CHANGES LIKELY IN NEW ZEALAND TEAM

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27990, 9 June 1956, Page 3

CHANGES LIKELY IN NEW ZEALAND TEAM

'IX/’EDNESDAY’S Rugby match at Lancaster Park, ’ ’ when a scratch South Island team out-played what had seemed a likely test team, suggests that several places must still be very much in doubt in the minds of the selectors.

Most of these changes, if they are made, will probably be in the backs, for it was the clear-cut superiority of the South Island fifteen's backs which beat the New Zealand fifteen.

In the minds of most Rugby enthusiasts, the selection of a New Zealand fifteen to play a succession of three matches was regarded as a fine opportunity for a probable test team to get valuable match practice—as a team. Now the clock has been put back weeks, but the repairs which will surely be made should produce a better mechanism.

It may be unfair to criticise the lack of cohesion in the New Zealand Fifteen backs on the ground that they were playing their third game to- < gether, for changes had been made, and the A. R. Reid-R. G. Bowers inside back combination was a new one; was the failure of this pair which contriubted so largely to the comparative failure of those outside them. . • ■ On the evidence of the inter-island game and Wednesday’s match. P. B. Vincent must surely be New Zealand s test half-back. In each of these matches he was behind a pack which shaded its opponents, but certainly did not run ail over them. Reid’s best day was for New Zealand against the Rest, when he had a very easy time by comparison with Vincent. Vincent, in four major trials, has hardly thrown a bad pass, and his generalship remains one of his most valuable assets. During the match on Wednesday, he found that the opposing number eight forward. A. R. Pryor, was breaking up the attacks suceessfully. So four times in succession, R.

M. Smith was brought in from the left wing as an extra five-eighths to bring Pryor in from the middle of the field Smith has often run on the open side for Canterbury, to take the tackle and permit the quick ruck and rake from which Canterbury has scored most of its tries. But not four times on end By comparison, with Vincent, Reid was woefully inaccurate and made Bowers look much less efficient than he should look. The selectors are unlikely to retain P. T. Walsh at full-back. There is no denying his pace or his brilliance on attack, but New Zealand can ill afford to field a full-back who cannot be relied on under pressure. K. C. Stuart looked likely to win that place - before his injury, and he may still be fit in time for the first test. But on Wednesday W. C. Wilson of Otago was as steady as Stuart is invariably, and he had something more—quick footwork which got him out of trouble several times. The right wing position was wide open after this week’s match. A. E. G. Elsom on his day is the ideal man, but hfs days are not frequent enough. Certainly he had few opportunities, but Smith beat him badly once or twice, recalling that in the inter-island match Elsom. a grand tackler as a rule, showed flaws in his defence. The leading candidates for the position are probably Smith, who has played consistently good football, M. J. Dixon,

who on Wednesday, for the first time in the trials, was given a real opportunity to show his worth, and J. R. Watt, who played a very good game at ceqtre for the South Island Fifteen, but who was on the wing in the earlier games. R. A. Jarden now has many more critics than he used to have, but that is inevitable with any athlete who breaks records consistently and is securely at the top of the tree. Jarden remains New Zealand’s best scoring card: his highly developed sense of position and timing are invaluable. If Vincent excelled himself on Wednesday, so did W. R. Archer outside him. They were a splendid combination, and both are obviously able to rise to the occasion. This particular match was evidence of that, for they were both clearly in disfavour with the selectors, but made the very most of their last and vital chance. Archer broke past the defence beautifully at times, ne took a hammering pluckily and came back for more.

In the forwards. J. D. Buxton was a little below his best, but it may be enough to cost him his place in favour of P. F. Jones, of Auckland, or W. D. Gillespie, of Otago. Gillespie played an excellent game for the South Island Fifteen. R. H. Duff advanced his claims to inclusion with a fine allround game and some particularly good taking in the line-outs. Then there remains the choice between R. C. Hemi, D. Young and C. A. Woods for hooker. On two of their three recent meetings. Young has been slightly superior to Hemi. If a place has to be found for Duff, S. F. Hill could possibly be moved to the side, where he has played many of his best games, but for all his energy and determination, he may lack tne speed and polish of a flanker. This, then, could be New Zealand's first test team: W. C. Wilson; M. J. Dixon, R. H. Brown, R. A. Jarden; W. N. Gray. W. R. Archer; P. B. Vincent (captain); A. R. Pryor: W. D. Gillespie, R. A. White. S. F. Hill, D. N. Mclntosh; I. J. Clarke, D. Young, M. W. Irwin. That fifteen contains no fewer than eight South Islanders, compared with the five in the New Zealand Fifteen on Wednesday, but there is evidence enough—if it is needed—that the strength is in the south this season. By the end of the month, the selectors will no doubt have chosen their team: it is to be announced on July 7. Before that, the South Africans play Waikato. North Auckland, Auckland and Wellington and other teams; these, and one or two inter-provincial fixtures, will no doubt offer further evidence for a tribunal with a most unenviable task.