L. Mulcare Returns Two Years After Retirement

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31115, 19 July 1966, Page 18

L. Mulcare Returns Two Years After Retirement

(Bv Our Rugby League Reporter.)

When the Marist Rugby League second row forward. L. Mulcare, retired two years ago it appeared that it was the end of an illustrious career which included a period as a professional player-coach in Australia.

Now the Canterbury selectors (Messrs R. K. Andrews, D. L. Blanchard, and E. Butts) have surprised by naming Mulcare—and three other experienced players, C. C. Worters (Marist), R. H. Turton (Christchurch) and C. Schwass (Papanui)—in the Canterbury team to play West Coast at the Show Grounds on July 30. There is no doubt that Mulcare in particular fully deserved representative honours, for his defence is unequalled by any other player in the province. But it comes as a surprise that he should be brought back so late in this, his eighteenth season of senior football.

He replaces his club-mate, M. H. Mohi, who was a New Zealand trialist last season and the best of the Canterbury forwards in the early representative matches. Mohi began the season as vicecaptain, was stripped of this after two games, and is now left out Mulcare could well have been brought back with the British game in mind and the knowledge that outstanding defence will be needed in that match.

Worters’s form has fluctuated. He has not always had an abundance of opportunities but his determined running has been evident, particularly early In the season when he was the leading club scorer for a period.

The former South Island back who later gained a similar honour as a loose forward, Turton, is another who appeared unlikely to play this season

when he applied for a clearance to play in Australia. He now coaches Christchurch and has come back in the absence of J. L. White (Addington). Turton played in the shadow of M. L. Cooke and then White and was one of the most underrated players In New Zealand a few years ago, Schwass has replaced G. J. Rosanowskl (Unwood) as the reserve forward. Worters comes In at the expense of G. J. Abercrombie (Unwood) to make his representative debut. The Canterbury selectors have ruled that none of the selected players take part in the Extournament XMl's match against the Ex-Kiwis next Sunday, a decision which will Influence nine playen. The team Is:—

I. T. Drayton (Hornby): A. N. Amer (Papanui), B. W. Langton (Hornby), B. WlWlams (Kalapol), Worters; R. A. Neiman (Hornby), G. H. Clarke (Papanui): Turton; Mulcare, E. Kereopa (Linwood): O, W. Moore (Hornby). W. P.

Noonan (Linwood). J. H. Fisher (Addington, captain). Reserves: J. C. Hawthorne (Papanui), Schwass. Training Show Grounds. Wednesday, 3.30 p.m. —Advt. Senior Reserve Team The Canterbury senior reserve team to play Weal Coast at the Show Grounds on July 30 is:— T. Williams (Hornby), R. Nichol (Hornby), R. Grille (Linwood), A. Perkins (Woolston), M. Hickey (Marist). W Douglas (Shirley). P. Doingul (Papanui). K. Wilson (Linwood, captain), K. Buchanan (Christchurch). T. Nepla (Shirley). V. Lowe (Linwood), M. Williams (Hornby). D. Barry (Marist), J. Brooking (Shirley), J. Coffey (Marist). R. Thorpe (Unwood), B. Peter (Papanui). Any player not available ring Mr L. Brown. 68-710 (work) or 81-536 (home). Training Show Grounds, Wednesday, 7 p.m