Captain Dropped From Test Team

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30147, 3 June 1963, Page 13

Captain Dropped From Test Team

(A.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, June 2. Australia's 1962 Rugby League test captain, A. Summons, was dropped tonight from the team to play New Zealand in the first test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.

Ir a move that rocked Sydney League circles. Summons was omitted in favour of the Queenslander, B. Muir.

Summons beat Muir for the half-back position in the Australian team last year. He has been widely tipped as Australia’s likely captain on the forthcoming tour of England. The team includes six players new to test football—the full-back, L. Johns, the three-quarter, G. Langlands, the five-eighths, E. Harrison, and the forwards. K. Day, P. Provan. and P. Gallagher. The selection of Johns was another big surprise. He did not have a good game for New South Wales when the Kiwis beat the state, 5-2, on May 25. and K. Thornett had been tipped as a certainty for the position. The team shows four changes from that New South Wales team beaten in what was regarded as an “extra test.” Three Queenslanders are

included—Muir, Day, and Gallagher. The other change is the inclusion of Provan—younger brother of the former international. N. Provan. The forward, B. Wilson, named captain, will have to pass fitness tests before taking the field against New Zealand A rib injury prevented him from playing for his club today. The former Kangaroo captain, C. Churchill, was chosen as coach-manager of the team, which is: L. Johns; K. Irvine, R. Gasnier, G. Langlands. E Lumsden; E. Harrison; B. Muir; J. Raper, K. Day. P. Provan, B. Wilson, I. Walsh, P. Gallagher. Reserves; P. Quinn, J. Gleeson.