Country Teams Good Backs

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29240, 25 June 1960, Page 5

Country Teams Good Backs

Canterbury sub-unions* * team has met with little sucin the 14 Town-Country matches played in the poster years, but today Country will a back line which could well jt victory in the fifteenth p.trh- If the back line is to suchowever, the forwards will to win the struggle up front ukj this might be a little beyond •ban. „ jts usual the County team will k at something of a disadvantage j, that its players, drawn from the sub-unions, will have had little opportunity to form an combination. The Town layers, most of whom have trained together for several seasons, jgye this in their favour. Best Test

lie Country pack, however, is ■nite a formidable one and one ihat should give the Town eight its greatest opposition in some Tea rs. The loose forwards especiilly can be relied upon to make aa excellent showing. B. Trevella, tie No. 8. will be remembered by Christchurch enthusiasts, as a particularly virile No. 8 forward tor Linwood. J. Inch, a flanker, is another who covers a lot of ground, and S. Mitchell, the other fianket gave adequate proof on the Queen's Birthday holiday game between Canterbury and Mid-Canterbury, that he is a loose forward of exceptional ability. Added strength to the pack should be given by R. G. Cochrane, a Canterbury forward of several years standing, and F. Loe and C. Heslop, both of whom are no strangers to Country teams. Town may find the inside back

The AU Black No. 8 forward, H. C. Burry, is the only ■jkiber of the New Zealand teas to have scored a try in. agk match in which he bu lisyrd in Australia and South AMea. Burry was played in all. three games in Australia, tearing a try in each, and because of a leg injury he has Hayed in only two games in South Africa to date, searing a try in each. P. F. BL Jones, with seven, is the team’s leading try scorer, and R. W. Caalton, with six, is second. Others with five tries are T. * P. O’Sullivan; T. R. Lineen and K. R- Tr twain

combination of A. Coleman, J Hotop and R. Rikys difficult to contain. Coleman’s tour with the New Zealand Universities’ team has improved his play to a remarkable degree and Rikys, another Universities’ tourist, is known for his determined running and is another experienced player. Between the two, J. Hotop. who is still playing the Rugby for which he was noted in the early 1950’5, should give great thrust to the line.

Most of the Town team have had experience in first-class football, but the form of several of

them will be noted very closely by the selectors. On the right wing, P. J. Morrissey, has earned his place with consistently good form, and R. D. Hoskin, if he can produce the football he has been playing in the cub competitions, should have an excellent duel with Hotop. ‘ In the forwards it was somewhat surprising to find T. H. Moynihan retain his place against the claims of B. R. Smither. M. W. Allen, who has been playing a lot, of football as a front row prop this year, is returned to his normal position at lock. The Country forwards may well find the jumping of Allen, S. F. Hill and M. R. Dunne, difficult to counter. For this match J: N Creighton’has replaced D. Hill in the hooker’s position, and on his form since he returned from Australia, Creighton is certainly deserving of selection. In the two games he has played since his return, he has been outstanding.