New look to Canty pack

Press, 25 June 1979, Page 36

New look to Canty pack

By KEVIN McMENAMIN There will be a new look about the forwards when the Canterbury rugby team has its fourth match of the season, against Mid-Canterbury at Ashburton on Wednesday. The pack contains two players who will be making their debuts for Canterbury A, the Lincoln College lock, Dave White, and the Ellesmere flanker, Barney Henderson. White, a son of the 194956 All Black. “Tiny” White, was brought into the representative squad yesterday when it became known that Graeme Higginson might not be available. Higginson was ordered off while playing for his Culverden club on Saturday and he has been ruled out because of the likelihood of a suspension. John Harwood, the usual spare lock, has a back injury. Henderson, who has played often for Canterbury B, gets his first game for the A team through the unavailability of Dave Thompson. Thompson is still being troubled by a hip injury. However, it is two changes that have been made with no thought to injuries that are most interesting. One is the placement of Alex Wyllie in the reserves — his position in the

back of the scrum going to t John Phillips — and the i other is the selection of two > tighthead props, Barry - Thompson and Bill Bush. I The forward selector, Stan Hili, said that Wyllie was > “being given a rest” and in ; respect to the props he exr plained that he wanted to , give Bush a game on the • loose-head side. The ex- ■ perience will not be new for Bush, who has filled in as a ■ loose-head prop a number of , times during his career. Partnering Wyllie in the r reserves will be Cantert bury’s usual loose-head prop, : John Ashworth. Two backs, Kieran Keane f and Randall Scott, were not • considered. Keane badly in- ; jured a knee in club football ; on Saturday and Scott was ■ not available for business ; reasons. ; In Wyllie’s absence the captain will be Murray McE- ; wan. ' The team is; • Richard Wilson, Shane ■ Gibbons, John Collinson, lan ■ Mather, Murray McEwan, ; Robbie Deans, Gary Barkle, John Phillips, Don Hayes, i Robert Johns, Dave White, i Barney Henderson, Bill ■ Bush, John Black, Barry ■ Thompson. Reserves. — Steve Scott, • Dave Ngatai, John Ashworth, Alex Wyllie.