Wright returns to speedway team

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33113, 2 January 1973, Page 16

Wright returns to speedway team

The former South Island champion. R. Wright, rejoins the Canterbury speedway team for its match against the North Island at Templeton on Wednesday.

| Unable to compete until. I recently because his racing . machine had not returned (from England, he has shown in the last two meetings that! he has not lost his touch. He' replaces R. McKinlay, who; I has been named as first re-: serve. Otherwise, the team is the; same as that which overwhelmed Hawke’s Bay a few: weeks ago. The match is being treated’ as a trial for the New Zealand test team to ride against: the touring British Lions at Auckland on February 3 and 17, and at Templeton on January 10. MOORE CAPTAIN The former world cham-; pion, R. L. Moore, will cap-; tain the Canterbury team, I which must be favoured to win.

I However, the northern riders cannot be taken lightly. They include three riders who have been regular members of New Zealand test teams in recent seasons—G. Peterson, R. Andrews (both Auckland) and F. Timmo (Hastings). However, the man to watch in the North Island team might be G. Smith (Wellington). He showed considerable promise in England last season, graduating to the first division. The match will be decided on points over eight heats, with six riders starting in each race. Canterbury.—Moore (captain 1 , Wright, F. Shuter, G J Stapleton. S. Foster, T Black. Reserve Meklnlay. North Island.—Peterson, Andrews (Auckland), G. Smith, L. Gandy (Wellington), F. Timmo, H. Sergeant (Hastings),