Taylor in Kiwi squad

Press, 24 June 1985, Page 44

Taylor in Kiwi squad

Ross Taylor, the forceful Hornby front-row forward, has been promoted to the New Zealand rugby league squad to prepare for the second test against Australia in Auckland next Sunday.

The national selectors last evening added Taylor and the Auckland and former Kiwi wing, Joe Ropati, to the 15 players who travelled to Brisbane for the opening match of the Trans-Tasman Cup series. Aged 24, Taylor is in his third representative season and has made 11 appearances for Canterbury and 12

for South Island. A hint that Taylor was in line for higher honours was given earlier this month when he was chosen as reserve forward for the New Zealand Trial XIII. The inclusion of Taylor provides the Kiwi coach, Mr Graham Lowe, with more options in seeking to fill the gap left by the injury to Dane Sorensen and nonavailability of Mark Broadhurst. Ropati, a try-scorer when the Kiwis beat Australia in Brisbane two years ago, has the opportunity to further his claims when he plays for the Central Districts

Invitation XIII against Australia at Lower Hutt on Wednesday night. The actual test team will be named later this week after all 17 players have undergone medical checks. The player in most, though not serious, doubt is the centre, Gary Prohm, who suffered a leg injury in the first test. The New Zealand squad is.— Gary Kemble, Dane O'Hara, Dean Bell, Gary Prohm, James Leuluai, Olsen Filipaina, Clayton Friend, Mark Elia, Joe Ropati, Howie Tamati, Kevin Tamati, Owen Wright, Ricky Cowan, Ross Taylor, Kurt Sorensen, Mark Graham, Hugh McGahan.