WAIKATO MATCH Hard slog likely for Rumanians

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33917, 9 August 1975, Page 48

WAIKATO MATCH Hard slog likely for Rumanians

5 (From J. K. BROOKS) e HAMILTON. a Rain and mud threaten to disrupt the rhythm of r the Rumanian Rugby team’s game when it tackles its ® second tour opponent, Waikato, at Rugby Park, Hamilton, this afternoon. 'l'he visitors are not enthusiastic about playing in the wet, s and they were a little dismayed when rain started to fall soon after their arrival in Hamilton on Thursday. Their gloom 1 j deepened as the showers persisted yesterday.

At the end of their, 11stay in Gisborne many! r of the tourists were cbn-> . vinced that New Zealand! ; was the Riviera of the! “’South Seas because of! ' the clear skies and' 'bright sunshine which] I marked their Poverty! Bay stay. 1 Now that their rosy dream! Hof the country has been dis-1 Ijpelled they are preparing! I! themselves with their customary dedication for a. hard! ii slog on a heavy bog. i They are fortified by the i j realisation that their rivals i: today are not in the same class as the Waikato men of 1956, who put the Spring-

.boks down in an epic match |on the same ground. I Waikato has a patchy [record this season of two [wins, two losses, and .*a !draw, dnd in its last outing [it suffered an embarrassing 3-27 loss to Hawke’s Bay. Its prospects of success [have been further reduced [by injuries to the accomIpiished goal-kicker and New Zealand Colts full-back, Glen Ross, a national Juniors half-back, Kevin Greene, and to the AU Black tnalist lock, ißill Bartie.

Waikato has employed a different full-back in each of its games this year. Today the “hot seat” will be filled by Quentin Maisey. who will be making his first appearance for the province. At prop, Graham Irwin will also be in Waikato colours for the first time.

For its part, Rumania has retained the men who achieved victory in Gisborne, with the exception of the injured Constantin Fugigi. The loose-forward who took his place for the last 15 minutes of the Poverty Bay game, Enciu Stoika, has been chosen as No. 8, and the 6ft sin Gheorghiu Dumitru will move to the flank. Only lock One of the locks, Dimitru Musat, is troubled by a bruised ankle, but the Rumanians are hopeful that he will be able to play. They will be in trouble if he does not, for at present there are no other locks in the party.

The Rumanians have an indication of the calibre of the opposition because Waikato drew with Poverty Bay earlier this season. But the wet weather has distorted the picture to an extent because Waikato has three able loose-forwards in the All Black trialists Ray Stafford and Dick Myers, and in the national colt Peter Eggleton, and a good heavy ground half-back in Doug Phillips. Another player who is expected to play a leading role is the former Christchurch club first five-eighths, Ross McGlashan. He showed his ability in damp conditions in helping Christchurch beat High School Old Boys in the championship final three years ago.

The game will provide a stern test of the Rumanians’ powers of adaptibility. If they

win, they will have proved to themselves and New Zealand Rugby followers that they are footballers for all weathers. The replacement lock for the Rumanians, Pompoilio Bors, will join the rest of the party in Palmerston North on Sunday night. Teams:— Rumania.—R. Durbac, 1. Constantin, G. Nica, M. Nicolescu, P. Motrescu, M. Bucos, M. Paraschiv, E. Stoika, A. Pop (captain), G. Daraban, D. Musat, G. Dumitru, C. Dinu. M. Munteanu, V. Turlea. Waikato.— Q. Maisev. A. L. Clark. G. N. Kane. P. C. Gilbert, M. Taylor, R. McGlashan, D. E. Phillips, R. G. Myers, R. B. Stafford (captain), M. P. Welsh. R. J. Lockwood, P Eggleton, G. Irwin. P. Bennett, M. O’Donoghue.