Hastings to play against New Zealand side in Tokyo

Press, 23 September 1987, Page 80

Hastings to play against New Zealand side in Tokyo

PA Hong Kong The Scottish fullback who remained in New Zealand after the 1987 World Cup, Gavin Hastings, has been named to play against the New Zealand team at Tokyo’s National Stadium on November 4. The invitation side includes three international captains — the Irish lock, Donal Lenihan, the Japanese flanker, Toshiyuki Hayashi and the English winger, Mike Harrison.

The President's XV, which includes three Englishmen, four Japanese, three Irishmen, three Scots, an Australian and a Welshman, is not as strong on paper as the coAll Black coach, John

Hart, initially thought it might be. There is a notable absence of top French, Australian and Welsh players who could have made the task of the New Zealand team, to be named on Sunday by the New Zealand Rugby Football Union chairman, Russell Thomas — a very difficult one.

In fact Hastings is the one man named yesterday by Mr Thomas’ Japanese counterpart, Shigeru Konno, who could be described as one of the truly outstanding 1987 World Cup performers.

But Mr Konno’s announcement that Lenihan and the Australian giant, Bill Campbell, are to lock the invitation side scrum

should serve as a warning that the final match of the New Zealanders’ . tour will be no cake walk.

The presence of the veteran Irish prop, Phil Orr, and the 28-year-old “white shark” blond Scottish flanker, John Jeffrey, will serve to accentuate this message. For Orr, who is still playing top rugby after representing Ireland against Andy Leslie’s All Blacks on Athletic Park in 1976, and back of the lineout specialist Jeffrey are also hardened international performers.

The President’s XV. — Gavin Hastings (Scotland): Michael Harrison (England), Michael Kiernan (Ireland), Seiji Mirao (Japan), I wan Tukalo (Scot-

land): Paul Turner (Wales), Yoshimitsu Konishi (Japan): Dean Richards (England): Toshiyuki Hayashi (Japan), Donal Lenihan (Ireland), Bill Campbell (Australia), John Jeffrey (Scotland): Phil Orr (Ireland), Tsuyoshi Fujita (Japan), Paul Rendall (England).

The Asian Barbarians team to play the New Zealand side at the Nishikyogoku Ground, Kyoto on October 28 is.—

Sung-Chiu Cho (Korea): Mai chen Shun (Taiwan), Keun-Young Juhg (Korea), lan Daly (Hong Kong), Shinji Onukl (Japan): Chang-Kyn Shin (Korea), Hisataka Ikuta (Japan): Hyeon Kim (Korea): Chris Christopher (Hong Kong), Dong-in Woo (Korea); Seiji Kurihara (Japan), Chice Ten Shin (Taiwan); Koji Horaguchi (Japan), Nigel Pearson (Hong King), Hiroshi Yasumi (Japan).