South Island League Selection Tomorrow

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30472, 20 June 1964, Page 11

South Island League Selection Tomorrow

IT is many years since Canterbury Rugby League players have been assured of at least eight places in a. South Island team. However, this season, with the decline In the strength of the West

Coast, Canterbury players will find most positions in the island team. The South Island selectors (Messrs D. L. Blanchard, A. O’Donnell and W. Telford) will select the team after tomorrow’s match between Canterbury and West Coast at Greymouth. They have also seen Auckland play the two provinces and Otago play Canterbury B. Canterbury should have little difficulty in defeating West Coast. The latter has lost its internationals, J. R. Butterfield and T. T. Kilkelly, to Australia. The forwards lack thrust and there is a shortage of good backs. The result will probably be less important than the trial. The South Island has three good full-backs. The selectors may retain the West Coast number one, B. J. Mann, for the South Island team in favour of the attacking P. J. Tongue (Canterbury) and the promising R. Butterfield (Otago). However, Butterfield could provide Otago’s first representative since R. D. Billing-

ton in 1960. The wings should be last year’s pair, C. A. Hibbs (West Coast) and P. M. White (Canterbury). The centres will see another inter-provincial pairing if G. Kennedy and B. W. Langton (Canterbury) can keep their form. The most likely

Player to upset this comWIU * J ’ * Canterbury, with J. A. Bond and R. s. J. Irvine back in the team, will have little opposition, in the halfback positions.

Now M. L. Cooke is available, the loose forward position will be his for the taking. Now that M. Mohl is injured, two of the three second row contenders are from Canterbury. R. H. Turton, a former South’ w ing and centre, and i- *■ Drayton are capable of filling, the position successfully. Last year’s reserve, J. K. Dixon (West Coast), could make the team. If Drayton is considered for the second row, C. L. McMaster (West Coast) and either G. H. Turner or G. R. Cooper (Canterbury) could be the props. H. W. Hart (West Coast) must also be considered. Last year’s South Island hooker, F. Kennedy, has been replaced in the West Coast team by D. Smith (Runanga), and G. C. Blackler gives way to B. T. Barron in the Canterbury team. However, although Blackler has consistently been outhooked by Barron and R. Franklin in club play, it is expected that he will retain his place.

Thus the team to play the North Island at Christchurch on July 4 could be: B. J. Mann; P. M. White, G. M. Kennedy, B. W. Langton, C. A. Hibbs; J. A. Bond, R. S. J. Irvine; M. L. Cooke; R. H. Turton, M. Mohi; C. L. McMaster, G. C. Blackler, I, T. Drayton.