Schofield set to return

Press, 9 March 1984, Page 8

Schofield set to return

Only last winter Gary Schofield was in New Zealand as captain of the British amateur rugby league colts. A gifted centre, he seems certain to return in July with the full Great Britain professional team. Schofield, only 18 years of age, has made remarkable progress since he joined the powerful Hull club at the start of the present season. Not since the exceptionallytalented scrum-half, Alex Murphy, made such an impact in Australia in 1958 has Britain seriously considered anyone so young for a major tour. But Schofield, who scored tries in both “tests” against the Junior Kiwis last year, can hardly be overlooked

when the British side is announced next month.

A brilliant schoolboy player, Schofield made a brave, if lucrative, decision to link up with Hull, a club which already had a bevy of international backs from New Zealand, France, Wales and England. It did not take Schofield long to establish a permanent place in Hull’s midfield, and while other members of the 1983 amateur colts squad — among them the inside backs, David Cresser and Deryck Fox — have impressed as professionals, Schofield has out-stripped them for representative honours. Late last month Schofield made his test debut in Britain’s 10-0 victory over

France at Headingley. That capped progressive selections for the national professional colts, under 18 and under 24 teams. Schofield will have to wait another year to fulfil one of his sporting ambitions, an appearance in a Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium. In spite of two tries from its young centre, Hull was eliminated, 24-14, by St Helens in the second round.

However, Hull kept alive its hopes of retaining the British championship when it crushed Widnes, 30-12, last week-end. Schofield was again outstanding, his three tries taking his total for the season to 27 and giving him a useful lead in the individual standings.