CLARKE A FINE PROSPECT FOR KIWI TEST HONOURS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31089, 18 June 1966, Page 11

CLARKE A FINE PROSPECT FOR KIWI TEST HONOURS

rpHE persistent injury record that R. S. J. Irvine (Marist) has built up since his return from Britain and France with the 1965 New Zealand Rugby League team could well cost him his place in the test matches against Great Britain in August. The New Zealand selectors (Messrs W. Telford, E. Butts and M. W. Church) have seen Canterbury play In all its home matches this season but Irvine has not been able to take his place in the provincial team because of leg and shoulder injuries. On tour Irvine was probably the most successful of the younger players and replaced the Kiwi captain, W. L. Snowden (Auckland), for the last four tests. The tour was expected to mould him Into a truly International player who would serve his country for some years. Unfortunately the injuries which affected Irvine in his early career returned even before the club season started and his appearances for Marist have been few. On most occasions he has failed to finish the game. This has left the way open for another Canterbury scrum-half, G. H. Clarke

(Papanui), to impress the selection panel. His progress has been such that it is most likely that he will represent New Zealand this season if Irvine is not available or not considered. Unless Irvine is completely recovered the selectors will have little option but to consider another man. Club

form was not sufficient to win J. M. Bray (Hornby) a trip to Britain and France last year and to play Irvine would mean that one of the reserves would have to be a scrum-half. Even with the replacement rule, this would be a risk as it would leave the other back positions vulnerable

and probably not allow a utility player—few of whom can play scrum-half—to be named.

Clarke showed against West Coast at Greymouth the promise of things to come. Against New South Wales Country his attacking burst from the scrum and fine defence must have left a strong impression in the minds of the selectors.

Although Clarke also could not escape the clinging mud and the strong defence against Auckland, his defence was again outstanding. At present Clarke would be a fine prospect for a Kiwi jersey, for he has overshadowed another leading candidate, P. J. Schultz (Auckland), and the promising B. Sweetman (West Coast) and G. Brown, the Auckland replacement. Without doubt Irvine would win back his provincial position should he become available, but Clarke could not be dropped in any circumstances. His allround play would be just as effective at stand-off half, where he has played quite often for Papanui. A schoolboy Kiwi in 1956, Clarke first played for

Canterbury in 1963. He played in the shadow of Irvine until this season; but two years ago he was considered good enough to be reserve for South Island as Irvine’s understudy. The 1964 coaching school assisted Clarke greatly and he played for the Southern XHI last year. Unfortunately injuries kept him out of the team which played Auckland after the departure of the Kiwi team last year. This season he played for the Southern XIH at Auckland, scoring a try. One more representative match remains before the selection of the first test team—that at Wellington on July 2.