Former Kiwis Recalled To League Side || 1

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31677, 13 May 1968, Page 22

Former Kiwis Recalled To League Side || 1

(By Our Rugby League Reporter)

The Rugby league selectors (Messrs W. L. O’Callaghan, D. L. Blanchard and B. E. Robertson) have recalled six former internationals to represent New Zealand in the world championship series which will begin on May 25.

The quest for experience is emphasised by the inclusion of eight members of the 1967 Kiwi team which toured Australia, in the side to meet France in the opening round.

Another two, J. D. Ellwood (Auckland) and H. Tatana (Auckland), have been named as reserves, but the New Zealand captain, B. E. Castle (Auckland) was among those discarded.

Yesterday, the selectors made a late change from the team announced on Saturday evening, moving G. M. G. Smith (Wellington) from the reserves to prop, in place of Tatana, for the side to play France.

The second-row forward, B. S. Lee (Auckland), and a reserve, C. L. McMaster (West Coast), had been neglected by national selection panels since they toured Australia five years ago; J. A. Bond (Canterbury) returns after losing his place during the tests against France in 1964; and G. H. Clarke (Canterbury), E. F. Wiggs (Auckland) and R. A. Mincham (Auckland) last played for the Kiwis against Britain in 1966. Three new internationals— E. Dunn Canterbury), E. M. Carson (Auckland) and D Parkinson (Waikato)—-have been named amongst the reserves.

The selection of Dunn and the omission of the former All Black, V. M. Yates (Auckland) and Castle, are the biggest surprises in a team which contains several unexpected inclusions.

Dunn, one of three Papanui players named, played in the recent inter-zone game at Huntly only because another club-mate, M. R. Napier, and then G. Scully (West Coast) were not available to play on the wing. Two centres, L. P. J. Brown (Canterbury) and W. K. Johnsen (West Coast), had earlier announced their non-availability for that team. However, Dunn accepted his opportunity to impress the selectors and his subsequent good form for Southern Zone against New South Wales Country and in the final trial at Auckland on Saturday won him the nomination as the reserve three-quarters. The strong-running Yates was generally regarded as a certain selection, an opinion that was strengthened when he kicked four goals in the final trial; Castle had retained the Northern Zone captaincy and was suggested as a strong favourite to lead the Kiwis again. The selection of Carson and Parkinson indicates that the selectors decided to take no chances with injuries to the scrum-half, Clarke, and the hooker, O’Neil. However, Schultz has proved himself an able scrum-half for Auckland and on occasions in touring Kiwi teams. Should it be necessary to replace Clarke, the selectors will have some difficulty choosing between the experienced Schultz and Carson. Wiggs could consider hlm-

self fortunate to be selected as a wing in his third test, after playing as a prop against France in 1964 and loose forward against Britain two years later. B. Gascoigne (Auckland), who confirmed his rating as New Zealand’s fastest representative wing with an 80yard try in the trial, and the youthful P. Orchard (Bay of Plenty) must have pressed strong! for selection. Although he played for onl;' 40 minutes on Saturday, Orchard scored a fine try and sent Dunn over for another. Wiggs, playing outside another transplanted forward, Sinel, will slow the Kiwi backline.

The test team includes two other goal-kickers, Tait and Smith, and the reserves, Ellwood, Parkinson and Tatana have kicked for their club teams. Apparently, Wiggs has been named as a specialist wing rather than as a goal-

kicker placed on the wing toensure his selection. Two Injured The return of McMaster was most surprising because of his recent series of injuries. Torn back ligaments, suffered when he fell from the roof of a house, prevented hi..t playing in more than two games in the series of seven trials. McMaster and Dixon, whose broken nose is not expected to mend sufficiently for another nine days, are nursing injuries. The most improved player on the 1967 tours, Kriletich, and Lee have switched positions from the New Zealand team which beat The Rest, 21-20, in the final trial. They, with Dixon, will give the pack above-average pace, but the backs will probably be the slowest of the four competing countries.

The other Canterbury trialist, W. P. Noonan, could be a little unlucky after bis fine trial, but the selectors have preferred Parkinson, the specialist, to cover the hooking position rather than bring in the younger utility player, Noonan.