Changes made in league squad

Press, 23 May 1977, Page 6

Changes made in league squad

By

JOHN COFFEY

The Canterbury full-back, Michael O’Donnell I Marist-West-ern Suburbs), was fast evening brought into the New Zealand rugby league squad to prepare for next Sunday’s World Cup match against Australia at Auckland. O’Donnell will replace the Auckland outside back, Fred Ah Kuoi, who withdraw from the 17 man training party to assemble at Waipu Cove. Northland, tomorrow, because of injury. A very capable goal-kicker with plenty of club experience in the centres, O’Donnell has been in outstanding form over the last two seasons. He clinched his selection with a typically effective display against Wellington at Wellington on Saturday. The Eastern Suburbs hooker, Alan Rushton, has also probably earned promotion at the expense of another Auckland player, Tom

I Conroy. The regular New Zealand hooker since 1975, Conroy has ,|not recovered sufficiently from ■ injury and Rushton, a likely re- : serve previously, now seems certain to make his Kiwi debut against the Kangaroos. ■ Lyndsay Proetor, an Auckland and former Kiwi prop, is Conroy’s replacement in the squad. "It is a tremendous thrill.'’ the 24-year-old O’Donnell said last night. “It has taken a long time.’’—O’Donnell was a national trialist as a youngster in 1971 and 1972. There is also a chance of O’Donnell playing against Australia. The first choice full-back, Warren Collicoat (Wellington), could not take the field against Canterbury because of a bruised shoulder and said that he has yet to gain full freedom of movement. If Collicoat does not prove his fitness in the three dav training camp at Waipu Cove, then O’Donnell is the logical substitute.