Seven newcomers in N.S.W. side

Press, 12 August 1980, Page 32

Seven newcomers in N.S.W. side

The seven members of the New South Wales rugby team, who missed the game against Canterbury on Sunday have been included in the side for the final game of the tour, against MidCanterbury at Ashburton tomorrow.

There have also been three positional changes, Michael Hawker and Mitchell Cox each moving in a place to fill the five-eighths, and Peter Midway shifting from lock to the back of the scrum.

The team is: Mick Ellem; Steve Streeter, Glen de Vanza, David Cowlishaw; Mitchell Cox, Michael Hawker; Peter Carson: Peter Midway; Andy Stewart, Mick Mathers, Graeme Ewens, Simon Poidevin; Bill Lyons, Warwick Watkins, Lance Walker.

There are, however, doubts about both Cox and Poidevin. The latter has still

not fully recovered from an injury he suffered in Australia last week, and he may have to be replaced by Bob McLean. ~ , Cox suffered a thigh injury on Sunday, as also did Mick Martin and with no other backs left — the Ella brothers will return nome today so that they can play for their Randwick club tomorrow —- the side could be in the embarrassing position of having only one reserve back, the half-back, Philip Cox. The New South Wales manager, Mr Maurie Goldberg, said yesterday that his side had no-one else to blame but itself for Sunday’s loss to Canterbury. “We had Canterbury in jail and let them out,” he said, in an obvious reference to the 16-6 lead New South Wales held at half-time. “It might have been a good game, but it was idiot-

ic football if the object of the exercise is winning. Our backs were so confident after scoring three tries in the first half that they seemed to think they could run up 40 points in the second spell. This sort of thinking is suicide against anv New Zealand team.” said MiGoldberg. “If we had tightened the game up and worked our way into Canterbury’s half before trying to crack the defence, then we would have scored more tries. However, while disappointed, the team is not dejected. It has learnt a valuable lesson,” he said. The Mid-Canterbury side will not be named until today. Several first-choice players are doubtful because of injuries, and the hooker, Huia Gordon, will be in Blenheim playing for the South Island Maoris under--23 side.