Injured Kiwi may have to come home

Press, 14 June 1978, Page 38

Injured Kiwi may have to come home

NZPA Special correspondent Sydney

The management of the New Zealand rugby league team is fighting to keep the injured second-rower.* lan Bell, on tour. Bell, along with Lyndsay Proctor and Nick Wright, will stay behind in Sydney today for more treatment while the rest of the party travels to Dubbo for the game against Western Division.

The trio spent yesterday

lat the Lewisham sports clinjic receiving treatment and i the co-manager, Mr Bill ! O’Callaghan, had no hesitation in accepting a recorn- ' mendation from the team physiotherapist, Mr Graham Alison, that they should stay in Sydney for more treatment. While Proctor’s back injury and Wright’s ankle injury are rapidly improving, doubt still surrounds Bell. “We are awaiting a reassessment of the injury from the orthopaedic surgeon on Th ur sda y, ” said Mr O’Callaghan. “Any decision on a replacement depends on that report.” The good news is that Bell is now walking and jogging with greater freedom, but doubt still remains whether his knee could stand one hard jolt. Meanwhile, the other play-

ers prepared for the Western Division match knowing that they need an impressive performance to restore the prestige lost in the lilawarra flop. On Monday night the players had a long look at their form at a special session from which the team management was excluded. No-one tried to make excuses, the Kiwi skipper Ken Stirling, said afterwards. “We wanted to ensure

that the team spirit was no lost,” he said. “We discussed the losses and the drop in form and w< put it down to a lack oi thought and concentration it the games and at times a’ training.” Western Division has a reputation for playing hard and at times dirty. The attacking strength of th» Western side should conn from the centres, Briar Johnston and Mark Smith, who both played for th< N.S.W. Country seconds this year and from the loose fon ward, Luke Rosser, who is being eagerly sought by ths South Sydney coach. The New Zealand team is: Jordan, Prohm, Ah Kuoi, Williams, T. Fepuleai, Smith, Stirling, W. Henry, Taylor, Rushton, Graham, Baxendale, Eade.