Teams For Inter-Island Rugby Match Announced

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27375, 14 June 1954, Page 10

Teams For Inter-Island Rugby Match Announced

(New Zealand Press Association)

PALMERSTON NORTH, June 13. The teams for the annual inter-island Rugby match, to be played in Christchurch on June 19. were announced in Palmerston North during the weekend as follows: North Island Full-back: J. W. Kelly (Auckland). Wing-three-quarters: B. W. Beasley (North Auckland), R. A. Jarden (Wellington). Centre-three-quarters: H. Marrett (Hawke’s Bay). Second five-eighths: J. T. Fitzgerald (Wellington). First five-eighths: R. G. Bowers (Wellington). Half-back: K. Davis (Auckland). Forwards: I. J. Clarke (Waikato), R. C. Hemi (Waikato), H. L. White (Auckland). Locks: R. A. White (Poverty Bay), K. P. Bagley (Manawatu). Side row: P. F. Jones (North Auckland), W. H. Clark (Wellington). Back row: P. S. Burke (Taranaki). Reserves.*—Backs: A. R. Reid (Waikato), B. B. J. Fitzpatrick (Auckland). Forwards: D. N. Mclntosh (Wellington), D. McKenzie (Auckland).

The selectors were Messrs T. C. Morrison (chairman), E. Griffin and J. A. Sullivan. South Island Full-back: K. C. Stuart (Canterbury). Wing-three-quarters: F. W. Gugich (West Coast). M. J. Dixon (Canter- | bury). Centre-three-quarters: H. L. Smith (Otago). Second five-eighths: A. W. C. McPherson (Canterbury). First five-eighths: D. D. Wilson (Can- | terbury). Half-back: L. J. Townsend (Otago). Forwards: B. P. Eastgate (Canterbury), C. A. Woods (Southland), M. W. Irwin (Otago). Locks: J. P. Gallagher (South Canterbury), D. W. Ludbrook (Otago). Side row: R. D. Darracott (Otago).’ S. F. Hill (Canterbury). Back row: W. A. McCaw (Southland). Reserves.—Backs: P. J. Creedy (Canterbury), A. J. Lindbom (West Coast). Forwards: D. Young (Canterbury), T. P. Roberts (West Coast). The selectors were Messrs A. E. Marslin (chairman), R. R. King and R. J. McEwan.

COMMENT ON SELECTIONS

(By “MILES”)

The inclusion of D. D. Wilson in a South Island team is surprising. He was outclassed by J. Waine, the Technical five-eighths, on Saturday, and only against easy teams has he shown any form. Wilson works at Timaru and each Friday night leaves for Christchurch and plays for Old Boys on Saturdays. He is not given the opportunity for any practice with clubmates in Timaru or in Christchurch. His exhibition in the Old Boys-Tech-nical match on Saturday was not encouraging. A better selection might have been E. Heenan or R. Breeze (West Coast). R. Archer (Otago), or J. Waine (Canterbury). A. W. McPherson was a good player for Canterbury last year, but on his form on the West Coast or against the South Island Maoris at Rugby Park last Wednesday, he is not entitled to a place. On form shown in the latter game. J. L. Green (North Otago) appears to have been unlucky to have been omitted. L. J. Townsend, half-back, played for Otago in six games last year, and also represented Otago University against the. Australian University team. It is rather surprising, however, to find P. B. Vincent omitted altogether, and P. J. Creedy, half-back, and A. W. Lindbom, three-quarters, who did not play for the West Coast because of injuries, included as emergencies. Gugich, selected as wing-three-quar-ters, showed promising form in the All Black trials last year, but as he did not get a run in the CanterburyWest Coast game, he must be consid- . ered lucky to be preferred to R. M. Smith, of the Christchurch Club, whose form this year has been out- . standing. . , ’ K. C. Stuart was the logical choice for full-back, for though in his early games this season he did not show the fire and dash which characterised his games last year, two hard tests against Buller and West Coast have

brought him back to his best. He is reliable, with defence as his strongest trait. Two of the front rankers, Eastgate and Woods, selected themselves on All Black form, but there will be general disappointment over the omission of the Old Boys representative, E. Hern for M. W. Irwin (Otago). K. L. Skinner, the logical choice for this position, was not available. Hill showed his paces when playing for a Canterbury sub-unions’ team against South Island Maoris last Wednesday when his display suggested he had regained' his best form. Darracott was considered by many unlucky to have missed All Black selection. J. P. Gallagher, a big lock forward, showed promising form in the All Black trials last year and his partner, D. W. Ludbrook (Otago University) has been showing outstanding form this year. As No. 8 forward W. A. McCaw, who toured with the All Blacks, would be the most popular choice. North Island Team The North Island selectors have relied on All Blacks choice to guide them. Of the 15 chosen to play for the North Island the full-back, Kelly, wing three-quarters Jarden, Fitzgerald, Bowers and Davies were all members of the 1953 touring team. In last year’s Rugby Almanack H. C. Marett (Napier High School Old Boys) who played in eight games for Hawkes bay, is decribed as “a lively centre.” Beazley, wing-three-quarters, has been a regular member of the North Auckland team which won the Ranfurly Shield from South Canterbury in 1950.

S. Burke, who plays for the Tukapa Club, Taranaki, is the only non-All Black in the forwards and he is considered to be the unluckiest forward in New Zealand to have missed selection. Fitzgerald, All Black, is included as an emergency with Reid, who visited Australia with a New Zealand team, also included.