Vic Simpson is one of four new All Blacks

Press, 4 July 1985, Page 40

Vic Simpson is one of four new All Blacks

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

Whatever others may have thought, Victor Simpson, the livewire Canterbury centre, has never been one to doubt his own ability. And now, at the age of 25, Simpson can fairly claim to be something special.

His selection yesterday for the All Black team to tour South Africa gives Simpson a grand slam, probably a unique one, all of his own. Full national selection comes to him after having previously played for New Zealand Colts, New Zealand Juniors, New Zealand Universities and New Zealand Maoris. And, furthermore, he was chosen this year for the first New Zealand Emerging Players team. He also has the distinction of being the first All Black to be selected from the Lyttelton club, which is in its second season of senior rugby in Christchurch. Simpson is one of four new All Blacks in the party for South Africa. The others are the Taranaki wing, Bryce Robins, the North Harbour loose forward, Wayne Shelford, who, therefore, becomes the first All Black chosen from the fledgling North Harbour

union, and Steve McDowell, the Auckland, and formerly Bay of Plenty, prop, who was a reserve for the three home tests this year. Robins is the only real surprise in the team. He gets the fourth wing’s position which was generally thought to be a straight battle between the pair chosen for the Emerging Players tour, Terry Wright (Auckland) and Joe Leota (Canterbury). Both have obviously lost ground on this tour, and one of the All Black selectors, Brian Lochore, did see the strongly-built Robins have an excellent game for Taranaki in its Ranfurly Shield challenge at Lancaster Park last week. However, Robins, who is aged 26, was not a complete longshot since he was an All Black trialist earlier this season. And with 77 games for Taranaki he is not without experience. The fact that he has played some

representative rugby as a five-eighths might also have helped him. If there is an unlucky player it would have to be Wellington’s Allan Hewson, who has been trekking around with the All Blacks for the last months as a reserve. He is, in fact, the only member of the squad of 19 used for the England and Australian tests last month who has not got a trip. Quite clearly a Robbie Deans with only three club games to his credit this year was considered a better bet at full-back to Hewson, whose frailty could be cruelly exposed in South Africa. Glynn Meads, the strapping King Country No. 8, will have to wait a little longer before he joins his father as an All Black, and Simpson wins his place as, presumably, the fourth mid-field back at the expense of two very promising youngsters, lan Wood (Manawatu) and Kurt Sherlock (Auckland).

With eight selections, Auckland has something to crow about, but the Auckland coach, John Hart, must be wondering how his team is going to retain its national championship title, and, perhaps, get its hands

on the Ranfurly Shield on the same day that the final test is played in South Africa.

It could easily have been 10 from Auckland. If North Harbour had not got started this year Wayne Shelford would, no doubt have still been playing for Auckland and Hika Reid only recently returned to Bay of Plenty from Auckland — after failing to win a place in the Auckland squad.

Canterbury can claim a brief association with Shelford. He played part of last season for Albion while doing a course at Wigram — he is a physical education instructor in the Navy — and there was a possibility that he would be back for a time this winter.

What may have cost Meads a place was the decision to take four specialist locks. If so, then his bad luck is Albert Anderson’s good fortune. But then again the choice of Anderson is in line with

what looks to be a policy of leaning towards players who have strength and experience on their side.

In fact, this would have to be the most experienced All Black team ever to leave New Zealand. It would also be one of the more robust. In short, chosen to meet the conditions.

The side contains eight Maoris — Mike Clamp, Steven Pokere, Simpson, Bill Osborne, the Shelford cousins, Wayne and Frank, Scott Crichton and Reid.