Surprises In Squad For French Test

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30485, 6 July 1964, Page 13

Surprises In Squad For French Test

The New Zealand Rugby League selectors (Messrs W. Telford, E. Butts and M. H. W. Robertson) have made several surprising selections in the squad of 17 players from which the team to play France at Auckland on July 25 will be selected. Six of the players selected did not play in the trial match on Saturday. Three of these players, B. T. Reidy, J. E. Fagan and H. K.. Emery were not selected while the others, I. T. Drayton, G. H. Turner and R. W. Bailey, were forced to withdraw. The selection of Reidy shows inconsistency among provincial and national selectors. Reidy has not played for Auckland this year. The naming of 31-year-old Fagan as full-back indicates that the selectors were not satisfied with the perform-

ance of W. R. Harrison. .They have probably considered B. J. Mann (West Coast) as too young at this stage. The backs are experienced; only J. D. Ellwood did not tour Great Britain in 1961. He was a member of the 1963 Kiwi team in Australia. It is likely that he and J. A: Bond will contest the stand-off-half position. Previous Form The forwards have not been selected on trial form. The three new representatives, Drayton, Turner and Moore, have been selected on previous form. The West Coast player, C. L. McMaster, was very ’ unfortunate not to gain selection after his impressive performance on Saturday. The hooking position was very open and the selectors have again selected experience. G. C, Blackler gained the position instead of C. O’Neil (Wellington) after they had played identical games on Saturday. The Canterbury scrumhalf, R. S. J. Irvine, matched W. L. Snowden on the trial but Snowden’s experience was the deciding factor. The squad is:— Full-back: J. E. Fagan; wirigs: B. T. Reidy, K. R. McCracken; centres: R. W. Bailey, G. M. Kennedy, J. D. Ellwood: stand-off half: J. A. Bond; scrum-half: W. L. Snowden; loose forward: M. L. Cooke; second row: T. T. Drayton, R. D. Hammond, H. R. Sinel; props: E. Moore, G. H. Turner, H. K. Emery, S. K. Edwards; hooker: G. C. Blackler.