Taylor’s comeback earns award

Press, 2 December 1987, Page 36

Taylor’s comeback earns award

By

JOHN COFFEY

Ross Taylor’s triumph over injury to earn test status last season has been recognised by the "Lion Red Rugby League Annual.” The Hornby and Canterbury front-row forward, at present spending the British winter with Hull Kingston Rovers, has been named as one of the Annual’s “players of the year.” After breaking his arm dur-

ing the 1985 Kiwi tour to Britain and France, Taylor worked hard to regain his place in the Kiwi squad and was promoted to the test teams against Papua New Guinea and Australia last July. He highlighted his return to international football by scoring a spectacular try in New Zealand’s 13-6 defeat of Australia at Brisbane. Taylor’s present term with Hull King-

ton Rovers ends in late March.

But for Taylor, the Annual’s individual awards are dominated by Auckland or former Auckland players. Dean Bell, who captained the Kiwis against Papua New Guinea, was "man of the match” in the victory over Australia and earned a string of medals with Wigan, completes a double by taking the top award. He was also the

winner of the Steve Watene Trophy as official New Zealand Rugby League “player of the year.” The joint runners-up with Taylor are the Manly-Warrin-gah and Kiwi fulLback, Darrell Williams, the St Helens and New Zealand outside back, Mark Elia, and the brilliant young Auckland, Wigan and Kiwi centre, Kevin Iro. In the “promise in store"

category are five young Aucklanders who were tourmates with the Junior Kiwis in Britain — Todd Price (Northcote), Thomas Perenara (Mt Albert), Dean Clark (Otahuhu), David Bailey (Glenora) and Jarrod McCracken (Glenora). Other provinces hoping to challenge Auckland’s top ranking will find little comfort from that, in all probability justified, imbalance.