REPRESENTATIVE GAMES

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 111, 12 May 1934, Page 20

REPRESENTATIVE GAMES

METHOD OF SELECTION

PICKING THE BEST PLAYER

By -Sticks.

"Welingtoa's programme of representative matches is likely to be a big one judging-from the arrangements already in hand. The decision to challenge Auckland for the New Zealand Shield is unusually interesting by reason of the fact that Wellington has not taken part in the competition for the trophy for several seasons. The Auckland team gave convincing proof of its strength in defending the shield last season, arid the AVellintgon side ; will have to be a really good one before success can be hoped for. It will be useless sending a mediocre team to Auckland just for the sake of challenging. In recent seasons there- has been a tendency sometimes to include certain players in representative , teams because they have always been available for selection, not, necessarily because of " their playing ability. This is definitely an unsound principle in important fixtures. Good-will tours are another, matter, entirely. In those cases where it.is'essential.to field nothing but'the strongest possible team the association should not agree to the selection of a weak side on tho score of convenience. It would be far better to forgo tho matches or postpone them until such time as a truly representative team can be fielded. Generally speaking, of cqurso, it is the game' that counts more than any success that may be-achieved,-/but so far as the shield match is concerned the main object of meeting Auckland is to win the trophy, if possible, and tho selection of a challenging, side that had little hope of victory would be a waste of time. There'are considerations which sometimes make it extremely difficult to get th© strongest representative team together, but when so much importance has to be attached to them it is time to call. a halt.