Pokere could miss first rugby test

Press, 12 July 1984, Page 44

Pokere could miss first rugby test

NZPA staff correspondent Adelaide

The All Black centre, Steven Pokere, may miss his team’s first test against Australia on July 21, prompting suggestions that the team will summon its second back replacement within a week.

The coach, Bryce Rope, said yesterday an injury to Pokere’s right ankle and foot was not mending as quickly as had been expected and he now had to be considered “doubtful” for the opening international.

“The bruising has come out on his foot for the first time since the injury occurred and that is always an encouraging sign,” Mr Rope said. “But Steve’s still very sore and not

sure whether he will make the test. “In the meantime, it isn’t fair to put such a heavy workload on Warwick Taylor and Craig Green. If Steve isn’t any better tomorrow we’ll have to think about calling for another centre,” he said yesterday. Mr Rope said a faint chance existed that Pokere would play in Sunday’s match against Western Australia at Perth. That possibility and the need for a replacement would be considered today at the team’s first training session in the Western Australian capital. “If he’s still sore and not moving freely we will have to consider a replacement,” he said. “It’s not fair that because Steve is our only other centre, Warwick and Craig should have to play in

every match. We also have the test to consider. “It’s a little over a week away and if Steve is sore tomorrow his chances of being 100 per cent for the test are small. We are going to need back-up there obviously.” Pokere’s only appearance on tour so far was against Queensland B, when his injury occurred. Green played in that match at second five eighths and against New South Wales as Pokere’s replacement at centre. The Canterbury utility back played his third match in succession last night against South Australia and will probably stretch his tour record to four matches against West Australia on Sunday. That match, if Pokere is

unfit, will be Taylor’s third.

Bernie Fraser’s addition to the touring party as a replacement for the injured John Kirwan has increased the party’s strength to 28, but that will revert to 27 when Kirwan returns home tomorrow.

If Mr Rope feels an extra player is required he can summon one as an addition to the touring party rather than a straight replacement for Pokere who will remain with the team, playing again when he recovers full fitness.

The choice of a centre replacement will be difficult. One candidate is Canterbury’s former New Zealand Maori player, Victor Simpson, who can play both at centre and on the wing.

His versatility will be valuable to the All Blacks who, with Kirwan’s departure, have only three wings and two fit centres.

Mr Rope commented that the battle for wing places in the All Black’s first test side had become more intense with Kirwan’s departure.

Fraser had arrived in Australia keen to reclaim a test place, Bruce Smith remained the incumbent on the left wing and the right wing is now vacant with Kirwan’s withdrawal.

“It’s going to be a very interesting go for the test places,” Mr Rope said. “They could go any way. Bernie can really only play on the left wing but Mike (Clamp) and Bruce can alternate so a variety of combinations is possible.”

General forecast: Cloudy with showery periods in most districts, moderate northerly winds. District forecasts: Canterbury: Moderate northerlies predominating,. showers about the High Country. Mainly dry in the east with high cloud. Marlborough Nelson Westland: Cloudy with occasional rain, moderate northerlies, tending northeast in Westland.

