FINAL TEST

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 38, 13 August 1920, Page 8

FINAL TEST

ENGLAND v. NEW ZEALAND

The English Bugby League footballers arrived in Wellington to-day, and -willengage in the final test with the New Zealand l'spresentJatives aft tlhe Basin Besarve, to-morrow afternoon. Although, weather prospects for their only appearance here are by no means bright the- visitors can be depended upoa to giva a fine display of their capabilities, a.particularly strong combination having been selected, for the concluding matcb of the tour. 'All members of the team are welJ-suited to wet weather conditions. They will not be able to give sucli a finished display as would be the oase on a,dry ground, but existing circumstances j should create more interest in that tho New ' Zeolandera are likely to have a better opportunity of competing more successfully with what is undoubtedly one of the greatest teams that has visitedi these shores. Among i th<» visitors is Harold Wagstaffe, who is considered one of fcha best three-quarters that have, played football, being ranked in tho same, class as "Dally" Messenger, W; Wallace, and. Gallagher. He has been paying first-class football for fourteen years, and captained Yorkshire before ho was twenty years of age, and England before he was twenty-oiio years of age. Ben. Orronow, the 'great goal-kicker, played international Bugby for Wales, and in the first test at Auckland kicked five goals; W. J. Stone is a wonderfully fast wing three-quarter, scoring three' tries and two tries in tho first andi second tests respectively; Parkin, another notable, is a most unorthodox player, extremely clever, particularly in handling the ball. Of those, playing tomorrow, Wagstaffe, Gwyn Thomas, and D. Clark were in the 1914 team which visited New Zealand. Tho game tomorrow should be one of. tho best yet* seen in Wellington. ■ . Tho teams have been chosen as follow : England : Full-back, Gwyn Thomas; wing three-quarters, W. J. Stone (right), J. A. Bacon (left); centre three-quar-ters, Harold Wagsfcaffo (captain), Evan' Davies: five-eighths, E. W. Jones; halfback, J. Parkin ; forwards, G. A. Skelhorn, J. Cartwright; J. Bowers, Ben. Gronow, H. Hiiton, and I>. Olarli. No. reserves are appointed, the. team playing short in case of accidents on the field. New Zealand : Full-back, K. Ifwerson. raptain (Auckland) ;•, three-quarters, W. Mitchell (Canterbury), J. Sanders (Canterbury), E. 'Gray (Auckland); fiveeighths. 0. Woolley (Auckland.), A. Mf'Clymont (Auckland); half-back, 0. Poison (Auckland)); forwards. S. Wallers, W. Somers, W. Stonnont, E. ,J. Bennett, N. Bass, and li. Avery (all of AuckkuwL). B-oserves : Forwards, J. Scott (Wellington), and Pukutapu (Wellington) ; backs, Salisbury (Wellington) and M. Pollock (Wellington). Messrs. S. Foster and ,'j. Wiisoii are managers of the English team; and . Messrs. G. Bradley and Ivan Culpan are managing the New Zealand team. - A curtain-raiser • will lie played between Central and Suburbs at 1.30 p.m.