Strong Kiwis side named

Press, 16 June 1982, Page 48

Strong Kiwis side named

NZPA correspondent Brisbane The New Zealand rugby league coach, Ces Mountford, has named one of his strongest possible combinations for the Kiwis’ opening match against Gold Coast at Southport on Thursday evening. It includes the three Hull players, Gary Kemble, Dane O’Hara, and James Leuluai, whose success with the top English club has singled them out for much attention by the Australian news media. The young scrum-half, Clayton Friend, aged 20, will make his touring debut inside the experienced Gordon Smith. The tour’s vice-captain, John Whittaker, is perhaps the only first choice back not

playing but he is being given extra time to recover from a niggling leg injury and will almost certainly play against Toowoomba on Sunday. Peter Mellars, Mark Gillespie, and Hugh McGahan are new caps in the forwards. Taranaki’s Bruce Gall, a specialist second rower, will play at prop. The match will be played under lights at the Pizzey Park ground and starts at 10 p.m. tomorrow evening. The New Zealand team for the match is: G. E. Kemble, G. J. Prohm, D. B. O’Hara, A’. J. Leuluai, K. C. Fisher, G. J. Smith, C. I. Friend, P. O. Mellars, H. K. Tamati, P. B. Gall, G. L. West (Captain), M. J. G. Gillespie, H. J. McGahan; Reserves: S. Varley or L. E. Hudson, K. R. Tamati.