Last chance for league tour contenders

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

Last chance for league tour contenders

(By

J. O. COFFEY)

AUCKLAND.

The competitive rivalry usually associated with inter-zone Rugby league matches has largely been removed from today’s fixture at Carlaw Park because of the pending announcement of the New Zealand team to tour Britain and France.

It is expected that the touring party will be named within an hour of full-time. Most pre-match speculation has been centred almost wholly on individual prospects rather than on whether Southern can repeat its unexpected victory of two years ago. '«■ Although die Southern coach, and convener of the national selection panel, Mr D. L. Blanchard, said yesterday that his Side was capable of fully extending its opponent, Northern was expected to win.

Not only does Northern’s line-up contain most of the players who have dominated the first class scene for Auckland and New Zealand this season, but Southern has been deprived of the swiftness of C. E. O’Neil’s hooking and the fine' goal-kicking of G. C. Ladner. <•

These two, not availabl for the. tour which begin later this month, made valt able contributions whe Southern won the last intei zone game, 13-1?, in 1969. O that occasion O’Neil regii tered yet another scrum sue cess over D. Parkinson, an Ladner’s fifth goal place Southern in the lead Just be fore the finish. But the Southern represer tatives today are consciou that they have 80 minutes i which to lodge their claim for national honours. Ther can be no greater incentive. YOUTH’S OPPORTUNITY The amalgamation of th trials and inter-zone matche provides a path towards in temational experience fo> such youngsters as M. W. J. O’Donndil (Canterbury), and J. B. Low (West Coast). There were suspicions during Auckland’s comparatively modest , defeat of Canterbury last month that some of the northerners’ superiority had declined. However, most members of the Northern XIII may be considered to have already earned tour positions, even thought they cannot afford to, display any complacency in front of the New Zealand selectors, Messrs Blanchard, D. A. Barchard and T. H. Hardwick. BROWN UNFORTUNATE P. R. H. Brown, the Canterbury scrum-half who has alternated between the zone and early trial teams, will now play only one half of the main game. N. J. Benpett (West Coast) is to partner G. R. Cooksley (Canterbuy) in the Southern halves during the other’spell. Bennett was. .unable to travel to Auckland with the Southern side on Tuesday because of personal reasons and Brown was promoted from the curtain-raiser and replaced in that match by the Auckland utility back and former Kiwi wing, D. A. Key. The late arival of Bennett appears to have diminished Brown’s chances of inclusion for it has deprived him of

e the opportunity to mark his s tour rival, S. Dowsett (Auck- • land). i Another leading candidate - whose prospects have suf--1 fered a serious blow is L. N. » Graham (Auckland) the 1970 , World Cup full-back. Mr d Blanchard said that Graham 1 was worried by a pulled ham- - string, and that J. Young (Auckland) had been added - to the reserves in case it bes came necessary to make a i replacement. ’ West Coast team 5 to challenge Wellington for the Rugby League Cup In Greymouth tomorrow u: fi. c. Ladner. B. J. Smith, B. Donaldson, :G. R - , Peters, P. Hahn, K. B. Murcott. - greaves, M. Boases, X. B, DaisslL