CHRISTCHURCH READINGS

Observations taken at the Meteorological Office, Christchurch Airport, yesterday. , Barometer: .... 6 p.m. ll'p.m. Millibars .... 1016.8 1014.1 1 Temperature: deg. Maximum (to 6 p.m.) . . 12 Rainfall: mm. 9 a.m. to 11 p.m Nil To date this month. ... 42 J To date this year 365 To date last year 316 Average to date 360 Average for July 62 Wettest July (1977).... 181 Driest July (1967) 5 1 Sunshine: hrs Yesterday 2 hr 35 min 1 To date this month. ... 29 ‘ To date this year 1098 To date last year 1079 Average for July 122 ' Humidity: < Per cent at noon 75 ‘ Per cent at 6 p.m 72 Temperatures and rainfall for j the 24 hours to 9 a.m. yesterday: j Maximum 11 deg, minimum —1 j deg, grass —2 deg, rainfall 0 ; SUN, MOON, AND TIDES : Sun — Today: Rises, 7.59 a.m.; 1 sets, 5.11 p.m. Tomorrow: I Rises, 7.58 a.m.; sets, 5.12 1 p.m. ! Moon — today: Rises, 3.59 1 p.m.; sets, 7.16 a.m. To- 1 morrow: Rises, 4.56 p.m.; sets 8.11 a.m. 1 High tide at Lyttelton — To- • day: 3.28 a.m. and 3.56 1 p.m. Tomorrow: 4.16 a.m. ! and 4.44 p.m. (lake For- ! syth, subtract 60min, ’ Akaroa subtract 45min, I Port Levy, subtract 30min; 1 Ashburton and Rakaia, subtract 25min; Kaikoura 1 add 17min; Kaiapoi and 1 Sumner, add 30min.) Phases of Moon I Full moon: tomorrow. Last quarter: July 21 I New moon: July 28 I First quarter: August 4. < NOON WEATHER [ Auckland: 14deg. cloudy, N.E., ; 10 knots. :

Buller: overcast and cool, rain periods, north-easter-lies. Tomorrow: Mainly fine but a brief south-west change with showers likely in Canterbury. Elsewhere, westerlies with occasional showers. Extended range forecast to Sunday: Dry northwesterlies at first in the east, some showers in the west, turning to southeasterlies with rain in all districts from Friday.

Wellington: 2deg., showers, N.E., 12 knots. Christchurch: lldeg., cloudy, E., 9 knots. Dunedin: lOdeg., partly cloudy, N.E., 13 knots. AIR POLLUTION. Christchurch readings to 8 a.m. yesterday: Smoke, low; sulphur dioxide, low. WORLD WEATHER Minimum and maximum temperatures in the main Australian cities yesterday were: Adelaide, 6, 16; Brisbane, 15, 21; Canberra, -1,11; Darwin, 19, 29; Hobart, 4, 13; Melbourne, 9, 16; Perth, 5, 15; Sydney, 6, 18. Minimum and maximum temperatures in the main cities of the world in the last 24 hours were: Amsterdam, 16, 26; Athens, 18, 29; Bahrain, 30, 41; Bangkok, 28, 33; Beirut, 22, 28; Belgrade, 12, 26; Berlin, 15, 33; Bogota, 5, 19; Brussels, 15, 27; Buenos Aires, 10, 13; Cairo, 19, 31; Calgary, 8, 25; Caracas, 20, 28; Chicago, 19, 35; Copenhagen, 15, 24; Dublin, 14, 18; Frankfurt, 17, 33; Geneva, 14, 32; Havana, 22, 30; Hong Kong, 25, 29; Honolulu, 23, 29; Islamabad, 23, 33; Jakarta, 22, 32; Jerusalem, 20, 31; Johannesburg, 4, 13; Kuala Lumpur, 23, 32; Lima, 15, 20; Lisbon, 15, 26; London, 16, 22; Los Angeles, 20, 35; Madrid, 15, 35; Manila, 24, 33; Mexico City, 12, 22; Montevideo, 13, 15; Montreal, 15, 25; Moscow, 14, 22; Nassau, 20, 31; New Delhi, 23, 35; New York, 15, 26; Nicosia, 18, 36; Oslo, 13, 23; Paris, 20, 33; Peking, 21, 28; Rio de Janeiro, 16, 30; Rome, 16, 30; San Francisco, 11, 21; San Juan, 26, 31; Santiago, 7, 12; Sao Paulo, 14, 25; Seoul, 23, 30; Singapore, 26, 30; Stockholm, 14, 28; Taipei, 27, 33; Tel Aviv, 24, 30; Tokyo, 20, 28; Toronto, 16, 26; Vancouver, 10, 20; Vienna, 11, 23; Warsaw, 10, 22.