Bookshelf

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31062, 18 May 1966, Page 15

Bookshelf

The Rugby Almanack of New Zealand: Sporting Publications.

FTHE editors of the Almanack and the official New Zealand Rugby selectors have diverged so often in the past that it came as no surprise that a day after the Almanack was published and six teams to take part in the island All Black trials were announced that not one of the five players chosen by the Almanack as the “promising players of the year” were included in any of the trial teams.

Similarly the editor’s choice of right wing in their New Zealand XV, G. A. Townsend (Southland) did not even make the South Island trials, which makes one wonder on the validity of some of their choices. Statistically the editors are doing an excellent job in recording the first class matches in New Zealand Rugby but after seeing so often how the almanack differs from the status quo, one wonders whether the editors are not "Cocking a snook” at New Zealand Rugby by some of their odd selections. For example: the Almanack would stand alone in refusing to name C. E. Meads as lock for the best New Zealand fifteen.

The Springbok players—who should know—were unanimous in regarding Meads as the best forward in the world. Instead the editors have named I. N. McEwan, a player who was not available for games other than for Wellington and who never commanded a place ahead of Meads in test matches in recent years. The selection of Townsend as wing for the New Zealand XV is amazing. Townsend this year was nominated by his union for the position of either full-back, wing or centre. This may denote some degree of versatility but hardly sufficient to warrant the editors to name him as one of the two best wines in New Zealand. However, apart from those matters, which after all are a matter of opinion, the Almanack is again an ex*

cellent addition to Rugby literature. Its voluminous records and interesting trivaria make it the “official” record of New Zealand Rugby.