OTAGO ANNOYED

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 136, 13 June 1927, Page 11

OTAGO ANNOYED

SOUTH ISLAND SELECTION

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "The Evening Post.")

; ■ .:.' DUNEDIN, This Day. In Otago Rugby circles considerable dissatisfaction has been expressed at the personnel of the South Island members of the New Zealand Selection Committee. It is felt that after last ycai-'s fiasco, when man}' men were played out of their . usual position, an " Otago nominee would have been considered this year, but once again one of the most important New Zealand Eugby centres has becir passed over. The selectors chosen are fairly well known locally. Mr. -A: E. Adams (West Coast) is wellinown as an ex-Otago University centre-three-quarter. Mr. T. Milliken' (Canterbury) is not so well known. He has. represented the New Zealand University, but his experience is much more limited than the unsuccessful Otago nominee', Mr. J. Mitchell, who represented Otago for several years and has been one of the Otago selectors for some years. Mr. Arthur Geddes (Southland) could not b<3 passed over, as he has been a New Zealand selector for some years. It looked as if the New Zealand Union was determined, to offer some sop to the minor unions. This appears to be the best reason for Mr. Adams's inclusion in the list, and, though he has done a lot for West Coast football, there seems to be little doubt -that Otago should have been considered more than was the case. Parochialism may be alleged against Otago, but the fact remains that Otago, losing only one match during the heavy season last year, had only one man in the South Island team, and yet frequently the minor unions were found with representation to which they were not justified by form or results.