SPRINGBOKS IN DUNEDIN

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28013, 6 July 1956, Page 12

SPRINGBOKS IN DUNEDIN

RUGBY FOOTBALL

ONLY TWO UNABLE TO TRAIN

(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDLs. July 5.

The Springboks went to Carisbrook for a training run this afternoon about an hour after arriving in Dunedin from Nelson by air. but practice was held on nearby Bathgate Park to help to preserve the main ground for Saturday’s match witk

Otago. Today’s training run had the larg. est muster of Springboks since the first two practice sessions in New Zea-; land. Only C. J. van Wyk. with a leg still in plaster, and J. A. J. Pickard. who is nursing a heavy coldj did not turn out.

The run this afternoon was held in a biting wind sweeping down from the snow-clad hills of the city. The

1 sun was shining brightly, however, tmd the ground was in good order. The crack centre. W. Rosenberg, now officially off the active list, jogged gently round the ground, and reported feeling no ill effects. He lore a hamstring muscle in the first minute of the Waikato match, thus worsening a muscle injury suffere(| in the trials in South Africa. f The deputy hooker. M. Hanckom. who broke ‘a fibula in the match against Queensland, packed down in a practice scrum for the first time in New Zealand. . Tonight, players and officials were guests at an informal welcome and reception arranged by the Otago Rugby Union. -I have heard much about the hard rucking of Otago forwards, and expect our pack will experience it on Saturday,” Dr. D. H. Craven said. "One of the drawbacks of this tour is that we have never had enough players to train properly.” he continued. “Injuries to players have dogged us throughout. Just now we have a ’flu epidemic, and colds have been an added burden. ' Four mem* □ers of the team with influenza were Pickard. G. P. Lochnor, T. A. Gentles, and P. G. Johnstone. Lochner has been chosen to play ° n Saturday. Dr Craven said that so far on the tour he had been more impressed with forwards than with the backs in the teams the Springboks had met. He did not think that the two replacements, T. Briers and J. Starke, who will arrive here tomorrow, would be candidates for the lest side. They will have a longer period than the others had before playing. he Dr Craven said that the team, on its arrival in Australia, should have had longer to train. Players needed a good break after a long air trip.