Lions Choose Three Locks For Test

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31145, 23 August 1966, Page 19

Lions Choose Three Locks For Test

(By

I. J. D. HALL)

In a rather misjudged effort to combat the Meads brothers in the line-outs, the Lions have chosen three locks for their third test team.

The team is.—S. J. Wilson; D. I. E. Bebb, C. M. H. Gibson, C. W. McFadyean, S. J. Watkins; D. Watkins; A. R. Lewis; N. A. A. .Murphy; R. A. Lamont, W. J. Mcßride, M. J. Campbell-Lamerton, A. L E. Pask; D. Thomas, F. A. L. Laidlaw, C. H. Norris.

Thomas, the best line-out jumper in the Lions team, has been removed from lock to the completely foreign position of tight-head prop, and the touring captain, CampbellLamerton, will lock the scrum with Mcßride, now the most authoritative of the Lions forwards. Three changes have been made from the team which went so close to winning the second test. Pask, changed to a flanker instead of No. 8, replaces J. W. Telfer; Camp-bell-Lamerton, with the switch of position for Thomas virtually replaces the Welsh prop, D. H. Williams, and S. J. Watkins has gained A. J. Hinshelwood’s position on the wing. They are hardly changes which will win universal ap-

proval. Mcßride and Thomas were a doughty pair of locks in the second test, and Thomas’s soaring leaps later in the second half almost gave the Lions the chance to win the match. The tourists’ manager, Mr D. J. O’Brien, when announcing the team, said that Thomas had never propped before. It would be interesting to know how the Lions expect Thomas to continue jumping after expending his strength and enthusiasm in scrummaging against the seasoned All Black front row. Although Campbell-Lamer-ton has regained his test place, a better pack may have been achieved by retaining Thomas and Mcßride as locks and playing R. J. McLoughlin at prop, for McLoughlin is the

complete technician in that position. It is asking a lot of the one-cap Thomas to scrum his way through a vital test. The backs had sorted themselves out except for the wing position where the potentially dangerous Watkins has been given preference over Hinshelwood. On recent form, Watkins may be considered fortunate. Hinshelwood's mishandling in the second test may have counted against him. The young Irish centre, F. P. K. Bresnihan, who suffered cracked ribs against Wanganui-King Country, was considered for the team, but lack of match play counted against him, said Mr O’Brien. Players not considered because of injury were K. F. Savage, Grant, D. L. Powell, and G. J. Prothero.