Are Inside Backs Over The Hill At 28?

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31362, 6 May 1967, Page 11

Are Inside Backs Over The Hill At 28?

rpHE claim by Mr F. R. x Allen, chairman of the All Black selection committee, that international backs are beyond their best at 28, has same credence when records of major tours are studied.

Conversely, young backs have made their mark in international Rugby only on very rare occasions.

The two most famous All Black teams—the 1905 and 1924 sides—both prove and disprove Mr Allen’s views. In 1905 the Inside backs included J. W. Stead (28), J. Hunter (26), and H. Mynott (29).

Age did not seem to hamper those players, but in the 1924 side the main inside backs were A. E. Cooke (22), M. F. Nicholls (22), and N. P. McGregor (22). They were regarded as three of New Zealand’s fiqest backs.

But it is in recent years that the picture becomes clearer. Since the war the All Blacks have chosen a surprisingly large number of young inside backs to tour, but only two or three of these have made any sort of name for themselves.

In 1947 the 21-year Maori player, M. B. Couch, went to Australia, but only played in one test after that tour. In 1951 B. B. J. Fitzpatrick and A. L. Wilson were the youngsters. Fitzpatrick went on the 1953-54 tour, but never played for New Zealand after that.

Bowers were all less than 23, but not one ever played for New Zealand again.

The 1953 tour was perhaps the most striking example of young players fading on a major tour. D. D. Wilson, C. J. Loader and R. G.

In recent years there are other examples. T. N. Wolfe and P. H. Murdoch come to mind as players who had a brief glimpse of glory and then disappeared from the International scene.

Perhaps the only young backs taken on tour who have fulfilled their early promise have been R. H. Brown and T. R. Lineen. Brown was 22 when he went to Australia in 1957 and Lineen 21. Teams that have toured in New Zealand somehow do not have quite the same problem. T. A. Harris, the Springbok first five-eighths, who paunchy middleaged gentlemen revere, was only 21 when the Springboks humbled New Zealand in 1937.

R. S. Spong, even without his Millhillian partner, R. Sobey, proved one of the great five-eighths seen in New Zealand when he toured here in 1930.

A. W. B. Risman of the 1959 Lions team was being spoken of in the same breath as Kyle and Spong and was only 21.

So the picture for youth is not especially promising on overseas tours by the All Blacks but Mr Alien—and he has already admitted this —would agree that age is not necessarily the great leveller. On the 1949 tour of South Africa the New Zealand inside backs were, with the exception of N. W. Black, in the age-group at which Mr Allen looks suspiciously. Allen was 28, J. C. Kearney 28 and W .G. Delamore 28. The results of that tour

had a profound influence on New Zealand Rugby. The four-nil loss brought about the crucible of 1956. But on the other hand, who would discount the ability of B. L. Williams, J. C. Matthews and J. Gainsford, three of the best mid-fleld backs ever to tour New Zealand? Gainsford was 27 when he played in New Zealand, Williams was 27 and Matthews 29. would be a bold selector who would have said that a year or so later they would have been over the hill. Williams at the age of 31 was in magnificent form against the 1953-54 All Blacks. If Mr Allen looks closely at the record book he must —while not favouring players of more than 28—also look suspiciously at players under 21.