CANTERBURY FEARS ASTRAY Whineray, Connor Not Selected

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31142, 19 August 1966, Page 13

CANTERBURY FEARS ASTRAY Whineray, Connor Not Selected

( From

I. J. D. HALL)

AUCKLAND. In spite of all forebodings by Canterbury supporters, the All Blacks, W. J. Whineray and D. M. Connor, have not been selected for the Auckland team to play Canterbury in the Ranfurly Shield challenge tomorrow.

When the former All Black, B. T. Thomas, was injured in an accident on Tuesday evening it was thought that Whineray would replace him.

However, the Auckland selector (Mr R. G. Sorenson) has stuck closely to the team that beat King Country, and instead of Whineray he is playing M. G. Jones at prop. Jones played for the Junior All Blacks last year, but it is felt that Mr Sorenson might well have included Whineray in his team. Although only playing club Rugby this season, Whineray is, even with that background, a far better player. The Auckland team is:— D. Laurie D. W. McKay, R. E. Rangi, R. J. Patterson; T. W. Tataurangi, M. A. Herewini, D. L. Meek: L. W. Fell; N. Cullimore, K. Nelson (captain), T. Lindsay, W. J. Nathan; R. Webb, K. J. O'Shannessey, M. G. Jones.

Perhaps the most interesting point of the Auckland team is its emergencies. In the backs it has P. H. Murdoch, Connor, M. J. Dick—each an All Black. In the forwards there is Whineray and D. G. Harker. The Canterbury team is as expected. A. J. Banks replaces M. J. Millar at lock and A. J. Hopkinson, broken bone In toe or not, will play as prop. Yesterday morning the Canterbury team had a two-hour training run at Paeroa. This surprised Auckland Rugby followers. The Canterbury team was supposed to arrive at Auckland by 2 p.m. but did not arrive until 3.40 p.m. There were inevitable murmurs about the secret training run.