Nineteen Kiwis in match

Press, 7 June 1982, Page 24

Nineteen Kiwis in match

By

JOHN COFFEY

At least 19 of the 23 Kiwis who next week begin their rugby league tour of Australia and Papua-New Guinea will be in action when New Zealand meets South Island at the Show Grounds on Wednesday evening. The Kiwis coach, Ces Mountford, has released six of the seven Canterbury and West Coast internationals to play for South Island. The exception is Gordon Smith, who will be the stand-off half for New Zealand.

Mr Mountford’s generosity to his opposing camp means that the game will be much more than simply an exhibition. It will serve the dual purposes of providing New Zealand with stern rivalry, and also assist South in its preparation for the vital KB Cup encounter with Brisbane at Brisbane on June 15.

Agreement has already been reached that the seven southern Kiwis will be available for South in Brisbane. In theory, South has a formidable unit — only the wings, Stephen Low and Mike Williams, and the blind-side prop, Peter Harris, have not been chosen for their country at senior level.

The composition of the

sides for Wednesday evening ensures that the individual players will begin competing for test positions from the time that the Kiwis assemble in Christchurch today. Lewis Hudson lines up in the centres against the seasoned Kiwis, James Leuluai and John Whittaker; David Field is opposed to Smith at Stand-off half; Gerard Stokes and John Griffin pack down against Peter Mellars and Howie Tamati in the frontrow; and the second-row tussle will be between Tony Coll and Wayne Dwyer, of South, and Graeme West and Mark Gillespie. However, they are not the only direct confrontations of particular interest. Michael O’Donnell, the regular Kiwi full-back until he withdrew from contention for the pending tour, is to be marked by the man who will succeed him, Gary Kemble. At loose forward, Barry Edkins, the surprise omission from the Kiwis, has a chance to challenge the selectors’ preference for the young Aucklander Hugh McGahan. McGahan, gillespie, and Mellars will be making their New Zealand debuts, for the game has been given official status. Clayton Friend, a scrum-half of considerable

talent, has been bracketed with the experienced Shane Varley, in that specialist position.

The Kiwis will be fielding the three players who did so much to assist Hull become the most successful side in Britain during the last northern winter — Kemble, Leuluai, and Dane O’Hara. Hull recently won the British Challenge Cup for the first time since 1914, and Kemble, Leuluai and O'Hara haye had time to recover from the tensions, celebrations, and exhilration of the drawn Wembley final and the triumphant replay at Leeds. Indeed, New Zealand will have potentially its fastest back-line, with the speedy Kevin Fisher lining up on the opposite wing to O’Hara. Kemble developed into a potent attacking full-back in Britain, and Leuluai has few peers as an incisive centre. Bernie Green, the 1980 Kiwi centre, has been placed alongside Hudson in the midfield for South. Green was injured in the KB Super League series and not considered for the tour to Australia and Papua New Guinea. He was to have a fitness trial at club level in Greymouth yesterday.

New Zealand has fashioned a proud test record under Mr Mountford’s guidance since 1979, when the build-up towards the Australian tour began in earnest. Whether the Kiwis have the calibre to threaten the world champion Kangaroos might be gauged from the form shown against South.

New Zealand: G. Kemble (Hull); D. B. O’Hara (Hull), J. A. Whittaker (Wellington), A. J. Leuluai (Hull), K. L. Fisher (Waikato); G. J. Smith (West Coast), S. Varley (Auckland) or C. Friend (Auckland); P. Mellars (Wellington), H. Tamati (Taranaki), B. Gall (Taranaki); G. L. West (Taranaki, captain), M. Gillespie (Auckland); H. McGahan (Auckland). Reserves: G. J. Prohm (Auckland), K. R. Tamati (Wellington), 0. Wright (Auckland).

South Island: M. W. J. O’Donnell (Canterbury); S. Low (West Coast); B. J. Green (West Coast), L. E. Hudson (Canterbury), M. J. Williams (Canterbury); D. C. Field (Canterbury), W. A. Wilson (Canterbury); G. J. Stokes (Canterbury), J. C. Griffin (West Coast), P. Harris (West Coast); W. P. Dwyer (West Coast), A. P. Coll (West Coast, captain); B. R. Edkins (Canterbury). Reserves: G. C. Roberts (Canterbury), W. J. Wallace (Canterbury), M. A. Bennett (West Coast), R. W. Dalzell (Canterbury).