. Hehderson, F. R. Allen or R. R. Elvidge, K. H. Black; L. Savage; K. L. Skinned E. H. Catley, J. G. Simpson. J. R. McNab. H. F. M. J. McHugh, P. J. Crowley or P. A. Johnstone, N. H. Thorilton. The All Blacks on Saturday saw the annual match between the Cape Town and Stejlenbosch Universities, from whidh the team is beine drawn to oppose the All Blacks in the first match of the tour du. May 31. These universities have provided a big contingent of players for Springbok sides, but Saturday’s Rugby, though fast with some spectacular movements, was not up to the best standard. However, the All Blacks again saw some fine scrummaging. As in the Springbok trials, the side-row forwards packed at an angle and assisted in hooking by swinging the foot after the ball had been placed in the scrum. It is an accepted practice ih South African Rugby for every for* ward to give an initial push after the ball has been placed in the icrum, and then for the side-row men td swing a foot to assist in hooking. As a result of these tactics, the ball is invariably cleanly hooked. One rarely sees the ball coming out the same side as it is put in. as often occurs in Rugby in New Zealand. The following is the combined Western Province Universities team tb meet the All Blacks:— Backs.—Nortje, K. Watson. M. Letegart. D. Pfaff, B. Butler, D. Fry, X Youngleson. Forwards.—D. Dukas, J, Oglethorpe, W. Huga, A. Gous. J. Mafie* kom. T. Hamman, G. Swiegers, K. MacMillaq. Lategan. centre, Butler, wing, and Fry. stand-off half, took part in the Springbok trials at Pretdtia, and Lategan and Butler are in the 32 names announced from which the Springbok side for the first test will be chosen. The All Blacks are quietly confident after seeing the university backs in action on Saturday. The handling was erratic and the short punt ahead was not well-judged. However, the home players showed plenty of pace and, as they are also probably much fitter, having been playing since the beginning of April, the All Blacks are in no way under-estimating the nature of the task ahead. The whole ptrty will leave Hermanns on Wednesday fdr Cape Town, and the team is looking forward to practising on the turf at Newlands.