RUGBY LEAGUE GAME

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 221, 15 June 1936, Page 11

RUGBY LEAGUE GAME

Representative Team To Play Auckland A GOOD SELECTION The*following reprccjentative team wa«s clioseu by the selection committee of the Wellington Rugby League, Jlcmrs. G. Bradley, F. Bcnscmau and B. Buckhind, on Saturday to play Auckland at Carlaw Park, Auckland, on the King s Birthday, June 23:— Full-back: IL Lilburne (llutt.i, captain.

Three-quarters: l‘L Gladding (St. George), S. T. Atkins (Petone), C. JlcNcil (St. George). Five-eighthw: L. Mcrtson (Contrail, A. O'Connor (St. George). Half-back: J. Comail (PetoneL

Forwardw: Front row, J. Cootes (St. George). R. Jlofeley (St. George), vicecaptain. J. Sutton (St. George). Second row: J. Gunn (Central), L. Berry (Central). Breakaway: W. Large (llutt.i. Rcb'erves: Baek, A. Jamieson i Nt. George); forward. S. F. Thorpe (Letone). . . , The players selected will tram at the Newtown Park gymnasium on '.lucvday and Thunsday evenings. SELECTION REVIEWED (Bj- Ramiileh.) There is little doubt that the team selected is the strongest that could have been got together from among the playerfs playing in the code in Wellington at present. The pack should give a good account of itself and the back line contains more than one player who is brilliant on attack. , „ , ... On Saturday's trial match H. Lilburne (Hutt) completely overshadowed W. Spencer (St. George), and bis was the. obvious selection for the full-back position. Spencer, however, did not play nearly as well as he has done in club football, and his chance should come yet. E. Gladding and C. McNeil, both of St. George, have earned their places as the wingers by consistently good performances in club matches. S. ’l. Atkins (Petone) must count hiniselt a little bit lucky being included as centre, for he has not yet this season reached form and did not play a particularly outstanding

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part in the final trial. A possible iniprovement would have been the inclusion of E. Bramble (Central), who, although not, in the picture in the first half on Saturday, gave one of the best exhibitions in'ihe second half. A. O'Connor (St. George) and L. Jlcrson (Central) should prove a first-class five-eighth combination, for both are dangerous men on attack. J. Coman (Petone), ou Saturday's exhibition, was the omy choice as half-back. JI. Atkins (Central) has played well in club football, but m the trial he played behind an overshadowed pack. He is, however, a player who will need to be watched in the future.. The performance of the forwards in Auckland will be watched with particular interest, ns New Zealand teams to have much chance against the Bnglisli* men', will need to develop the strongest possible packs. Several men with claims for inclusion have been omitted, but that ia inevitable when there is a wealth of talent offering. It is hard to Pick any man who might have been excluded to make way for players like S. I). Thorpe (Petone). C. M. Fleming (Petone) and possibly G. Swanberg (St. George). Of the men selected none are fitter than J. Cootes and R. Moisley, both of St. George. The latter should prove a good leader of the forwards, and Cootes and J. Gunn (Central) can be depended on to make the pace a hot one. The Wellington men will be niectin & what, is virtually Auckland’s second team. But the opposition will be strong, neverthekws, and the North Island selector will be keeping n. close eye on the ma tell for likely men to play the Englishmen later in the season. REPRESENTATIVE TRIAL In the representative trial match at Newtown Park on Saturday, I ossibles, 24, defeated Probables, 15. The teams were :— Possibles. Full-back, H. Lilburne (llutt), captain; three-quarters, L. Gladdin o (St. George), S. T. Atkins (Petone), t- McNeil I St. George) ; five-eighths: A. 0 Connor (St. George). L. Merson (Contra!) , half-back. J. Coman (Petone)..; forwards, front row, J. Cootes (St George) R. Moisley (St. George). M. Burns (Hutt), second row. J. Gunn (Central). J. Sutton (St. George); breakaway, S. F. Thorpe (Petone). Probables. Full-back, W. Spencer (St. George) ; three-quarters, K. Mailman (St. George), E Bramble (Central), captain, G. Newton (Petone); live-eighthfi, J. OConnor (Petone), A, Jamieson (SI. George), lialf-back. JL Atkins (Central); lorwards, front row. G. hwanbyrg (at* George), Rennie (St. George), McLennan (Hutt) ; second row. C. Berry (Central), L. Simons (St. George); breakaway, 11. Todd (Hutt). . . The game, as with most trial matches, did not. at any stage reach a very high standard, but there were numliers of last movements. Possibles domiiiajcd the scrums and went away to a IG-o lead at half-time. In the second spell Probables staged a recovery and. at. one point got.to within four points of Possibles. M Ith two alterations the Possibles team was adopted by the selectors to meet Auckland. Individual players who were prominent for Possibles were; IL Lilburne, fullback, who stemmed a number of hot attacks and did more than his own shuio of work on attack; A. O'Connor, who broke through from the live-eighth line on a number of characteristic dashes;. J, Coman. half, who, playing, behind a winning pack, was always in the picture and kicked three goals; J. Cootes and 11. Jloisley, forwards, who were always on the ball. For Probables E. Bramble, centre, ran through Possibles in the later stages of the game, although not much was seen of him before then; JI. Atkins played a game half-back game; C. Berry was one of his side’s outstanding forwards. Tile highest scorers on (lie afternoon were .Moisley and K. Jtailman, who got two tries apiece. .1. A. Scorringe came o l( for Probables, and gave a dashing exhibition. scoring a try. RESULTS ELSEWHERE By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland. —Manukau 15. beat Newton 14 : Mount Albert 10, beat. Marist 7; Ponsonby 17, beat Dcvonport 15; City IS, beat'Richmond 12. Christ church. —Addington 20, beat Linwood 11 ; Hornby 27, beat Sydenham 8.