Stewart set to return

Press, 5 August 1981, Page 16

Stewart set to return

The three All Black selectors, Peter Burke, Bruce Rope and Stan Hill, will be at Spriggens Park this afternoon to watch Wanganui play the Springboks. But the game is unlikely to help them solve their biggest problem of finding a flanker to replace the unavailable Graham Mourie. The All Black side for the first test at Lancaster Park on Saturday week is expected to be announced tomorrow.

With illness forcing Wanganui’s Bruce Middleton out of the race, the main contenders for Mourie’s place are Ken Stewart (Southland) and Geoff Hines (Waikato). Both fill the prime requirement of being quick off the back of the line-out, although reservations may be held about them.

Stewart did not play particularly well in the recent inter-island game and while he is still only 28, it could be trying to turn the clock back to have him as the flyer to upset Naas Botha. Hines may be quicker, but he has had an interrupted season because of injuries and is not the deadly tackler that the role demands. He would, though, give more height than Stewart at the back of the lineout.

Hines’s Waikato teammate, Miah Meisom, is a possibility and an even better one might be Kevin Ramsay, of Auckland. Ramsay is a bustler and perhaps a good enough one to compensate for his lack of size.

The other problem selection is centre, where Bruce Robertson has to be replaced, Robertson having joined Mourie in not being prepared to play against the Springboks.

There is a strong body of opinion that Stuart W'ilson will be moved to centre,

where he plays his club football, and Fred Woodman will take W'ilson’s place on the right wing. This move has its dangers, breaking up as it would the Wellington wings and fullback trio of Wilson, Bernie Fraser and Alan Hewson. It is assumed that Hewson will be retained at full-back, although he might not be as comfortable against the Springboks as he was against the Scots two months ago. Hewson has his limitations, especially on defence, and it remains questionable whether he is the right player for the big occasion. Doug Rollerson played well enough for Manawatu last Saturday to hold his place at first five-eighths although he could easily be moyed out a place or even be switched to full-back.,

If it is decided to keep W’ilson on the wing, Andy Jefferd could be moved to centre, Rollerson to second five-eighths and a new first five-eighths introduced, possibly Canterbury’s Wayne Smith, whom even North Islanders agree is a footballer of rare skills.

However, such major tampering with a side that played so well in the second test against Scotland is unlikely.

The only change in the forwards, apart from Mourie, from the second Scottish test is expected to be Graeme Higginson for Hud Rickit as Andy Haden’s locking partner, with Andy Dalton taking over the captaincy. • A likely team, therefore, is:— ' ' i

Hewson; Woodman, W'ilson, Fraser; Jefferd, Rollerson; Dave Loveridge; Murray Mexted; Mark Shaw, Higginson. Haden, Stewart; Gary Knight, Dalton, Rod Ketels. Kevin McMenamin