Kawhena Woodman to join All Blacks

Press, 26 July 1984, Page 40

Kawhena Woodman to join All Blacks

NZPA staff correspondent Canberra The North Auckland wing, Kawhena Woodman, will join the All Black rugby team in Sydney on Friday as a replacement for the injured Bruce Smith. Woodman, aged 24, becomes the fourth new All Black to be named for this tour after Mike Clamp, Murray Pierce and Alan Whetton and follows his brother Fred, also a North Auckland wing, into international rugby. Fred played 14 matches, including three tests, for the All Blacks in 1980 and 1981. Woodman has been sum-

moned to Australia to replace Smith who injured a cruciate ligament in his right knee during the first test against Australia on Saturday. The Waikato wing will be allowed to decide whether he will return home or remain with the touring party. That decision had not been made last night. Woodman and the injured Manawatu flanker, Mark Shaw, will both join the touring team on Friday. Shaw returned home after Saturday’s test, in which he severely gashed his right calf, to be with his wife, who was ill. He is recovering from his

injury and is expected to play in the All Blacks’ match against New South Wales Country at Tamworth on Tuesday. Woodman’s arival will increase the All Blacks’ playing strength to 28. He is a strong and fast winger who won notice in New Zealand Maori teams in recent seasons. He becomes the third three-quarter replacement New Zealand’ have summoned on tour after Bernie Fraser, who replaced John Kirwan, the Auckland wing, who returned home 10 days ago, and Arthur Stone, who was called when Steven Pokere was injured.