TRIAL FOR YOUNG FULL-BACK Kiwis begin tour with hard game today

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32959, 4 July 1972, Page 24

TRIAL FOR YOUNG FULL-BACK Kiwis begin tour with hard game today

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent)

SYDNEY.

The New Zealand Rugby league team will have a hard work-out for the first test against Australia on Saturday when it plays New South Wales Country at Queanbeyan today. The match will be a trial for the Auckland full-back, W. Collicoat, who might be the goal-kicker needed by the Kiwis for the test series.

Collicoat is the specialist goalkicker in the side, and if he has a successful game he looks certain to displace J. Whittaker, of Wellington, in the test team.

Whittaker has played for New Zealand in 27 games, including nine test matches. But because there is a serious lack of goal-kicking ability in the New Zealand team.

Collicoat has been in exceptional kicking form this year. He has kicked more than 50 goals for the Mount Albert club in Auckland and he kicked seven goals from seven attempts when Auckland played the touring Queensland team last month.

Practice in Auckland

Before they left New Zealand yesterday, the coach, Mr L. Blanchard, gave the Kiwis a brisk work-out at Cornwall Park. There were no injuries, though, although the Canterbury wing, M. Brereton, suffered from an unseasonal problem—a large blister on his right foot from the hard grounds in Christchurch. It was a far more impressive practice than any the 1971 Kiwis had before their games against the North Island and the South Island last month, largely because of A. Kriletich. He had the players gasping after a series of testing exercises and when the backs went off to practise moves, he and Mr Blanchard worked the forwards. “Pep” talk Later, just before it left, tae team was given a “pep” talk by the president of the New Zealand Rugby League (Mr R. McGregor). He said that in New Zealand there were constant reports of the strength of Australian and English Rugby league. “If the forwards do their job and contain the Australians and give the backs good ball, nothing in the world will beat us,” he said. “There is still scepticism in New Zealand about our ability, although we beat Australia, Britain and France last year. I don’t know what has to be done to make people realise that New Zealand footballers are great. We are as good

as any Rugby league country in the world.” With these words still in their ears, the Kiwis left to prepare to beat the Australians or, as the captain, R. Christian, said: "To prove we are the unofficial world champions, and not by winning just the first test, but by winning both.” Late arrival The New Zealand team, of 18 players was more than two hours late when it arrived at Sydney after fog and a mechanical fault had held up the aircraft. The team went straight to its hotel at Bondi and then to the nearby Waverley Oval for its first training in Australia.

The run was not entirely satisfactory, however, for the local officials had forgotten to provide footballs for the team to train with. The practice was restricted to training and calisthenics, and Mr Blanchard let players off lightly. The full squad moved freely although the prop, R.

Orchard, ran with a pronounced limp from an ankle injury suffered earlier in the season.

Australian view

New Zealand would be guaranteed the world Rugby league championship if it beat Australia in the test series, Ernie Christensen wrote in the “Sydney Sun” yesterday. “The Australian selectors have picked the best side available, and New Zealand can take home the world championship without the slightest qualms if it beats l Australia,” wrote Christensen.

“But it will find Australia a vastly different proposition at home, with the side Harry Bath has been given to coach.”

The Australian coach, Mr H. Bath, is confident his players will beat New Zealand in the series. “Ours is a better side than the one New Zealand beat last year,” said Mr Bath. Tough game today The Kiwis will have tough opening opposition at Queanbeyan, near Canberra, today. The New South Wales Country players are taking the match seriously and have been together for the last five days preparing for the match. Although the Country side was beaten by more than 30 points by Sydney earlier this year it plays a rugged type of league, and its most dangerous player will be the wing J. Chapman, who was in the New South Wales team which had wins against Queensland last week. Chapman, however, is the only New South Wales player not chosen for the Australian team to play the Kiwis on Saturday.

The teams for the match today are:—

New Zealand.—Collicoat, P. Orchard, R. Christian, J. O’Sullivan, M. Brereton. D. Williams. K. Stirling. T. Kriletich, M. Eade, A. Thompson, R. Orchard, J. Fisher, R. Paul. Emergencies: D. Sorensen, R. Bolton.

New South Wales Country.—-J. Dorahy, Chapman, P. Kennedy, W. Ryan, V. Puodziunas. B. Hulbert, B. Burke, R. Urquhart, D. Milson, B. Bourke, G. Fearnley, S. Day, T. Browne. Emergencies: L. Simmons, W. Hetherington.