ALL BLACK SELECTIONS Regional Rugby trials urged

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33653, 1 October 1974, Page 30

ALL BLACK SELECTIONS Regional Rugby trials urged

lA’etr Zealand Press Association) BLENHEIM. A call for the reintroduction of regional trials to select All Black teams and so give players from minor unions a fair chance of selection, has been made by Mr E. P. Dwyer, the president of the Marlborough Rugby Union. Mr Dwyer said that widespread support existed among administrators and some selectors for the reintroduction of the system which was used for a time after the Second World War.

Mr Dwyer emphasised that this support was not sour grapes because of Marlborough’s treatment at the hands of national selectors at the recent trials.

Only two players from one of the country’s top teams were invited to the trials—a wing, B. Ford, and a flanker, D. Neal. Mr Dwyer made his suggestion after Marlborough soundly beat Wellington with its four present All Blacks and two former All Blacks. Marlborough had only one former All Black—A. R. Sutherland.

“It is fairly apparent that players in the smaller unions do not get a fair go in the trials at the moment,” Mr Dwyer said. “It looks as though the only way we will get a fair distribution of players

throughout the country is to return to regional trials.” At the recent trials Otago’s A. Clark and D. Robertson vied for the first five-eighths position and J. Karam and B. Cederwall for the full-back position.

“It is feasible that you can have the two best in one province, but I am doubtful whether this is right,” Mr Dwyer said. Profitable The regional trial system had been profitable, and there was no reason why it should not be now, he said. Under the system South Canterbury could play Canterbury and North Otago play Mid-Canterbury. A team could be selected from the four to play the combined Seddon Shield districts.

“This way the selectors would see all the players and have a better chance of seeing them at a level where they can really assess them,” he said.