South backline seriously depleted by injuries

Press, 18 May 1982, Page 36

South backline seriously depleted by injuries

From JOHN COFFEY, in Hamilton Injuries have seriously depleted the backline resources of the South Island rugby league squad and a much rearranged formation will line up against Central Districts in the vital KB Super League match at Huntly tomorrow. Among the casualties are three backs with international experience, Gordon Smith, Lewis Hudson and

Bernie Green. The wing, Mike Williams, will be the other absentee from a game that South needs to win to take the lead in the interdistricts competition. The rash of injuries testifies to the force which the Northern Districts players put into their defensive work against South, at. Hamilton on Sunday. Hudson (hip), Williams (calf) and Green (ankle), all have leg injuries and could not participate in South’s

training yesterday. At least Smith is still running, and he will be the back reserve, in spite of suffering from a painful blow to his nose. It is almost certain that Green will also miss next Sunday’s fixture with Auckland. He has been advised not to play for two weeks. Because South is left with only six fully-fit backs, the Kiwi loose forward, Berry Edkins, will be placed in his alternative position of standoff half. South will have a

new centre pairing of David Field and Greg Roberts — the latter making his firstclass debut — and David Perkins and Stephen Low will be the wings. The situation with the forwards is more heartening. Rex Dalzell was rested from the match with Northern so that he would not risk aggravating a shoulder injury, and he is to replace Peter Harris in the front-row against Central. But Gary McLennan, a

replacement against Northern, had a precautionary Xray yesterday to check an ankle injury. Central has only one player in doubt. Bruce Gall, a Kiwi second-row forward in Britain and France in 1980, is being treated with anti-biotics in a bid to eledr swelling to his right shin. The popular Central coach, Alan Marshall — who has hardly stopped smiling since masterminding his fourth consecutive win at Auck-

land’s expense last Saturday — has delayed naming his side until today in the hope that Gall recovers. A remarkably strong man, Gall caused the Auckland defence many problems; but, unhappily, his handling is not always as sure as it should be. Gall is truly all heart and all thumbs. When he does hold the ball safely he is quite devastating, and his tackling rate is high. The Auckland coach, Tom Newton, also has more injury

worries’ than his Northerr counterpart, Laurie Stubbing That is hardly surprising - most of the fellows whc comprise the Northern pack give every appearance of being physically indestructable. The South team will be: Martin Bennett, Stephen Low, Greg Roberts, David Field, David Perkins, Barry Edkins, Wally Wilson, Gerard Stokes, John Griffin, Rex Dalzell, Tony Coll (captain), Wayne Dwyer, Wayne Wallace. Reserves, Gordon Smith, Peter Harris.