Kiwi Tour Contenders

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32391, 2 September 1970, Page 14

Kiwi Tour Contenders

(By Our Rugby League Reporter) The New Zealand Rugby League will almost certainly maintain its policy of appoint* ing a member of its own council as manager when the officials to accompany the Kiwi team to the world championship in England are elected in Auckland this evening.

Four of the seven nominees, Messrs C. R. Mountford (Auckland), W. L. O’Callaghan (Waikato), G, G. Plant (Auckland) and T. J. Wellsmore * (Auckland), represent provincial leagues on ‘he council and all have managed previous touring teams. The other nominations are Messrs K. H. English, a 1951 Kiwi and former chairman of the Wellington League, F.

Walsh, a leading Bay of Plenty administrator, and J R. Williams, chairman of the West Coast League. In 1965, Messrs O’Callaghan and Wellsmore were the comanagers of the New Zealand team in England and France; Messrs Plant (1963) and Mountford (1967) filled similar positions during tours of Australia.

Mr Mountford has a marked advantage over his fellow candidates in playing and administrative experience in British conditions. He was an outstanding inside back with the Wigan club in the immediate post-World War II years and later guided Warrington to the very elusive champion-ship-Challenge Cup double. He was also the manager of the Kiwi teams which played three tests against Great Britain in July. The three national selectors, Messrs D. A. Barchard

(Auckland), D. L. Blanchard (Canterbury) and M. W. Church (Wellington), have been nominated as coach.

They have shared the position over the last four seasons, but with little success. Mr Blanchard officiated in Australia in 1967 and against the Kangaroos in this country last year; Mr Barchard was the coach of the 1968 world championship squad and Mr Church had his first experience with a full New Zealand team in the recent series against Britain. Messrs Barchard and Blanchard twice toured Britain and France during then international playing careers Mr Blanchard’s case should be further strengthened for it was under his direction that New Zealand achieved its only test victory since 1965in the second match against Australia at Auckland last season.