Rugby LIONS TO PLAY N.S.W.

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28906, 28 May 1959, Page 5

Rugby LIONS TO PLAY N.S.W.

Many Changes In Forwards Press Association^—Copyright) SYDinnr. May 27. The British Lions will be fielding one of the ' weightiest packs they can muster in the match against New South Wales at the Sydney sports ground next Saturday. Only one member of the' forward pack which played in the opening match of the tour at Melbourne' has been retained. He is England’s loose forward, A. Ashcroft, who has, however, had a change of position. He has been changed from the back of the scrum to one of the flanks. Three backs of the opening match at Melbourne—the half-back combination of R. E. G. Jeeps and A. B. W. Risman, at five-eighths, and the winger, J R. C. Young—have been retained This means that all but three <rf the touring party will have played in the first two games of the tour. These three, A. J. R. O’Reilly, S. Coughtne, and M. English, ate all expected to be included in the third match ot the tour against Queensland in a night match at Brisbane next Tuesday The thirtieth member of the party, the utility back G. H. Waddell? of Scotland, who has been sitting examinations at home, is expected to arrive m Sydney on June 8. The remainder of the team at that stage will be at Tamworth, northern New South Wales, where they are to play New South Wales Country. Waddell is to stay in Sydney where he will be joined by the team on June 10. One of the most interesting aspects of the match against New South Wales will oe the form shown by the Welsh centres, M. J. Price, a comparative newcomer to the game, and M. C. Thomas, who is making his second tour of Australia and New Zealand. Price is credited with being one of the best attacking backs in the touring team. Thomas, who was one of the surprise selections (he was dropped by his own cluo for a time in the last home season), still has a good turn of speed, but appears to have lost some oi the dash for which he was noted when last in New Zealand. The Lions’ mammoth score (53 points) against Victoria could have been greater had all the goal-kick-ing opportunities been made full use of. Three kickers, Risman, D. Hewitt and K. Scotland, tried their luck in that match. Against New South Wales the team’s number one kicker, T. E. Davies, should have his opportunity. He has haa several concentrated goal kicking sessions, and looks as if he might prove as dangerous a man to opposition teams as has New Zealand’s Don Clark. He can kick equally well with either foot. The team is: T. E. Davies (Wales), N. H. Bropny (Ireland), M. C. Thomas (Wales), M. J. Price (Wales), J. R. C. Young (England), A. B. W. Risman (England), R. E. G. Jeeps (England, captain), J. Fault (Wales), A. Ashcroft (England), W. R. Evans (Wales), W. A Mulcahy (Ireland), N. A. A. Murphy (Ireland), S. Millar (Ireland), B. V. Meredith (Wales), T R. Prosser (Wales).