Six new faces in Lions’ test side

Press, 7 July 1977, Page 36

Six new faces in Lions’ test side

Bv

KEVIN McMENAMIN

The All Blacks can certainly expect something different from the British Isles in the second test at Lancaster Park on Saturday.

With six changes from the s de that lost the first test at Wellington last month, the Lions selectors have gone further than was expected in their search for a team capable of levelling the series.

The biggest surprise is the choice of the 25-year-old English lock. Bill Beaumont. He has had only three games — all mid-week ones — since he joined the Lions as a replacement for the injured Nigel Horton.

Beaumont, who has played for England 12 times, has been preferred to Allan Martin, whose lack of success in the line-cuts at Wellington has apparently cost him his place. Beaumont also appears to be a more vigorous forward than Martin. Gordon Brown, Beaumont’s locking partner and another of the five new forwards. will almost certainly play at No. 5 in the lineouts, marking Andv Haden, with Beaumont at No. 3. Beaumont wins his first test cap after being considered no higher than the sixth best lock in Britain at the end of the last northern season. His climb is similar to that of Moss Kean's, who was the first replacement lock added to the side and who played in the first test.

Brown and the other three changes in the pack were expected. Derek QuinnelL who like Brown was not fully fit at the time of the first test, takes over from Trevor Evans on the side of the scrum, Peter Wheeler re-

places Bobby Windsor at hooker, and Fran Cotton comes in for Phil Orr at loose-head prop.

Wheeler and Cotton have •both earned their places on i recent form, and Cotton will I give the Lions the extra (height they need in the lineouts.

Although recent team selections had pointed to it, the naming of Gareth Evans on the left wing was still something of a surprise. Evans, a centre for his Newport club, has not been impressive and it is doubtful whether he has either the speed or the defensive qualities of the wing he replaces, Peter Squires. Also, by choosing Evans, the Lions have had to place John Williams, who has played most of his rugby on the left wing, on the right flank.

The team is:— Andy Irvine; John Williams, lan McGeechan, Steve Fenwick, Gareth Evans; Phil Bennett (captain), Brynmor Williams; Willie Duggan; Derek Quinnell, Gordon Brown, Bill Beaumont, Terry Cobner; I Graham Price, Peter Wheeler, Fran Cotton.

, Reserves. — Bruce Hay, Peter Squires, Doug Morgan; I Phil Orr. Bobby Windsor, Jeff Squire.

i The Lions had no worries with injuries in arriving at (their team. The manager (Mr George Burrell) said last evening that for the first time on the tour all 30 play- 1 ers were able to be consid-| ered. He said that Duggan had!

i recovered from the calf injury that brought him to 'Christchurch on Monday for I treatment, and although ■ Brown's injured shoulder ■was x-rayed yesterday this, Ihe said, was only a pre(cautionary measure. Mr Burrell said that he [hoped to see Lancaster Park (today and to a question I about the listed curtain- > raiser (a “Golden Oldies” game), he said he found it j ‘‘rather surprising” that (there should be one, Mr Bur(rell added that there was [every likelihood he would i discuss the curtain-raiser [with the president of the (Canterbury union (Mr R. W. [Thomas). I Mr Thomas said later that the ground had dried out (considerably yesterday, and la decision would be made (today about whether a heli- [ copter would be used to hasten the drying process. He said that ' a curtain-raiser would be played only in the certainty that the ground could stand it. This decision would be made either tomorrow afternoon or Saturday •morning. I The Lions coach (Mr John I Dawes) said that he was reasonably happy about the team’s test chances. “A little [luck is needed in all test matches, and if luck is with us I think we should do well.”

He said that events since the first test proved the side had progressed, and he agreed with a remark that in [this time the team had i developed “a hunger for sucIcess.”