Sweeping changes in U.S. team

Press, 30 May 1987, Page 15

Sweeping changes in U.S. team

By

BRIAN CARSON

AAP Brisbane

American Eagles coach, Ron Mayes, has made sweeping changes to the side which beat Japan last Sunday in naming his team to play Australia in the rugby World Cup at Brisbane on Sunday. Missing from the United States side which scored a 21-18 win over Japan, are lock and captain Ed Burlingham, winger Mike Purcell, five-eighth Joe Clarkson, half-back Mike Saunders, flankers Blane Warhurst and Gary Lam- . bert, hooker John Everett and loose head prop Rick Bailey. The changes, eight in all, indicate Mayes has decided to rest the majority of the "A team” to concentrate on an attempt to beat England on Wednesday. Pat Johnson, aged 27, will have a baptism of fire in his first cap for the U.S.A. at hooker, against the 21-test experience of Wallaby hooker, Tom Lawton. In all there are 10 changes, including positional changes, to the first round U.S.A. squad. Outside centre, Kevin Higgins has been moved to the wing to replace Mike Purcell, nursing a badly bruised arm. Roy Helu transfers ; from inside to outside centre to fill the place left by Higgins, while Tom Vinick, aged 30, will play in the No. 12 jersey. Vinick, five-eighth Dave Horton, aged 32, and half David Dickson, aged 27, are all newcomers.

Mayes had little choice but to name Ray Nelson at full-back.

The Eagles secondstring full-back, Mike Caulder, will return home in the next few days after

badly injuring an ankle. His replacement, Dennis Shanagher, is due here in the next few days. The American Eagles seem to be following a similar pattern to that which saw Fiji suffer the indignity of a 74-13 trouncing by New Zealand earlier this week.

The days when pride stood for the opportunity to represent one’s country and to do one’s best seem gone.

Mayes said this week that being realistic, the Eagles had a huge task against Australia. When the Eagles toured Australia in 1983 they came out with honourable losses against Sydney and

Queensland but were slaughtered, 49-6, in the test.