Gatland misses out

Press, 13 September 1988, Page 44

Gatland misses out

PA Wellington Warren Gatland, the Waikato and All Black hooker who toured Australia as understudy to ’ Sean Fitzpatrick, is the only glaring omission from the 30-player development squad for the 1991 World Cup released by the New Zealand Rugby Football Union. Gatland was selected ahead of Wellington’s Hika Reid for the tour of Australia, with the 1991 World Cup in mind. However, he could still make the squad as the New Zealand selectors — Alex Wyllie, Earle Kirton and Lane Penn — are yet to name six more players to take the total squad number to 36. The squad is the first stage of the development programme aimed at seeing the All Blacks successfully defend the World Cup in 1991. It includes six players who have already worn the All Black colour albeit not in tests, v The six are the Canterbury halfback, Graeme

Bachop, Hawke’s Bay midfield back, Matthew Cooper, Waikato’s Jasin Goldsmith, Shayne Philpott who went to Australia as a late replacement, Paul Simonsson from Waikato, and the North Harbour prop, Ron Williams.

The Taranaki halfback, Alan Crowley, and the Canterbury loose forward, Dallas Seymour have represented New Zealand as sevens players in Hong Kong and Sydney.

The North Auckland fullback, Warren Johnston, Simonsson, the Otago wing, John Timu and Goldsmith, who are all in the squad, have also been named for the New Zealand Maoris tour of France with deviations to Italy, Spain and Argentina.

Other youngsters in the squad who have made an impact this year at representative level include Waikato’s Darryl Halligan, Aucklanders Craig Innes and Va’aga Tuigamala, the Gordon brothers Stephen and Rob and

Wanganui’s Brendon Follows.

The squad will assemble for a week-end coaching school in Upper Hutt on October 7. The squad is:— Backs: Graeme Bachop (Canterbury), John Carter (Auckland), Matthew Cooper (Hawkes Bay), Alan Crowley (Taranaki), Craig Dorgan (South Canterbury), Jasin Goldsmith (Waikato), Darryl Halligan (Waikato), Craig Innes (Auckland), Warren

Johnston (North Auckland), Andrew McCormick (Canterbury), Shayne Philpott (Canterbury), Matthew Ridge (Auckland), Eugene Sharrock (Waikato), Paul Simonsson (Waikato), John Timu (Otago), Va’aga Tuigamala (Auckland) Forwards: Michael Barry (North Auckland), Phillip Coffin (Auckland), Chris Earl (Canterbury), Brendon Follows (Wanganui), Stephen Gordon (Waikato), Rob Gordon (Waikato), Laurence Hullena (Wellington), lan Jones (North Auckland), Lee McDonald (Mid-Canterbury), Adrian McKenzie (Manawatu), John Plumtree (Taranaki), Kevin Schuler (Manawatu), Dallas Seymour (Canterbury), Ron Williams (North Harbour).