RUGBY First Test On Saturday Hundredth For N.Z.

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29238, 23 June 1960, Page 6

RUGBY First Test On Saturday Hundredth For N.Z.

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.AJ

PRETORIA, June 21.

The first test of the 1960 series between New Zealand and South Africa at Johannesburg on Saturday will be quite an occasion for New Zealand Rugby. It will be the one hundredth test match since internationals as such began with a match against Australia at Sydney in 1903. It will also be something of a historical mark for South Africa. The test will be South Africa’s seventy-fifth and the nineteenth between the two countries. Of the 99 matches New Zealand has played to date, 65 have been won, five have been drawn and 29 lost. In those matches New Zealand teams have scored 1357 points and have had 781 scored against them. It will also be an important occasion for the New Zealand full-back, D.-B. Clarke. Since he started his test career in the. third test against South Africa in Christchurch in 1956, Clarke has olayed in 10 tests and has scored 93 points. He has a chance of setting his century of test points in this match and also a chance of getting his 100 points for the tour. At present his, tally stands at 90—55 in South Africa and 35 in Australia. Boon Arrives

The replacement hooker, R. J Boon, was carried shoulder high

from the aircraft to the terminal building by team mates after he arrived at Jan Smuts airport, Johannesburg, today. Within two hours of his arrival Boon, along with the rest of the team had his first look at Ellis Park, which is the venue of the first test. The team was to have trained there but the ground was closed because of overnight rain. The turf showed no sign that it could have cut up but the All Blacks agreed to train elsewhere and just had a walk round the famous field. At the insistence of the AU Black manager, Mr T. H. Pearce, the three-inch spongy layer of grass on the ground is to receive a trim before the week-end.

The team, still quartered at Pretoria, is to move to Johannesburg on Thursday morning, and will probably have a light work-out at Ellis Park before lunch oh that day. Boon, brought to South Africa because of a rib injury which R. C. Hemi received in a match 10 days ago, had a steady run with the team and lasted fairly well considering the small amount of sleep he had had in recent days and in comparison with the remainder of the team, who are now superbly fit and acclimatised to conditions. The test team is still to be selected with the announcement expected some time tomorrow One big question is whether the front row prop, M. W. Irwin, will play. He trained with the "test pack” again today but it seems doubtful whether he will be risked as his scalp wound, which is healihg rapidly, could easily be opened again.

Two alternatives would be for I. J. Clarke to be brought into the front row or for I. N. MacEwan to play at prop with a consequent rearrangement of the remainder of the scrum. If the latter course were adopted, Jones would lock the scrum with Meads, Conway would be moved to the flank usually occupied by Jones and Burry would come in at the back of the scrum. This is unlikely because Jones still has a "tender” eyebrow after having it split in the match against Boland 10 days ago.

The back line, which had a strenuous training run today was Briscoe, Adrian Clarke. Lineen, O’Sullivan and J. R. Watt and R. W. Caulton on the wing with D B. Clarke at full-back. In earlier training, the team’s vice-captain, Bremner, had been at second five-eighths with Lineen at centre. Although Bremner would add solidity to the line it is generally believed that today’s line-up will be the test combination with Laidlaw possibly taking the place of O’Sullivan.

Change In Team For S.I. Tour

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) SYDNEY, June 22.

P. O’Halloran has withdrawn from the New South Wales country Rugby team to tour the South Island of New Zealand next month, because of business reasons. He has been replaced by H. Palmer, of Illawarra. The 25-man touring team will have only one training run in Sydney before leaving for New Zealand on July 6. Three members of the side, the captain, R. Conolly, J. Lenehan and J- White, will have special fitness tests before their departure.