SOSTER MAY BE THE STAR OF TOURING TEAM

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1947, Page 10

SOSTER MAY BE THE STAR OF TOURING TEAM

In the first 20 minutes of Sunday’s game J. Soster, the Runanga and West Coast full-back, showed the effects of his enforced spell from the game, but once he settled down, he was not far below his best form and in the second half his display was such as to inspire confidence in the team to play in the North Island. Early in the game his line kicking was poor, but once he found direction, he consistently sent Ngahere bdck 30 and 40 yards at a time, with well placed kicks. He was working under difficulties, as he was constantly harassed by the Ngahere forwards and was never given much time or space in which to work. The manner in which he stood up to the gruelling indicated that his injured shoulder, which kept him out of the game for some weeks, and also greatly prejudiced his otherwise good chances of the trip to England, is now quite recovered.

Prior to the last trials, Soster had a big reputation in Auckland. He tarnished it by his display in the trial match (when suffering from the shoulder disability), but judged on his display on Sunday, he will probably be one of the stars of the West Coast touring team and will prove to Aucklanders that he was unlucky as regards the New Zealand team. Mountford in Form

In recent games W. Mountford has proved that he is in a similar position to Soster, although his lapse from grace could not be accounted for by an injury. At the time of the trials and before he was well below his best, yzhich took him into the New Zealand team last year, but since he has played consistently well for Blackball. He was the outstanding back on the field at Blackball last Sunday and can be expected to do well, on the northern tour.

Smith Improved One of the most inconsistent players in the senior competition is A. Smith, the Ngahere inside back. Earlier this season he played well enough to get into the final South Island trial for the New Zealand team and acquitted himself with credit, although he did not make the South Island team. On his return from Christchurch, however, he played several poor games and failed to make the West Coast team chosen a little over a week ago. Last Sunday, however, he gave an excellent display as halfback for Ngahere and was one of the best backs on view at Wingham Park. If he had shown the same form the previous two or three matches he must have been a certainty for the tour. FIXTURES ARRANGED FOR WEEK-END The West Coast Rugby League’s fixtures for the week-end are as follows:— Senior.—Knock-out replay: Runanga v Ngahere, at Ngahere, 2.45 p.m. (J. Mathews). One-round: Marist v Hokitika, at Hokitika, 2.45 p.m. (J. Griffin); Blackball v Erunner, at Blackball, 2.46 p.m. (R. Baird). Senior Reserve.—Blackball v Cobden, at Wingham Park, No. 1, 2.45 p.m. (T. F. McKenzie); Lake Brunner v Paparoa, at To Kinga, 2.45 p.m. (L. Kinsella); Ngahere v Rapahoe, at Ngahere, 1.15 p.m. (W. Moore); Marist v Runanga, at Wingham Park No. 2, 2.45 p.m. (J. Quinn). Third Grade.—(one round) Runanga v Kumara, at Kumara, 2.45 p.m. (H. Eassett); Brunner v Marist, at Brunner, 2.45 p.m. (B. Casey). Fourth Grade. —Hokitika v Marist, at Hokitika, 1.30 p.m. (J. Knowles): Brunner v Blackball, at Blackball, 1.15 p.m. (E. Bassett); Runanga a bye. Midgets.—Finlay Cup final: Marist A (town section) v Brunner (country), at Wingham Park, 2.30 p.m.

Representative Trial. — Fifth grade representatives v senior schoolboys representatives team, at Wingham Park No. 2, at 1.15 p.m. (W. Hopkins).. Schoolboys.—Under 6st 71b final: Marist v Runanga, at Wingham Park No! 1, at 1.30 p.m. (K. Bullimore). Schoolboys — Saturday—Senior (one round): Kohinoor v Marist, at Victoria Park, 11 a.m. (F. Malloy). Junior (one round): Blackball v Brunner, at Brunner, 10 a.m. (A. Kennedy; Marist B v Kumara, at Victoria Park, 2.30 p.m. (W. Hopkins).

Fifth Grade Team Chosen

The West Coast fifth grade representative team to play the senior schoolboys’ representative team at Wingham Park on Sunday is as follows:—M. Roberts, B. Paterson, L. Noble, T. Baxter, V. Jefcoate (Hokitika), A. Purnell, W. Pinn, B. Dunn, R. Tinning, R» Pinn, G. Purnell (Runanga), V. Duffy, T. Rozbicki, P. Cosmo (Marist).