SHIELD CHALLENGER Counties names strong team

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32707, 9 September 1971, Page 24

SHIELD CHALLENGER Counties names strong team

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. Counties will field a “Big John” and a “Little John” in its representative Rugby team which will attempt to wrest the Ranfurly Shield from Auckland at Eden Park on Saturday.

The nicknames have become necessary because John Hughes, the 16st regular prop forward, has been joined by John Hughes, a centre, in the challenging team.

The smaller Hughes has been chosen for his first representative game, in place of B. Robertson, the dashing Counties centre who has been promoted to the North Island team next Saturday. The other change, replacing R. N. Lend rum, the sec-ond-five-eighths, who is also in the North Island team, is K. Herewini, a young Army player who will be making his representative debut. BEAT WAIKATO Otherwise Counties will have the same side which defeated Waikato last Saturday, and which previously had big scores against Thames ' Valley and Combined Services. Two Auckland players. G. D. Denholm, who had concussion, and A. B. Edwards, who suffered a gashed head against Canterbury have been passed fit to play. Two other injured forwards, P. J. Whiting, the All Black, who has a neck injury, and B. R. Johnstone, recovering from concussion, should be available on September 18 when Auckland will play North Auckland. FIVE CHANGES Auckland will have five changes from the side which won the shield. D. L. Palmer, A. M. Watkins, and R. A. Urlich, who are all in the North Island side, are replaced by W, Gascoigne, N.

Brady, and A. B. Hathaway. C. D. Kennings will take Whiting’s place at lock and Denholm replaces Johnstone! at prop. The teams are: Counties.—J. L. Graham, P. Yates, J. Hughes, P. Goldsmith, Herewini, E. S. Meßobbie, W. Cummings, B. Shirkey, M. H. Alexander, K. H. Macmillan, R. M. Clarke, G. Tolotu. R. Craig, B. Cochrane, J. Hughes. Auckland. R. D. Whatman, Gascoigne, G. R. Weinberg, B. G. Williams, Brady, P. H. Murdoch, D, M. Mclntyre, J. P. Posa, Edwards, C. D. Kennings, J. D. Sherlock. N. R. Culllmore, Denholm, Hathaway, P. A. Linesay.