Lions gamble on hurt trio

Press, 13 June 1977, Page 30

Lions gamble on hurt trio

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

The closeness of the first test next Saturday has forced the Lions to name three players who are still getting over injuries for their match against New Zealand Universities at Lancaster Park tomorrow.

They are the full-back, Bruce Hay, who must have a right ankle worthy of a medical thesis, and the loose forwards, Derek Quinnell and Tony Neary. Hay has made the' same rapid recovery from the twisted ankle he; received on Saturday, as he did earlier in the tour when twice afflicted with the same injury.

Tomorrow’s game is very likely a fitness test for Quinnell, who has also been named as the pack leader. If Quinnell can last the game out with his injured knee he will come into strong reckoning for a test position next Saturday. Neary is the most doubtful starter of the three. He now has a strained ankle and an injured hand and it is a measure of the difficulties the side is having in providing loose forwards that he is down to play. As it is, the other flanker, Jeff Squire, will be making his fifth successive appearance. The Lions manager (Mr George Burrell) was hesitant about the match fitness of all three players last »vening. “There must oe doubts, but we hope that they will all be able to play,” he said. The third loose forward, Terry Cobner, is getting over his leg injury. Mr Burrell hoped that Cobner, the fastest of the Lions flankers, would be fit for the first test.

The side for tomorrow gives no clear insight into what the test line-up is going to be. Injuries have obviously made it impossible for all the test players to be rested. lan McGeechan, for example, who seems an obvious test choice, played at Invercargill on Saturday and he is in again tomorrow. He is also captain for the day. The return of Doug Morgan to active duty after a rib injury that threatened to put him out of the tour is a boon to the Lions. It gives the other half-back, and probable test choice, Bryn Williams, a needed spell. Morgan will also do the goal-kicking tomorrow and for once the Lions are a little light on back-up men.

The full Lions team for tomorrow is— Bruce Hay; Peter Squires, lan McGeechan, Dave Burcher, Elgan Rees; John Bevan; Doug Morgan; Derek Quinnell; Jeff Squire, Gordon Brown, Moss Keane, Tony Neary; Fran Cotton, Peter Wheeler, Clive Williams.

| The Lions coach (Mr John I Dawes) said just after his ' arrival in Christchurch last [evening that he was well | satisfied with the fitness of the team. His only concern I was the over-exposure of (individual players. “The game is very deImanding these days and [people should realise what ■amateur players have to co through,” he said. Mr Dawes I said he considered the standard of play he had so far seen in New Zealand to be about the same as that when he toured as the captain of the 1971 side. The question of whether the most seriously injured Lion. Nigel Horton, will stay on the tour or return home should be resolved within the next few days. Horton, whose broken thumb will heal in about a month, has already been invited to complete the tour at the expense of the New Zealand union. Horton’s replacement, Billy Beaumont, joined the team in Christchurch yesterday. The Lions will train at 10 a.m. today at Lancaster Park South and New Zealand Universities are expected to complete their preparation with a run at Denton Oval this afternoon.