Legendary centre Mike Gibson sets rugby record

Press, 15 June 1979, Page 20

Legendary centre Mike Gibson sets rugby record

NZPA

Sydney

Ireland’s legendary rugby centre. Mike Gibson, will set a world record for international appearances when he takes the field against Australia in the second test at the Svdney Cricket Ground tomorrow.

It will be the 37-year-old, Belfast solicitor’s eighty-first i international match in a dis-I tinguished career embracing' 69 tests for Ireland and 12 for the British Lions, eciips- I ing the mark established by his fellow countryman, I Willie John Mcßride. Mcßride, one of the all-1 time great locks, who still' plays club rugby in Ireland, j represented his country oni 64 occasions and made 16; appearances for the British ■ Lions. Gibson, who first tasted • international rugby back in i 1964 intended to retire after last season, but was per-■ suaded by Ireland's selectors to make himself available’ for this year’s Australian| tour.

His dedication to training! and his enthusiasm are un- i bounded and he is one of. only three of the Irish party 1 who will have played in all i eight matches of the visit. The Irish captain, Fergus I Slattery and the lock. Moss I Keane, will have also ap-| peared in every game on i tour.

“Rugby has been good to me,” reflected Gibson yesterday, ‘‘and I’ve enjoyed every minute of my long innings. ‘lt will give me a great thrill if we can beat Australia on Saturday and make it 2-0 for the series.”

Another important milestone will be reached tomorrow when Slattery gains his forty-first test cap — equalling the highest number of appearances by a flank forward. at present held by Noel Murphy, the Irish team's coach.

In naming the team for tomorrow’s final test, Ireland’s selectors have stuck by the same side that whipped Australia, 27-12, in the first international at Brisbane, on June 3. Incredibly. Tony Ward, named by the French newspaper “L’Equite” as the European “Player of the Year” after the Five Nations championship earlier this year, has failed to win a test cap in either of the two encounters.

His position as test fiveeighth has again gone to Ollie Campbell, a shock selection ahead of him in Brisbane, but who thoroughly 'justified the selectors’ faith I by playing a major role in I Australia’s downfall with a I contribution of 19 points. Both Ward and Campbell played against Sydney last i Saturday in their team’s first defeat of the Australian tour when it was beaten, | l2-16. I Ward was the selected 'five-eighth and goalkicker.

but Campbell gained a late spot by replacing the injured full-back. Rodney O’Donnell. O’Donnell was the cause of a delayed announcement of the second test side yesterday while the selectors awaited a physiotherapist’s report on the young player’s fitness. O’Donnell suffered a strained hamstring at training earlier this week and according to the coach, Murphy, was “a most unlikely starter” for the test.

But he moved freely during a solid workout yesterday morning and was named in the final Irish line-up.

“Total commitment” was the order of the day when Australia’s coach, Dave Brockhoff, assembled his team yesterday morning for full-scale training at Mackay Oval in Sydney’s Centennial Park. All members of the Australian side reported fit and looked well, tuned for a big effort in tomorrow’s vital clash. Ireland’s team for the second test is: Rodney O’Donnell; Terry Kennedy, Mike Gibson, Paul McNaughton; John Moloney, Ollie Campbell; Colin Patterson; Fergus Slattery (Captain), Willie Duggan, John O’Driscoll, Moss Keane, Harry Steele; Phil Orr, Ciaran Fitzgerald, Gerry McLoughlin. Reserves: Frank Ennis, tony Ward, Pat Whei lan, Mike Fitzpatrick, i Christy Cantillon, Dave Irwin. ' The match, which starts at j 5 p.m. (N.Z. time) will be televised live on TVI.