Strong Wgtn league side

Press, 16 August 1978, Page 42

Strong Wgtn league side

By JOHN COFFEY Wellington has probably never before fielded a potentially stronger rugby league team than that which will meet Canterbury in the Rothmans tournament semifinal on Saturday. Wellington, motivated by the wrangle which followed its use of an unregistered player in earlier Rothmans rounds and dedicated to the cause of retaining its Amco Cup status, is capable of severely troubling the muchimproved Canterbury combination. Robbie Muller, a former New Zealand 19-years fullback who has apparently now had his transfer from Northland officially approved by the code’s national council, has been named as a wing by the Wellington selectors. There are no obvious weak links in the side. The presence of five recent internationals. Warren Collicoat, [John O’Sullivan, Whetu Henry, John Whittaker and Whare Henry, is complemented by the inclusion I of three 1978 Kiwi trialists,

Jake Jacobsen, Huka Love and Brian Jolley, and the New Zealand Maoris representatives, Kevin Tamati and Nolan Tupae. Wellington has recovered impressively from the decisive Amco Cup beating it received from Illawarra at. Wollongong in March. It has already gained a narrow home victory over Canterbury and its only losses in eight other fixtures were to West Coast and Canterbury on consecutive- days at Queen’s Birthday week-end. The Canterbury side, announced yesterday, is much as expected, although some doubt surrounds the fitness of a prop, Steve Brewster, who was not able to play for his club, Hornby last Saturday 7 because of injury. Brewster’s position will not be confirmed until the final training run tomorrow evening.

If Brewster is forced to withdraw, Danny Millward will move from the reserves’ bench to the front-row and Wayne Wallace will be the substitute forward.

Mr Peter Yaxley, the convener of the Canterbury

panel, emphasised yesterday that Wallace and Paul McCone had been omitted from the side only because Rothmans tournament rules restrict teams to 15 players. They had been retained in the squad. Three changes have been made from the side which eliminated West Coast at Greymouth last month. Michael O’Donnell is in the centres, with Mocky Brereton shifting to the wing in place of McCone; the province’s other Kiwi, Alan Rushton, has deposed Millward as hooker; and Paul Truscott, a replacement at Greymouth, holds a place in the pack at Wallace’s expense.

Unusually, the Papanui XIII which has dominated the club premiership this winter has no representatives in the first XIII — a contrast to 12 months ago when eight of its players appeared in the corresponding match, won, 21-20, by Wellington. The outcome of the first South Island second-division series is also to be decided on Saturday. Canterbury B needs only a win over Marl-

borough-Tasman Bays to clinch the title, while West Coast B and Otago are also to meet at the Show Grounds. The teams named yesterday are: — Canterbury A: R. L. Alfeld; F. A. Lawrence, M. W. J. O’Donnell, K. A. Franklin, M. P. Brereton; D. C. Field, W. A, Wilson (captain); S. J. Brewster, A. P. Rushton, T. J. Gillman; R. W. Dalzell, P. W. Truscott; B. R. Edkins. Reserves: P. J. Tairi, L. D. Millward.

Wellington: W. R. Colllcoat; R. Muller, T. Wharekura, J. Jacobsen, A. Brookes; J. C. O’Sullivan (captain), H. Love; Whetu Henry, B. S. Tatnall, B. Jolley; Whare Henry, K, R. Tamati; J. A. Whittaker. Reserves: N. J. Tupaea, E. Allbright. Canterbury B: R. B. Burns; H. W. October, K. G. Steel, M. J. Kelly, K. Kelly; M. A. Manson (captain), M. R. French; P. A. Sturgeon, J. McGuiness, D. Taylor; J. P. Cole, S. P. Bazeley; D. McLaughlan. Reserves: J. Wesley, S. McLaughlan. Canterbury B training tomorrow (Thursday), Spreydon Domain, 5.30 p.m. — Advertisement.