Mercer given fullback spot

Press, 30 September 1988, Page 44

Mercer given fullback spot

PA Hamilton New Zealand’s rugby league selectors last evening plumped for the Bay of Plenty utility, Gary Mercer, as their shadow World Cup final fullback, ahead of the two used in that position in yesterday’s first trial at Rugby Park. Mercer was named in a World Cup XIII which will play a President’s XIII at Carlaw Park on Sunday in the final trial to select the New Zealand side to play Australia at Eden Park on October 9. Mercer is primarily a wing and in that position scored for the Kiwis in their 13-6 win over the Kangaroos at Brisbane last year. He plays for his club, Rotorua Central, as a standoff but lined up at fullback for the Rest of the World team which played Australia in the bicentenary match at Sydney in July. Yesterday’s two fullbacks, Auckland’s Paddy Tuimavave and Tony Kemp, the Wellington and Newcastle player, have been retained for Sunday, although Tuimavave is only the reserve back for the World Cup selection. Kemp holds his place, despite being in a Northern Invitation team which was hammered 58-14 yesterday. Of the New Zealand side which beat Papua New Guinea and Britain during the winter, only six are in the World Cup shadow side and of those Mercer has changed position. New Zealand XIII 58 (Kurt Sherlock (2), Paddy Tuimavave, Shane Horo, Gary Freeman, Ross Taylor, Sam Stewart, Mark Horo, Justin Wallace, Peter Brown tries; Brown kicked eight conversions, one penalty goal) Northern Invitation XIII 14 (Mark Elia, Dean Lonergan, James Leuluai tries; Paul Nahu penalty goal). Half-time 26-2. Teams for final trial: World Cup team; Gary Mercer; Tony Iro, Kevin Iro, Dean Bell, Joe Ropati, Gary Freeman, Clayton Friend; Peter Brown, Wayne Wallace, Adrian Shelford; Sam Stewart, Kurt Sorenson; Mark Graham. Reserves: Paddy Tuimavave, Mark Horo. President’s XIII: Tony Kemp; Shane Horo, Paul Nahu, Kurt Sherlock, Mark Elia, Shane Cooper, James Leuluai; Ricky Cowan, Barry Harvey, Ross Taylor; George Mann, Se’e Solomona; Shane Hanson. Reserves: Walter Toka, Justin Wallace, Mark Woods, Dean Lonergan.