Cropper makes Canty squad

Press, 1 September 1989, Page 48

Cropper makes Canty squad

By

GARY BIRKETT

and PA After playing in all 15 of Canterbury’s matches this year the Marist flanker, Murray Henderson, has been replaced by Phil Cropper for tomorrow’s vital national championship first division rugby match against Auckland at Lancaster Park. Cropper made only his second appearance for Canterbury and his first this season against Taranaki on Tuesday and the Linwood flanker obviously impressed the selec-tor-coach, Frank Jack. Cropper’s only previous appearance was as a hooker against South Canterbury in 1986. Apart from Henderson’s surprise demotion the team is the same as that

which drew, 19-19, with Bay of Plenty last Saturday. Cropper’s pace and tigerish tackling probably gave him the nod over Henderson, who has been one of Canterbury’s best performers this season. The teams are — Canterbury: Robbie Deans, Paula Bale, Andrew McCormick, Wiremu Maunsell, Warwick Taylor, Stephen Bachop, Bruce' Deans; Rob Penney, Andy Earl! Albert, Anderson (captain), Chris England, Phil Cropper, Kevin Hill, John Buchan, Chris EarL Reserves.— Backs: Graeme Bachop, Greg Coffey, Kieran Flynn. Forwards: Tavita Sio, Murray ; Henderson, John Jackson.l Auckland: Matthew Ridge; John Kirwan, Joe Stanley, Terry Wright; Craig Innes; Grant Fox;. Brent Iti; Zinzan Brooke, Bruce Morton, Marty Brooke, Gary Whetton (cap-

tain), Alan wnetton; Steve McDowell, Sean Fitzpatrick, Peter Fatiaiofa. Reserves.— Backs: Ant Strachan, John Carter, Bernie McCahill. Forwards: 010 Brown, Robin Brooke, Mark Carter. It will be Bale’s twelfth and blazer game for Canterbury. The first fiveeighths, . Stephen Bachop, already has a second Canterbury blazer to hang in his wardrobe after making his sixty-second appearance .against Taranaki. Only the centre, Andrew McCormick, and the hooker, John Buchan, have played in all 15 of Canterbury’s, previous matches. 5 .; Auckland will field the same team which downed Otago, 13-3, last Saturday. The All Black flanker, Alan Whetton, had five

stitches inserted in a head wound after leaving the field against Mid-Canter-bury on Wednesday but has been cleared to. play. According to the team manager, John Carter, the wound was caused by accidental contact with - a team-mate’s boot. Eight former Canterbury A representatives are included'ih the Canterbury B tehm to play its Auckland counterpart as one of two curtain-raisers at Lancaster'Park. The; eight players are Richard Connell, Steve Hansen, Kose Seinafo, Wayne Smith and Allan Lindsay in the backs, and Anthony Dalzell, Stephen Dods and Brent Harvey in the forwards. The team is:, Connell, Richard MacDonald, Hansen, Steve Harding; Seinafo,

Smith; Lindsay; Dalzell, Dods, Tom Coughlan. (captain),' Mark McAtamhey, Richie Flannery; Tony Ahern, Dave Burrowes, Harvey. Reserves.— Backs: Malcolm Campbell, Grant Wright; Greg Hamilton, Ross Adler. For? wards: Bruce Morton, Coliu Mansbridge, Mathew Sexton, r. Meanwhile, the AjIlL. Blacks second fiveS eighths, John Schuster,'6f'< , Wellington, has rejected ? a ? lucrative? offer to pltjy rugby league for the AUs- 4 tralian club, the New- : castle Knights, next Schuster, aged 25,/was approached by Newcastle officials early last mcHlth. The offer was believed. to be about $350,000 in-,\ eluding a big sigdihg-on ? . fee, a bonus scheme determined by the number of matches he played, a car, accommodation and a full-time job.