Alfeld to make international debut

Press, 23 September 1983, Page 32

Alfeld to make international debut

JOHN COFFEY

The outstanding form shown by Robin Alfeld for Hornby, Canterbury and South Island this season has earned him selection in the New Zealand rugby league test team to meet Papua New Guinea at Auckland on October 2. Alfeld will make his international debut as a win, on the flank of an otherwise all-Auckland back-line. Hornby, and Canterbury, supporters had further cause for satisfaction when tile side was announced yes-

terday. Alfeld’s 19-year-old club-mate, Marty Crequer, has capped a thoroughly memorable first full season in premier football by being named reserve back for the Kiwis. ' Further promotion could yet lie ahead of Crequer. If Shane Varley does not meet the team’s assembly deadline of next Tuesday morning, the back formation would probably be reshuffled and Crequer placed on the other wing. Ross Williams, the executive director of the New Zealand Rugby League, yesterday sent a cable to Vari

ley’s English Club, Leigh, advising that Varley was required to return for the test before a playing clearance would be granted. Apart from Varley, Kurt Sorensen was the only overseas-based player chosen for the Kiwis. It was decided some time ago not to recall the full-time professionals in England, and both Dane Sorensen and Bruce Gall withdrew from contention because of injuries. Alfeld said yesterday that his selection was “a real opportunity’ to make an im-

pression and stay in the team,” in the first instance for the tests against Britain and Australia next year and then for the 1985 Kiwi tour to Britain and France. He still retains hopes of spending part of the offseason with Salford in the British first division, and is awaiting more word from the club. The other newcomers to the Kiwi ranks are the robust Auckland prop, Frank Tiniteila, and the reserve forward, John Ackland. The versatile Ackland was a left-arm spinner in Auckland’s Shell Series i

Cricket team in 1980-81 before spending the last southern summer with Hunslet in the British rugby league second division. With Nick Wright, Dean Bell, Joe Ropati, Varley and Ron O’Regan, New Zealand still has the nucleus of the back-line which met Australia earlier this season. Only Howie Tamati - who will captain his country in a test for the first time — Kurt Sorensen and the former reserve, lan Bell, remain of the forwards. But Owen Wright and Hugh McGahan toured Australia in 1982 and shared in the

world record 56-5 test victory over Papua New Guinea at Port Moresby. Auckland sports followers could hardly gripe with the composition of this particular football team — the only “outsiders” are Sorensen from Sydney, Tamati from Taranaki, and the Hornby pair. The team is: Nick Wright; Dean Bell, Joe Ropati, Ron O’Regan, Robin Alfeld; Shane Varley, Clayton Friend; Frank Tiniteila, Howie Tamati (captain), lan Bell; Owen Wright, Kurt Sorensen; Hugh McGahan. Reserves: Marty Crequer, John Ackland.