Inter-island teams

Press, 6 September 1976, Page 30

Inter-island teams

PA Wellington The North and South Island rugby selectors gave some indication of their thinking about prospective All Blacks for the tour of Argentina later this year when the inter-island teams for next Saturday’s match at Hamilton were announced yesterday. With the All Blacks in South Africa, there is only one member of last year’s South Island pack, Merv Jaffray, selected to play again this year. Five of last year’s South Island eight are now in South Africa. The South Island team will be captained by the Canterbury No. 8, Alex Wyllie, and the North by Robbie Stuart, of Hawke’s Bay. Not good enough for Canterbury but first choices for the South Island is the extraordinary rugby situation in which two Christchurch players. Richard Wilson and John Black, find themselves, says J. K. Brooks, “The Press” rugby writer. Black, the University club’s hooker, and Wilson, the Christchurch full-back, have been chosen ahead of the regular Canterbury players, Murray Hall and Doug Heffernan.

One of the most talented hookers in the country, Black has been ovei.ooked in his own province although he has played with distinction for New Zealand Juniors, New Zealand Universities, and the

national President’s XV. Wilson is the present New Zealand Juniors’ full-back, but has been unable to displace the improving Heffernan from the Canterbury A side. The other surprise in the South Island team is the omission of Stewart Cron, the star of last season’s shock win against North, who has been placed in the reserves. Wyllie, will make his eighth appearance in the inter-island fixture, his first being in 1966. The teams, announced yesterday by the secretary of the New Zealand Rugby Union (Mr J. M. Jeffs) are.—

North Island.—G. D. Rowlands (Bay of Plenty); K W. Granger (Manawatu), E. J. T. Stokes (Bay of Plenty), S Wilson (Wellington!; Mark Taylor (Bay of Plenty), Murrav Taylor (Waikato); J. McCarroll (Hawke’s Bay); S. B. Conn (Auckland); B. G. Ashworth (Auckland), G. J. Coleman (Wanganui), A. Haden (Auckland), G. N. K. Mourie (Taranaki): R. L. Stuart (Hawke’s Bay), captain, A. G. Dalton (Counties). J. T. McEldowney (Taranaki). Reserves; T. Waaka (Bay of Plenty), G. A. Knight (Manawatu), P. fl. Sloane (North Auckland), D. S. Loveridge (Taranaki). A. Baker (Waikato) South Island.—R. Wilson (Canterbury): S. Cartwright (Canterbury), B Ford (Marlborough), S. Martell (Marlborough); D. Colling (Otago), A. Goddard (South Canterbury): T. Burcher (Otago); A. Wyllie (Canterbury, captain); M. Jaffray (Otago), W T . Andersor (South Canterbury), V. Stewart (Canterbury), L. Rutledge (Southland); P Sapsford (Otago), J. Black (Canterbury), L. Clark (Otago). Reserves: S. Scott (Canterbury). B Burtinshaw (Otago), M. Mitchell (Southland), S Cron (Canterbury), P. Oliver (Otago). K. Bloxham was not available because of injury