Four Canterbury players likely in All Black team

Press, 7 September 1989, Page 40

Four Canterbury players likely in All Black team

By

BOB SCHUMACHER

Canterbury can hope for a representation of five or six but might have to settle for four players in the 30-strong All Black team to undertake a 14-match tour of British Columbia, Wales, Ireland and London next month.

The announcement of the touring rugby squad was originally planned for last Monday, but it was delayed at the behest of the selectors until September 18. The likelihood, however, is that the New Zealand selection panel of Alex Wyllie (convener), Lane Penn and John Hart will make their final deliberations before the date and the team might be available next week, possibly after the North Harbour-Otago contest on Sunday or after the Can-terbury-North Auckland fixture at Lancaster Park on Wednesday. Canterbury’s four footballers with the credentials that warrant inclusion are the All Black incumbent halfbacks, Bruce Deans and Graeme Bachop, the versatile and mercurial New Zealand Maoris midfield , back, Wiremu Maunsell, and the utility forward, Andy Earl, an All Black on 18 occasions since his debut in 1986.

Two former Canterbury All Blacks, Warwick Taylor and Albert Anderson, are worthy of more than passing attention — Taylor remains one of the safest and stoutest defenders in midfield and Anderson has not been mastered in the lineouts — but it might be that the selectors, with an eye to the future, introduce younger players in their positions. John Buchan, Chris Earl and Paula Bale, the third highest try-scorer in New Zealand first-class rugby this season, might also have their names mentioned in discussion.

They all have given distinguished service to Canterbury this year, but they are up against opposition equally as distinguished.

The choice of fullbacks does not seem to pose any headaches; John Gallagher is unchallenged as the No. 1 and Matthew Ridge, unflinching under the high ball, a resolute tackler and penetrative runner, should be cast as his understudy. Auckland is likely to supply the three wings — the present test players, John Kirwan and Terry Wright, just need their passports rubber-stamped, the newcomer will almost certainly be their team-

mate, Va’aiga Tuigamala, who has scored 19 tries this season, equal first with Wright. With three specialist wings, the selectors might gamble with Maunsell as the “floating” back. Maunsell has played in 15 of 16 Canterbury matches this season on the wing, but he has proved himself a competent midfield player at club, representative and New Zealand Maoris level.

Joe Stanley might have had a questionmark hovering over him at the start of the season, but the powerful Aucklander, one from the strong and silent draw, has more than answered his interrogators in the three home test series this year. Stanley will be one centre, the second might be his provincial teammate, Craig Innes. Innes, who will celebrate his twentieth birthday on Sunday, displaced Bernie McCahill — a regular reserve for the All Blacks this season — in the Auckland team for the matches against Otago and Canterbury. The developing Innes has more to offer than McCahill and the All Black selectors might be in agreement with the Auckland assessment.

Although the Taranaki captain, Kieran Crowley, an All Black from 1983 to 1987 at fullback, has played, and played especially well, at second fiveeighths for his province this season, he is unlikely to regain his place.

John Schuster is the first choice and the youthful Walter Little, a delightful side-stepping,

swerving player from North Harbour, seems set to rise to the highest echelon. One of the easiest decisions for the selectors will be at first five-eighths. Grant Fox and Frano Botica — and Botica can also be classified as a quality goal-kicking flyhalf — will fill those positions.

In spite of claims by northern scribes for the inclusion of Waikato’s Kevin Putt, Deans should stay the top halfback and Bachop has done nothing to deserve demotion. The forwards pose some difficulties. The certainties are the two No. Bs, Wayne Shelford and Zinzan Brooke, two flankers, Mike Brewer and Alan Whetton — Michael Jones’ serious leg injury has paved the way for another openside flanker — two locks, Gary Whetton and Murray Pierce, three props, Steve McDowell, Richard Loe and Ron Williams, and two hookers, Sean Fitzpatrick and Warren Gatland. Given that 11 of the 16 available forward places have been justifiably claimed, the swinging positions centre around an extra prop, two flankers, a lock and perhaps a tight-loose forward.

Graham Purvis, whose strength and mobility is respected enough in Waikato for him to force the All Black tight-head prop, Loe, to the loosehead side, has the right background of All Black trials and provincial play to take the ultimate step. The rave reviews given to Otago’s openside flanker, Paul Henderson,

are merited. From a notable Southland rugby family — his twin brother, David, plays a similar role for Southland, and another brother, Peter, is prop in the present Southland team — Paul Henderson is one of those electrically-charged flankers ignited from a Southland field which has produced the likes of Leicester Rutledge and Ken Stewart. Kevin Schuler, a former New Zealand Colt and national trialist, has been away from the headlines because of the demise of his province, Manawatu, to the second division this season. lan Jones, a lean and mean lock from North Auckland, has size and age on his side. He should become the specialist backup to Gary Whetton and Pierce. And Andy Earl, aggressive and able at lock, or flanker or No. 8, emerges, not for the first time, as the ideal player to cover any contingencies which might occur in those positions. A likely touring party is: Backs: John Gallagher (Wellington), Matthew Ridge (Auckland); John Kirwan (Auckland), Terry Wright (Auckland), Va’aiga Tuigamala (Auckland); Joe Stanley (Auckland), Craig Innes (Auckland), Wiremu Maunsell (Canterbury); John Schuster (Wellington), Walter Little (North Harbour), Frano Botica (North Harbour), Grant Fox (Auckland); Bruce Deans (Canterbury), Graeme Bachop (Canterbury). Forwards: Wayne Shelford (North Harbour), Zinzan Brooke (Auckland); Mike Brewer (Otago), Paul Henderson (Otago), Alan Whetton (Auckland), Kevin Schuler (Manawatu); Gary Whetton (Auckland), Murray Pierce (Wellington), Andy Earl (Canterbury), lan Jones (North Auckland); Steve McDowell (Auckland), Richard Loe (Waikato), Ron Williams (North Harbour), Graham Purvis (Waikato); Sean Fitzpatrick (Auckland), Warren Gatland (Waikato). The itinerary is: October. 8: v. British Columbia, Vancouver; 14: v. Cardiff, Cardiff; 18: v. Pontypool, Pontypool; 21: v. Swansea, Swansea; 25: v. Neath, Neath; 28: v. Llanelli, Llanelli; 31: v. Newport, Newport. November: 4: v. Wales, Cardiff; 8: v. Leinster, Dublin; 11: v. Munster, Cork; 14: v. Connacht, Galway; 18: v. Ireland, Dublin; 21: v. Ulster, Belfast; 25: v. Barbarians, Twickenham.