Injuries Delay Choice Of English Test Team

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30144, 30 May 1963, Page 19

Injuries Delay Choice Of English Test Team

Injuries to five of its key players have delayed the announcement of England’s team to play New Zealand in the second Rugby test at Lancaster Park on Saturday. The team will be chosen today after the selectors—the manager (Mr J. T. W. Berry), the assistant manager (Mr M. R. Steele-Bodger) and the captain (M. P. Weston)—have discussed the position. * ■

The five players concerned, all with leg injuries, are: J. E. Owen (lock), M. P. Phillips and J. M. Dee (three-quarters), S. J. S. Clarke (half-back) and C. R. Jacobs (prop).

lish team when it arrived in Christchurch yesterday.

Tomorrow, most of the team will be guests of the Ashburton Trotting Club at its meeting at Ashburton. They should be in good hands for their liaison officer (Mr W. A. Craddock) is a trotting follower and owns the good trotter, Our Own. Unfortunately for those who had scented the chance of a win at the meeting, Mr Craddock’s horse will not be starting.

The players revealed the same cheerful and friendly attitude they have shown throughout the tour and Mr Berry was still quite optimistic about England's chances. ‘‘Against Hawke’s Bay we made too many mistakes, which they were quick to turn to advantage. England did not play at all well,” he said.

Dec almost certainly will not be available for selection, but the other four players will be considered if they are fit.

Owen, Jacobs and Phillips had a brief training run .at Christ’s College yesterday afternoon, and afterwards Owen received specialist treatment for his knee.

Clarke, who injured a knee against Wellington and New Zealand, saw a doctor when he arrived at Christchurch and expects to be fit. The All Black team will assemble today. The solitary player in Christchurch yesterday was the reserve fiveeighths, T. N Wolfe. England will train at Lancaster Park this morning at 10 a m. and New Zealand at Christchuuch Boys' High School in the afternoon. Morale SUH High The defeat by Hawke's Bay, coming after successive losses against Otago and New Zealand, had not affected visibly the morale of the Eng-