Williams withdrawn from rugby tour

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 40

Williams withdrawn from rugby tour

.' . i : : I h ' ■ i |. NZPA-AP 1 London England’s rugby union tour to iAusfralia got off to an embarrassing start on Tuesday when i the selectors named " ; a player I who had alreadyL signed, for i a professional rugby league team. | :| I ■ ffive eighth Peter Williams was withdrawn from touring party an hour after it was announced. He told the selectors that he; had signed for Salford rugby league team on Monday for “a substantial sum” and intended making his Idebut in the professional code yesterday. • i ' i | Williams Iwas | England’s first choice five-eighth during the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand last year,

■ I ' I playing four matches. ! I He was named on Tuesday as uhderstu'dyi to Rob Andrew for Engla'ndis eight-match tour of Australia in May and June.’ i'll i ' 1 I "I didn’t! tell the :Rugby Union J that I was not available before the tour party was announced because they, did dot| bother to ring me and as<” Williams said. However I officials said all players had j been asked to state their availability, before I the tour party was selected. England wound up the Five Nations ■. season in encouraging style by i beating Ireland by a record 35-3 at Twickenham last Saturday. But it' wjll be without some top players! and the inspirational forwards coach; Roger Uttley, down,' under. | i | ,

The winger, Chris Oti, who scored tries against Ireland, will not tour because he is doing < his finals in: land management ati Cambridge University.! | : England I will also | be without the top loose forward, Peter Winterbottom,: who intends playing a season in South Africa, and the centre, Simon Halliday, who ; has business commitments. : Despite i the (withdrawals, the All Black captain, David Kirk, believes England can win the series (against Australia. ; I • j' I “England seem to, have improved with every match, and with Australia in transition, they should fancy themselves to win the | series,” Kirk wrote in “The Times” i newspaper. England has never won a

rugby test in Australia. ( The second-rower, | (John Orwin, aged 34, retains the captaincy after only 40 minutes in the Job. ( Orwin took over the leadership when the half back, Nigel Melville, 1 broke a leg just before half time at, Twickenham. ! I ■ H After such a captaincy de-: but (England was trailing 3-0, at the time), I the selectors could scarcely have looked elsewhere for - their tour leader, although the 26-man party j does • include the winger, Mike Harrison, captain for the first two games this season. I I <1 i The touring :party I contains six uncapped players .— fullback Ray Adamson, wing John Bentley,, centre John Buckton, halfback I Simon

Robscn .breakaway .Andy Robinson and number ] eight David Egerton. ; ’ I 1 Ml’ ’ i -I I’ ' Tht ! curing party ,is: • i 'll j ’‘n [I m Ful backs: Jonathan Webb, Ray Adamson.] Wings: John Bentley, Mike 1 Harrison, Rory Underwood. .Centres: Brian Barley, John Buckton, Wil Carling: Five eighths: Rob Andrew, plus one other. Halfbacks: Richard r; Harding, Simoh ißobson. No. 8s: Dean Richards,' Da,vid I Egerton. Breakaways: Mick i Skinner, Gary] Rees,! Andy Robinson. Second rowers: Wade Dooley, John] Orwin |(capt.), Nigel Redman. Props: Gareth Chilcott, (Paul Rendall, Gary Pearce, I Jeff Probyn. Hookers: Brian Moore plus one other to be nalmed.