SELECTORS FACE BIG PROBLEMS Burgess, Hunter out; All Black hopes suffer

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32679, 7 August 1971, Page 48

SELECTORS FACE BIG PROBLEMS Burgess, Hunter out; All Black hopes suffer

(By

J. K. BROOKS)

New Zealand’s already thin chances of winning the fourth test from the British Lions became positively threadbare yesterday with the news that two of the All Blacks’ regular backs, R. E. Burgess and B. A. Hunter, were out of the running because of recent injuries.

Burgess was concussed during the third test a week ago, and Hunter suffered a similar fate while playing in an interprovincial game in Oamaru on Wednesday.

The chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union’s council (Mr J. L. Sullivan) said in Wellington yesterday that, acting on medical advice, neither player would be considered by the selectors when they chose the fourth test team tomorrow. Hunter’s unavailability came, as a big surprise. Only yesterday morning it was reported that apart from a black eye, Hunter was completely recovered and fit for selection for the fourth test. This is the latest in a series of body blows which the All Blacks have suffered this season. The loss of A. R. Sutherland was a major setback, and the temporary absence of B. G. Williams, the niggling injuries sustained by C. E. Meads and I. A. Kirkpatrick, and the curious omission of certain test players of last year’s South African tour have all contributed to the decline of the New Zealand side in the series with the Lions. The selectors will now be fervently hoping that Williams will be fit enough to play in the final test next Saturday. The latest reports on his injury were encouraging. Rather than risk introducing more new players to the test team, the selectors are likely to reshuffle the backline in a bid to find a winning combination. The most obvious course open to them is to move W. D. Cottrell to first fiveeighths—a position in which he shaped well in the last 14 minutes of the third test—and switch H. T. Joseph from centre to second five-eighths. Cottrell has had considerable experience in the inside position, and Joseph would be far better suited to second five-eighths, where he plays his club football. The likely choices for the three-quarter line would then be M. G.. Duncan, the third test replacement, Williams and K. R. Carrington. All three are able to play at centre, but in view of Duncan’s unhappy day in the position for Hawke’s Bay against the Lions it would be preferable to place him on the wing. Carrington was a more convincing figure at centre for Auckland than he has been for the All Blacks on the wing. His strong tackling

in midfield commends him ahead of Williams and Duncan. No-one will envy the selectors as they tackle their difficult task tiiis week-end. As well as recasting the backline, they must also stiffen the pack and look long and searchingly at L. W. Mains, whose lack of goal-kicking success recently is a cause for concern. The deposed full-back, W. F. McCormick, has not had a representative game for several weeks. However, although he has not been seen by the selectors since the first test, it is possible that he will be recalled to the All Blacks. The final test at Auckland will be an occasion when

New Zealand s Rugby pride is at stake, and men of experience and stem resolve will be needed. The question mark hanging over the injured lock, P. J. Whiting, poses another problem for the selectors. If Whiting cannot play, the choice should be J. F. Bums rather than B. J. Lochore, who appears to have lost his sting. The fourth test team; therefore, might be:— McCormick; Williams, Carrington, Duncan; Joseph, Cottrell; S. M. Going; A. J. Wyllie; Kirkpatrick, Meads (captain), Whiting or Bums, T. N. Lister; A. E. Hopkinson, R. W. Norton, B. L. Muller.