Few new names for Rugby trials

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33479, 9 March 1974, Page 48

Few new names for Rugby trials

Canterbury has nominated 13 players—but not one of them a prospective new All Black—for the national trials on, April 17. J. E. Black, the University hooker who outclassed one of his chief rivals, P. H. Sloane (North' Auckland), in a match for the President’s XI against the All Blacks last season, has not been nominated. Instead, the selectors have put forward only the country’s top hooker, R. W. Norton. In what appears to be a policy of nominating only one player for each position, the selectors have also left off their list R. G. Wilson, the Christchurch club fullback who did well in the national under 21 and under 23 teams last season. Two other All Blacks missing are the five-eighths, D. A. Hales and G. S. Sims. Hales is now back in Dannevirke and Sims, formerly an Otago representative, has moved to Christchurch. Hopefully, one of the two unions to which each player has some affiliations will put his name forward.

Long-serving Canterbury representatives have been nominated again, notably W. F. McCormick, A. J. Wyllie, L. J. Davis, and K. J. Tanner,

The full list, announced yesterday by last year’s Canterbury selectors (Dr J. D. Stewart and Mr P. D. Clark), is:

Backs: McCormick, T. W. Mitchell, I. A. Hurst, O. D. Bruce. Davis.

Forwards: Wyllie, Norton, H. H. Macdonald, W. K. Bush, S. E. G. Cron, Tanner, V. E. Stewart, J. K. Phillips.