Inter-Island Hockey

Press, Volume C, Issue 29632, 30 September 1961, Page 9

Inter-Island Hockey

'THE 1961 hockey season will x end this afternoon at Williamson Park with a match between the South Island and the North Island. As a curtain-raiser to this game the Colts of the South will meet the Colts of the North, so that a fair crosssection of New Zealand hockey players will be seen in action.

As far as the main game is concerned, the South Island appears to be the stronger team. It is based on Canterbury players to such an extent that it is virtually a Canterbury team fortified by two players from Nelson and one from Otago.

By contrast the North Island team is largely experimental; only three players are drawn from the centres of Wellington and Auckland, the remainder being representatives of smaller associa-

tions. Five of these play for provinces which compete in the Minor Associations challenge trophy competition, and therefore lack experience in New Zealand Challenge Shield hockey. The North is likely to miss the stabilising influence of such players as G. D. MacGregor, P. Bygrave, I. Kerr, D. Paget and W. Schaeffer. Nor is it likely to possess the combination and understanding of Vu South.

The presence of B. Turner, at right-back, will greatly strengthen the North defence, but the players around him are relatively inexperienced compared with the defenders in the southern team. J. Abrams, W. Browne and J. Cullen should be capable of blocking the centre of the field, and it would appear that W. Percival, the North inside-right, will have to shoulder the main burden of his team’s attack. He is still one of the finest forwards in the country, certainly the most artistic, and no national team could be complete without him in bis best form. Although held to drawn games by Wellington and Auckland, Canterbury has experienced little difficulty in beating teams from weaker centres, and the greater experience, determination and solidity which have been the main reason tot these results should play a decisive role in the game today. One Canterbury player unfortunate to miss selection where so many of his colleagues have succeeded is K. Mortimer, the goalkeeper; he has played a W* m toe defence of toe Shield and against the faduns. The South attack could who filled the centre-hall position in the inter-island game last year with distinction, and who represented New Zealand this year in the third test against the Indians. have value m a wing-half. Cullen is a very sound