Strong candidates for South rugby league pack

Press, 19 April 1980, Page 21

Strong candidates for South rugby league pack

By

JOHN COFFEY

Many of New Zealand's most notable rugby league achievements have been attained by teams comprised largely of southern forwards and Auckland backs, and there is much evidence that such a formation will be fielded in the home series against Australia this season.

Only one Auckland representative, Mark Graham, was a member of the Kiwi packs in the three tests with Britain last winter, and Graham has since transferred to Brisbane.

But the high proportion of southern forwards was not only the result of Auckland’s modest showings. Forward play is at present of a high standard in the south. That should

be obvious at the Show Grounds this afternoon when Canterbury is opposed by West Coast. Five of the forwards — Mark Broadhurst, Alan Rushton, Barry Edkins (Canterbury) and the West Coast second-row pair, Tony Coll and Ray Baxendale — have recent international experience and all must be considered strong Kiwi contenders again. Coll remains as this country’s senior and most successful forward, and Broadhurst has established himself as the first-choice open-side prop. The decision of the former Auck-

land and New Zealand front-rower, Lyndsay Proctor, to restrict himself to club level strengthens Broadhurst’s hand. The belated selection of Edkins for the third test against Britain reaped rich rewards and he must be considered as a secondrower and —if Graham is not brought back from Brisbane — loose forward. Edkins is likely to be used in the latter role by South Island, allowing Baxendale to keep his provincial pairing with Coll. Injury kept Baxendale out of contention last year and he will be especially keen to re-establish himself. His sheer consistency and all-round skills make him an ideal foil to the thrustful Coll.

Rushton, so outstanding when Canterbury easily accounted for Wellington on Easter. Sunday, is the enigma. He- was one forward who did not bow the knee to the rampant Australian packs in Australia during the 1978 tour, and he must have already surged back into the reckoning for a recall. The major decision for the South Island selectors (Messrs Harry Walker, Ces Clark and Gary Clarke) will be the posi-

tioning of Rushton when they name their sides for the match with Australia in June and the inter-dis-trict tournament in July and August. If Rushton was used as Broadhurst’s propping partner, the way would be open for John Griffin (West Coast) to be chosen as a specialist hooker. There might be a temptation, though, to increase the size of the pack by placing Rushton in the middle of the front-row. Such a course would leave a number of options. Paul Truscott returned to

his most imposing form at' Wellington and has the added value of being able to assume the hooking responsibilities if required. Another strong prospect must be the young West Coast prop, Wayne Dwyer, who scored 16 points against Auckland in the 1979 Rothmans final. The list of candidates does not end there. In the unlikely event of Baxendale being tried, as he was in Australia two years ago, as a prop, then Kevin Franklin would have a case for consideration. As a former West Coast representative, he is familiar with the style of Coll and Baxendale, and his versatility has been proven in the past.