All Black hopefuls on trial

Press, 7 April 1987, Page 46

All Black hopefuls on trial

PA Hamilton A month which the All Black coach, Brian Lochore, believes holds the key to New Zealand’s success in the inaugural World Cup rugby tournament begins at Hamilton today with the first All Black trial. The 26-man All Black squad for the World Cup will be named after a further trial at Whangarei on May 9 and before then players will also be scrutinised in three zonal matches and the, South Pacific championship.

That is little enough time to sort out a winning squad, and Mr Lochore believes it is imperative there are no hiccups caused by players performing below expectation. “If the leading players perform well, we are in good shape,” he said yesterday. “The next month is the key to the whole thing.” The season has begun encouragingly for Mr Lochore with the outstanding success of the Barbarians in Britain — a

tour which, he said, had allowed fringe players to show up and provided a means for players to get into shape. “The season is going well so far. There are positive signs that the players are well prepared physically,” he said. The teams for the 3 p.m. trial, to be refereed by Tom Doocey, of Canterbury, are.— Possibles: Andrew Strawbridge (Waikato): Paul Simonssen (Waikato), Bernie McCahill (Auckland), Craig Dorgan (South Canterbury), Arthur Stone (Bay of Plenty),

Ronnie Preston (Bay of Plenty): Dean Kenny (Otago); Mike Brewer (Otago, captain); Paul Renton (Hawke’s Bay), Michael Speight (North Auckland), Alastair Robinson (North Auckland), Brett Harvey (Wairarapa-Bush); Steve Hotton (Otago), Bruce Hemara (Manawatu), Richard Loe (Waikato).

Reserves: Matene Love (Manawatu), John Hainsworth (Wanganui), Mark Basham (Bay of Plenty); Stephen Burkhart (Waikato) Ron Williams (North Harbour), Wayne Ranui (Bay of Plenty). Probables: Kieran Crowley (Taranaki); Bruce Smith (Bay of Plenty), Scott * Pierce

(North Harbour), Paul Cooke (Hawke's Bay), Marty Berry (Wairarapa-Bush), Steve Pokere (Wellington); Andy Donald (Wanganui); Tony Thorpe (Poverty Bay); Mark Shaw (Hawke’s Bay, captain), Gordon MacPherson (Otago), Brent Anderson (WairarapaBush), Michael Jones (Auckland); Warren Bunn (Taranaki), Hika Reid (Bay of Plenty), Phil Coffin (King Country). Reserves: Paul Turner (Otago), lan Wood (Auckland), Mark Moore (Counties); .Mark Birtwistle (Counties), Ken Parry (Counties), Andrew Campbell (King Country).