SPRINGBOK TEAM DUE TODAY

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27986, 5 June 1956, Page 13

SPRINGBOK TEAM DUE TODAY

Final Practice In Australia

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 11 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 4. The Springboks today had a gruelling wet weather workout in preparation for their New Zealand tour. The Springboks, who will leave for New Zealand tomorrow morning, were having their last training run in Australia. They will arrive at Whenuapai tomorrow at 5 p.m. and will be given a civic reception at Auckland. On Wednesday thev will leave for Hamilton.

Concerned that the Springboks might - be unable to handle the wet conditions in New Zealand, the manager, Dr. Danie Craven, was keen for the tourists to practise under these conditions before the start of the New Zealand tour. The Springboks trained on a slushy field at Coogee and the forwards were so earnest in the rucks and mauls that the tough front-ranker, Jaap Bekker, had to visit a doctor for treatment to a gash over his left eye. The forwards handled, passed and dribbled the greasy ball and showed plenty of vigour. Dr. Craven deliberately sent the backs running across the cricket pitch in the centre, which was very slushy, time and time again. In these conditions and with rain falling steadily, the backs handled beautifully. In a general review of the tour of Australia, Dr Craven said that generally interpretations of the laws provided no difficulties and Australian interpretations of the knock-on and the tackle were something that could be taken over by his own country. “We have been hampered by injuries to such an extent that our training has suffered,” he said. “The standard I have set for this team is very high, and whilst fully realising that they have not yet attained that standard, I can see that this team will form into a very formidable combination which should have no weaknesses at all. “Naturally we have to do a lot to get efficiency for wet weather games. But once we get general efficiency we can build on that for wet weather.”

TRIAL TEAMS IN CHRISTCHURCH

TRAINING YESTERDAY MORNING

LAST MATCH OF SERIES TOMORROW

The rain which spoiled the Queen’s Birtnday holiday lor many persons was probably welcomed by the New Zealand Rugby selectors (Messrs T. C. Morrison, A. E. Marslin and J. L. Sullivan) and the coach (Mr R. C. Stuart), who are in Christchurch with the New Zealand and South Island fifteens which will meet on Wednesday. The wet conditions are those under which the All Blacks will have to play later in the season, and practice in these circumstances should be valuable. The New Zealand fif'een had a training session at St. Bede’s College yesterday morning. Under the critical eye ot Mr Morrison, the backs ran, passed and dribbled the ball while the forwards put in some solid training in line-outs, rucks and dribbling, under Mr Stuart. Ihe college’s scrum machine was also put to good use by the forwards. Wednesday’s game is the last trial match of the series. After this match the players will disband and will be available to their provinces. Although the selectors will have a very good idea of the composition of the New Zealand team for the first test, they will watch many inter-provincial matches before they name the team on July 7. There are few positions left in doubt after the trials played so far. In the backs, a right wing threequarters, a first five-eighths and a half-back are the only positions really in doubt. Tomorrow, P. B. Vincent and A. R. Reid will oppose each other in the half-back positions and outside them W. R. Archer and R. G. Bowers will meet for the second time in the trials. On this occasion, however, Bowers will be playing outside Reid. In three of the four earlier trials, Bowers was outside Vincent. . A. E. G. Elsom, -who has played in three trials this season as a centre three-quarters, will be tried in his best position—on the right wing. M. J. Dixon, another right wing who has had little opportunity to show his worth in the trials, will play on the ri /nt wing for South Island. Either of these two men could be the wing the selectors are seeking. In the forwards, main interest will P e m the meeting between Canterbury s hooker, D. Young, and the Waikato hooker, R. C. Hemi. These two will meet for the third time in the trials. Young has been playing excellent football and his selection as hooker for the New Zealand team would not be surprising in view of his form. Hemi. a consistency good hooker and a tireless forward in all other phases of plav, is another who would acquit himself well with any All Black side. The teams are:— New Zealand Fifteen

Full-back, P. T. Walsh; wing-three-ouarters, R. A. Jarden, A. E. G. Elsom; centre-three-quarters, R. H. Brown; five-eighths, W. N. Gray, R G Bowers; half-back, A. R. Reid; back row A. R. Pryor; flankers, J. E. O D - N. Mclntosh; locks, R. A. White, S. F. Hill; front row, I. J. Clarke, R. C. Hemi, M. W. Irwin. t AT Se^Y es U R - Kee P a » R- F. McMullen, I. N. Mac Ewan, J. R. Carroll. South Island Fifteen Full-back, W. C. Wilson (Otago); wing-three-quarters, M. J. Dixon (Canterbury), R. M. Smith (Canterbury); centre-three-quarters, J. R. Watt (Otago); five-eighths, A. L. Wil\S ol l}hJan d ), W. R. Archer (Otago); half-back, P. B. Vincent (Canterbury); back row, N. Roberts (Canterbury); flankers, W. D. Gillespie (Otago), G. Anderson (Buller); l? ck £ J’ ,J?- MilJ er (Southland), R. H. Duff (Canterbury); front row, F. McAtamney (Otago), D. Young (Canterbury), J. Shaw (Buller). Reserves— Backs: C. A. McDonald (Canterbury), L. Townsend (Otago). Forwards: C. A. Woods (Southland) J Anderson (Otago).