COUNTIES HAVE TALENTED BACKS All Blacks face severe test of strength

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33092, 6 December 1972, Page 34

COUNTIES HAVE TALENTED BACKS All Blacks face severe test of strength

(From

J. K. BROOKS,

, N.Z.P.A. special correspondent)

BIRMINGHAM. With the gloom of K. Murdoch’s shock expulsion upon them, the All Blacks have been set a doubly difficult task in trying to beat Midland Counties at Moseley tomorrow morning (New Zealand time).

Counties have one of the most glittering back-lines in Britain, headed by D. J. Duckham, the fair-headed wing who scored 11 tries on the Lions tour of New Zealand last year.

But looming even larger than Duckham is the massive form of S. A. Doble, the 6ft 4in full-back who takes size 14 boots. This blond Birmingham teacher was the hero of England’s shock, 18-9, victory over the Springboks at Johannesburg earlier this year, when he kicked four penalty goals and a side-line conversion. Heavy scoring Between September last year and June this year, Doble scored an incredible total of 623 points—an average of 14 a game. The total included 12 tries. Doble had been kicking goal after goal for Moseley for many seasons but recognition came late for this 30-year-old. At this time last year, he was ranked only third fullback in the Midlands. Then, in May, he gained belated re-

cognition and became an outstanding member of a weakened English team which was unbeaten on its short tour of South Africa.

More test men The little centre, P. S. Preece, and the half-back, J. G. Webster, were also in the English side which beat South Africa, and the flyhalf, J. F. Finlan, has been capped 12 times by England. One of his international appearances was against B. J. Lochbre’s 1967 All Blacks. Preece, who makes up for his lack of size by his bristling determination, is the son of Ivor Preece, fly-half in the 1950 Lions team in New Zealand and who later became a notable captain of England. Preece’s partner at centre is M. K. Swain, who played for Wales B this year.

Nor does the counties’ talent stop in the backs. The loose-head prop, K. Fairbrother, has played 12 times for his country and was unavailable for the Lions tour last year. Another international is the lock, N. E. Horton, who had the dubious distinction of being ordered off two minutes after the start of the first English knock-out final between Moseley and Gloucester at Twickenham last season.

When told that the man who sent him off in that match, Mr R. Lewis, the top Welsh referee, was to control Counties’ game with the All Blacks, Horton is said to “have almost gone through the roof.” “Wednesday” team Two other forwards, the flanker, T. Cowell, and the hooker, J. D. Gray, have played for England, although not in tests.

Against this impressivelooking side, the All Blacks have chosen virtually their “Wednesday” team and might find the opposition difficult to overcome. In view of the quality of the Counties’ backs, the match will be a difficult reintroduction for the Canterbury centre, I. A Hurst, and the half-back, G.

L. Colling, both returning after varying spells because of injury. The steadying influence of R. E. Burgess at first fiveeighths, will be of paramount importance to an All Black side struggling to regain their spirits after the shock sending home of Murdoch. The Otago player’s place as tight-head prop for this match will be taken by G. L. Whiting. J. D. Matheson has been added to the reserves. Morris’s chance T. J. Morris showed signs in his last outing, against Gwent, that he is gradually coming back to his New Zealand form and, like J. F. Karam’s in the Welsh test, his goal-kicking might be vital to a side likely to find its way to the goal-line barred by dedicated tacklers. Preece and Duckham, whose tackling was so important to the Lions in the tests of 1971, are very good in this department and their team-mates are little inferior. I. A. Kirkpatrick, as captain, will have a heavy burden in this match, for he will have predominantly young forwards with him. R. A. Urlich, proving a splendid hooker, and A. M. Haden and 1. M. Eliason, both re-

liable line-out jumpers, should ensure at least a fair share of possession from setplay, but New Zealand will need to gain the upper hand in rucks to have a chance of evading the Counties’ well organised defence. The teams are: Counties.—Doble; Duckham (captain), Preece, Swain; M. Cooper, Finlan; Webster; J. C. White; I. A. Pringle, Horton, L. S. Smith, Cowell; Fairbrother, Gray, T. Corless. New Zealand.—Morris; G. It. Skudder, Hurst, B. G. Williams; M. Sayers, Burgess; Colling; B. Holmes; Kirkpatrick (captain), Eliason, Haden, K. W. Stewart; G. L. Whiting, Urlich, K. K. Lambert.