ALL BUCK TRIALS

Grey River Argus, 11 June 1935, Page 6

ALL BUCK TRIALS

SOUTH ISLAND SELECTION Some Criticism (Per Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, June 10. 'The following players have been chosen from the South Island trials by the New Zealand selectors to take part in the New Zealand Possibles v. Probables matches to be played in Wellington on Thursday and Saturday of ihis week:— Full-back: G. Gilbert. Wing three-quarters: G. F. Hart, T. ! Morrison, E. Holder. Centre three-quarters: ,L Oliver, X. Mitchell. Half-back: IL Simon. Forwards: L. George, J. Here, G. Adkins, O. llattersley G. Orman, F. \ orrath. J. Best, R. King, IL Deavoll, G. Giddings, F. Green and L. Niven. NORTH ISLAND MEN. WELLINGTON. June 10. The selection of the teams t-o take part in the North Island Possibles v. Probables Rugby match, to be played at Palmerston North on Tuesday, has quickened interest in the progress of the trials. Any doubt as Io whether those of last, year’s New Zealand team -who were omitted from the trial at W'anganui would bo give l their chance in the present serie, of trials ha s been removed. The Wai g: n i trial to a large extent, was us< .1 the purpose of seeing how certain of the players compared with others whose immediate past form was well known to the selectors. Those in the latter class are now being brought forward to show how their form compares with that of last year. Pollock, Bui lock-Douglas. Lilburne, Page, Griffiths, Kilby, Andrews (who dropped out of last year’s team for Austral.a). and Lanibourn (unable to play at Wanganui) are now ea'led upon to show where they stand. The selectors are giving others a further test, and one in particular — Tindill—receives hi s first trial. The battle for the haif-back positions in Ihe New Zealand team is providing the trials with one of their most interesting features. Competition for (fwo places is exceptionally keen, and it is unfortunate that in some trials the halves have been unevenly matched. After Tuesday ’> match there wii], la* only two trials remaining. In these it can be expected that some of th*' most interesting competition for places in the New Zealand team wil' take place. r rhe New Zealand selectors already have made up their minds about corlain players and it can be taken for granted that some of the North Is'and’s strongest candidates are ni'ssing from the teams for Tuesday’s match at Palmerston North.- Ball (Wellington') and C’ark (Taranaki) wire two of the best performers in the Wanganui trial. a s were Bush am! Corner in the Auckland trial. Then •‘here are Sadler (Wellington 5 ), Langdon (Wellington), and Carlson (Waikato). Sadler (Wellington) ami Lang don (Wellington), Tlemi (Wairarapa ) am] Collins (Taranaki) were among the best performers in the Wanganui trial, as were Bush (Auckland), Corner (Auckland) and Carlson (Waikato) in the Auckland trial. Sadler and Carlson are listed as emergencies for Tuesday’s match and they with the others mentioned must still be in the good books of the selectors. But there are others, too, who wil] be called to Wellington, though they are not wanted at Palmerston North, ami there will bp, a big contingent from the South Ts’and. It. may not be possible for Alanchester (Canterbury) to appear again in a trial owing- to the hand injury he received in the Dunedin trial, but it is not likely that he will be left, out of the New Zealand team. Among others a’so strongly ; n he running at the moment because of their form in the trials are Ball and Hart as wing three-quarters. Oliver as centre, and Horn, AlcLean, Leeson and Lovell as fonwards. CANTERBURY CHARGIN. The Canterbury papers have been very critical of some West Coast players who took part in last Saturday’s trial game, but the chief grievance seems to be Ihe non-selection of No’an as full-back in the team to go north. The “Press’ i s very emphatic, saying: “The selection of Gilbert as full back in preference to G. T. Nolan of Canterbury is difficult to understand. Nolan has not been faulted in trial matches except in Dunedin, where his handling was a little uncertain. On Saturday he played magnificent’v behind a losing team. Ho is a bettor full-back than Gilbert on form this season, and there are ample indications that if he »was given further trial he would improve further. On his play he was entitled to 'that trial. The selection of E. Holder, of Bul'er. was not justified unless there is such a scarcity of wing three-quarters in the North Island that South Island players of average quality are required to fill places in the final trials. Busch, of Nelson is very unlucky. He had one nun only On Saturday, and then ho dazzled the defence; yet he has been dropped. The decision docs not appear to be logical, taking into account the play of the wings, who were well served with the ball.’’ The “Press” continues: One of the best front row forwards of the season. E. McKenzie, of Ashburton, who was outstanding in southern trials, was emergency for Saturday’s match, without being given a chance, and has now been omitted altogether. He may bo numbered among the unlucky. Green, of Otago is exceptionally lucky On the other hand. He was not played in the trial in Dunedin, and Saturday was his first appearance. Niven, of Otago, is another forward who. while hard working, is not up to the best A’l Black standard. The competition for positions in the front row of the scrum is unusually strong. Hore, Adkins, and Hatterslev appeal most. Hatterslev is a distinct possibility for final selection. Adkins is improving with every match. Here must be a certainty fnr the Gaffaney (South Canferbivy 5 ' ''nd K S. Afort’ock (Canterbury'' and second five-eighths respccGyrO - have been exceptionally had’v ‘■n’-ypj hr

/he trial series. Tn Tinned*bev had to n’av with L. Brown (P:i”' bury) ns half-hack, and they were starved of chances. Again on Saturday they had to play with a half-hack who was not up to standard. Mort!oek should have hecn in ihp final trials if iustice was done. The selectors stated that it is possible that further South Island names may be added to the above list. Those

additions are entirely at the discretion of the selectors and they do not intend making their announcement until after they have seen the North Island Possibles v. Probables match at Palmerston North.

'll I unlit! I'‘ll 11. Anv other players from the South Fsland required for the final trials ’.vill be notified by Wednesday at the latest.