INTER-ISLAND MATCH

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 14, 17 July 1923, Page 8

INTER-ISLAND MATCH

WELLINGTON PLAYERS NOinN^ ' ATED. ■ ;

The Wellington nominees for places in the North Island team were." announced by the local selectors (Messrs. A. Wilson, H. C. Buck, and H.: Paton) to-day as follow:— ... ." .. •• ■ /^, Nts- c, thr«e:q«arter:.. K. Svenson (Athletic). ! F. Tilyard (Poneke), M. F. Nicholls (Petone). - . / A^T c'. c\ ghth 'or Half-hack:; E. Roberts (Athletic). .. Half-back: H. E. Nicholls (Petone). forwards: Osborn (Athletic), hooker, J .Duncan (Athletic), Pririgle (Oriental), C. B. Thomas ('Varsity), Rogers (Poneke). ■ • v . -

(By "Drop-kick.")

The effort of the selectors to choose the players:'who'-are deemed'to be the best in Wellington and worthy of taking place with the best thirty players in JN'ew. Zealand, will- be received with a good deal of surpise. Wellington is at the present time : somewhat weak in aome back departments, and that no doubt accounts for the absence of any nominations' of ' full-back or -wing-three-quarters, but for the other back positions the selectors have suggested players who are' likely to do well, if chosen'for the North Island teami' Roberts, of course, is the pick of the bunch, but is doubtful whether he ,will be. available for the North-South'match. Though he has come back to the game late this seaeon, he must be regarded, as' a. certainty for a place in the North Island and New Zealand, teams, if available, and accompanying that place;tKe honour:of captaining the teams'might well- be conferred upon, him. Tho nomination of the forwards is likely to 'occasion', much adverse comment. Can it be said that they are' forwards of. the calibre of the Brownlies, M'Nab, •M'Le'an, '■.'Bellis,: Jacobs, i'ogarty, and others who,in recent years, despite the ci;y about' the^de^noration of the standard,"of play,:, have proved worthy successors'to the. great New Zealand forward's 'j>f;'forine'ridays?-i.Eringle and Duncan "are ceHainly- splendid ■ forwards in the'^making, . and,, they, with the others nominated,' have good club football. But/what? of forwards'like 8., Standen :.and: J. ; Shearer?-; They are players' who; 'although older' members of the present-day school, • have quality, ability, and experience to. recommend them, players who, on the form they have been showing, and'taking into consideration the form shown by recent New Zealand teams, would do.credit.to this year's New Zealand-team.. Standen has few, if any, equals in New Zealand as a,front-ranker, arid.it- has' been quite apparent -in club\ matches : this season that he has none in' Wellington. J. Shearer is one of the'best loose forwards in Wellington, though on last Saturday's game.only he-could not be given that credit.- Eai-lier: in ,: the'season he was playing great football, and it came as a big surprise to find-that he had been omitted from the first representative team which was-chosen. Both Standen and Shearer are clever forwards. There are other forwards in Wellington, tooj who can be said to have 6hown form as good, at any- rate, as some of those who have been nominated for the North Island team. There are now, however, other , people who have a say in the choice of players to represent'the North' Island, and it may be well to mention that they need not. necessarily confine their selection' to the players nominated. . .