A STRONG TEAM

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 135, 9 June 1928, Page 9

A STRONG TEAM

NOTES ON THE PLAYERS - (By "Drop-Kick.") Advices to hand from the Transvaal indicate that most of the players selected to play against the All Blacks to-day wore among those showing good form in the early matches of tho present season. If there were any surprises in the selection of the team they would be in the choice of Richter as full-back and in the omission of Townsend, the ex-Natal half. Brink was generally looked upon as Transvaal's best full-back, and.he was playing brilliantly a few weeks ago. Unless Brink was able to play Riehter must bo a very fine full-back. Townsend was showing good form, but there wore other halves also playing conspicuously, among them Devine, who was an outstanding figure in the Diggers' backs. Prinsloo, looked upon as one of the best wing-three-quarters in South Africa, plays for Pretoria, and still showing line form, he was, of course, certain of a place. The other wing-three-quarter, Liebenberg, who lias been favoured by tho Transvaal selectors, is a University player, and for T.U.O. (popularly known as "Tucs") he distinguished himself in a recent match with the other University team. Raath, who phiys for tho "Simmer and Jack" Club, is ranked as a clever centre-three-quar-ter, and Dobie, the other centre in today's team, is a consistently good performer for the Harlequins. Kotze, as fly-half, has also been giving excellent service to the Harlequins, as has Duvine for the Diggers. Of the selected forwards van Druten and Kruger, the latter being no doubt the forward of Springbok fame, have distinguished themselves in past seasons, and van Bruten, who plays for Harlequins, is regarded as one of the certainties for this year's South African Test team. Ivruger, who is a great hooker, plays for Pretoria. There is another forward of the same name in tho Pretoria Police team, but no. doubt the South African representative is the one chosen. A good understanding among the Transvaal forwards should bo provided in the fact that the selection has been made from a few clubs only. Gccro and Mortimer are associated with van Druten in the Harlequins' pack, and Nykamp plays for the same team as Kruger. Another pair in the selection, Pretorius and Oliver, play together in club football for the Diggers. Botha is no doubt the player of that name who is the leading member of the Wanderers' pack, though there is another Botha in the Pirates' team. The Transvaal selection appears to be a particularly strong one all round; in fact, it will no doubt be tougher' than that which was encountered by tho All Blacks in their second match at Capetown. The All Blacks, of course, should now be much better fitted to meet it, but once again there is cause for surprise in the selection of the New Zealand, team. Prom tho reports of the previous matches tho centre-three-quar-ter position is not as strong as it might be. A further change in scrum formation is, to say the least, risky, and the absence of the extra man outside the scrum might bo felt. Immediately behind the scrum, however, there should be a good understanding with three Wellington players in the halfback and five-eighths positions. It is to be hoped that the All Blacks in packing another now scrum will demonstrate that there is any amount of pushing power behind their big weight. If they got a fair shnro of the ball there is no reason why they should not prove an even better side than the Transvaal people apparently take them to be.