Canterbury league players might dominate zone team

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31984, 10 May 1969, Page 11

Canterbury league players might dominate zone team

THE Rugby League Cup x challenge match between Canterbury and West Coast at the Show Grounds this afternoon will give leading South Island players a fine chance of winning selection for the Southern Zone team to play Northern Zone in the final national trial at Auckland next Saturday. Canterbury players may well fill a majority of the positions. Wellington was

only able to draw with Waikato when watched by the New Zealand selectors on Saturday and West Coast will be without its international forwards, J. K. Dixon and C. L. McMaster. It is possible that the zone selectors (Messrs D. L. Blanchard, M. W. Church and W. F. Mountford) will pluck one member of the team from the early South Island trial. B.

Williams, one of Southern Zone’s centres last year, will make his first official appearance for the season in the trial after undergoing toe four-match club transfer suspension. The selection of the centres will probably be the most contentious in the back-line. Williams has shown skill on attack in club and provincial play but will have to prove match fitness; B. W. Langton (Canterbury) and the West Coast captain, N. E. Kelly, have experience and evasiveness and the younger candidates, B. Jager (Canterbury) and W. K. Johnsen (West Coast), also have strong claims.

Should Williams succeed In the trial and Jager carry his much improved form from club to representative level they are likely to be chosen. Little debate should be necessary to complete toe backs. G. C. Ladner (West Coast), an outstanding success in toe national under-23 trials, should win the fullback position comfortably; M. R. Napier (Canterbury) and M. P. Brereton (West Coast) will be favoured as toe likely wings, although S. RoHeston (Wellington) impressed against Waikato and Jager may revert to this position if pne of toe other centres playa exceptionally well

Tbe halves are expected to be the Canterbury pair. J. G. Clarke and G. R. Cooksley. Clarke’s soundness and experience should prove the perfect foil to the attacking brilliance of the diminutive Cooksley. C. E. O’Neil, the Wellington hooker, and W. P. Noonan, the Canterbury and former New Zealand prop, appear certain forward selections. Two perennial rivals, J. L. White (Canterbury) and

R. Farrell (Wellington), will be faced with the challenges of two younger players, R. S. Walker (Canterbury) and M. H. Newton (West Coast), at loose forward. White’s chances will probably depend on his leadership and performance for Canterbury today. An improved display by G. M. J. Smith for. Wellington on Saturday and A. P. Dennehy’s return to firstclass status for West Coast add interest to the other forward positions. However, J. L. Weir (Wellington) and the attacking Canterbury forward, A. W. Thompson, should be difficult to beat for toe secondrow pairing. Smith will also be a contender for the front row in a field that includes J. H. Fisher (Canterbury), another returning to representative football, the consis- ’ tent West Coast prop, J. D. J Hibbs, and Wellington’s • youthful under-23 selection, ■ K. G... Meadowcroft. Hibbs's 1 constructive play may be ' toe deciding factor. A possible team to play Northern Zone would be:— Ladner; Brereton, Williams, Jager, Napier; . Clarke, Cooksley; Farrell; Thompson, Weir; Noonan, O’Neil, Hibbs.