Canty nominates 18 for rugby trials

Press, 24 April 1984, Page 48

Canty nominates 18 for rugby trials

As befitting the holder of the Ranfurly Shield, Canterbury has nominated 18 players for the New Zealand rugby trials in Hamilton in a month. All positions are covered with the exception of hooker. John Mills, the Canterbury No. 1 last winter, has transferred to Auckland. The eight players who gained All Black honours last season are all among the nominations. That means John Ashworth, who declared himself unavailable for the England-Scot-land tour — because of farm commitments — after helping to rout the Lions in the home series, is poised to extend a long international record. Ashworth usually studies the demands of the land carefully at the start of each rugby season before signifying his availability for the various levels of the

game. It will be good news for the New Zealand selectors if he can see his path clear to the top again. The other contemporary All Blacks, all of whom toured England and Scotland, are Jock Hobbs, Murray Davie, Albert Anderson, Craig Green, Warwick Taylor, Wayne Smith and Robbie Deans. Canterbury has doubled up with its nominations for some positions, rewarding players with the honour of nomination rather than giving the national selectors a broad indication of preferences at provincial level. At lock there are three players on the list — Anderson, Tony Thorpe, a New Zealand sevens representative, and Kerry Mitchell, a triallist last year. There are two back row forwards, Dale Atkins and Andy Earl, two half-backs, Bruce Deans and Alan Lind-

say, two first five-eighths, Smith and Wayne Burleigh, and three midfield backs, Green, Taylor and Victor Simpson. Out of it all, Canterbury players should figure prominently when the trial teams are announced. The Hamilton appointment is on May 23, three days before the inter-island match in Rotorua. The Canterbury nominees are.— Backs: R. M. Deans, I. B. Deans, C. I. Green (Glenmark), W. Burleigh (New Brighton), V. L. J. Simpson (Lyttelton), W. R. Smith (Belfast), A. M. Lindsay (Shirley), A. W. McMaster, W. T. Taylor (University). Forwards: J. C. Ashworth (Kaiapoi), A. J. Thorpe (Sheffield), M. G. Davie (Albion), M. J. B. Hobbs (Christchurch), K. Mitchell (Shirley), D. B. Hayes (Kirwee), A. E. Earl (Glenmark), D. P. Atkins (University), A. Anderson (Southbridge).