Maoris forced to rely on forward power tonight

Press, 9 May 1979, Page 42

Maoris forced to rely on forward power tonight

NZPA Lismore The New Zealand Maoris will be relying on the power of an eight-man push to help overcome the lack of hooking skills when they play New South Wales C o u n try under the floodlights here this evening. The Wellington flanker, Paul Quinn has been entrusted with the hooking task following the injury suffered by Felix O’Carroll against Queensland and the subsequent suspension of his replacement, Frank Walker. Quinn, aged 26, who marked his debut for the Maoris with the only try in the 18-all draw with Queensland, recently played most of a club game as a hooker and filled the role for the final five minutes of the Queensland game, winning the only scrum. The Auckland prop, Leon Toki, will be the reserve hooker.

Unfortunately for the Maoris, N.S.W. Country has a strong and experienced front row with its 27-year-old captain Warwick Watson as hooker. Watson is a reserve in the N.S.W. State

teams to play the Maoris in Sydney on Sunday, as is his 29-year-old tighthead prop, John Dawson. The Maoris have made nine changes to the team fielded against Queensland. Coach Percy Erceg said that for the remaining five games on the team’s Australian and Pacific Islands tour he would want to field as strong a combination as possible. “I think it is going to be a very hard game tomorrow,” he said. Country have a number of state players who will be out t<7 impress with a view to making the Australian team for the tests against Ireland. We have got quite a few new players in the team and they know they will have to work hard to get further recognition on tour.” The team had a solid training session yesterday and last evening was given a light run under the $120,000 floodlighting at the match venue, Oakes Oval. The superb lights, put in a year ago and partly financed by World Series cricket promoter Kerry Packer, are among the best on any ground in Australia and are

expected to provide no problems for either team. The Maoris captain, Mac McCaliion, said that in spite of the expected soft ground, following heavy rain earlier this week, the match would produce some open, running rugby in the Maori style. He hopes that the loose trio comprising himself, Nehemiah Melson and Frank Shelford will show speed to any break-down in play. “That is one area where I felt we could learn something from the way Queensland played on Sunday,” he said. N.S.W. country . is undergoing team rebuilding after losing a number of its stars to Queensland three or four years ago. Country has already played Poverty Bay, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Sydney. The gradual progression of its game was reflected in Sydney on Saturday when the starstudded Sydney side snatched 13-9 with a try three min from full time. Today’s game is the final in a four match tour for Country, and the team is

showing improved cohesion. It has a pacy three-quarter line, which includes the Australian representatives Steve Streeter and Biil McKidd and the newly selected state winger Peter McPherson. The half-back David Forsythe has also been chosen for N.S.W. and is a contender for the Australian side. McAuley said he was not overawed by the Maoris’ effort in drawing with Queensland and said he expected an exciting match. Meanwhile the right shoulder of O’Carroll is responding well to treatment and there are hopes that he will be fit enough to be considered for selection on Sunday. The Maori team is: Andy Baker; Fred Woodman, Eddie Stokes, Pat Yates; Jemi Wiki, Tu Wyllie; Steven Griffin; Mac McCallion (captain); Nehemiah Melson, Vance Stewart, John Guest, Frank Shelford; Norman Morrow, Paul Quinn, Billy Bush. Reserves: Leon Toki, Jim Love, Mike Burgoyne, Shane Gibbons, Richard Dunn, Casey Wanoa.