FIRST RUGBY TEST

Grey River Argus, 13 August 1937, Page 9

FIRST RUGBY TEST

THE TEAMS For To-morrow’s Match " KING APPOINTED CAPTAIN. I Per Press Association], WELLINGTON, August 12. The New Zealand Test team has been selected as follows:— Full-back: Taylor. Three-quarters: Dick, Sullivan and Cobden. Five-eighths: Hooper, Trevathan. Half-back: Simon. Forwards: Dalton, Lambourn, Jackson, McKenzie, Reid, King, Rankin, and Parkhill. Emergencies— Backs: Crossman and Phillips. Forwards: Ward, Milliken and Pearce. The captain is King, and the vicecaptain is Simon . WEST COASTER AS CAPTAIN. The choice of R. R. King, the West Coast loci: forward, as captain of the All Blacks for to-morrow’s match is an honour for this consistent player, who is representing the Dominion for the third year. A good judge of the run of a game, King can be relied on to do his job, his method being simply to mention what he considers to be required, and fellow players are ready to comply. To-morrow, however will not be the first occasion on which a West Coaster has led All Blacks against Springboks, as in 1921 when the previous African team 'toured the Dominion, the captain of the New Zealanders in the first two tests was a native of Buller, G. G. Aitken, then playing in Wellington. King, in view of his choice as captain to-mor-row, will probably be appointed to act in a similar capacity for the combined Buller-West Coast team against the Springboks in the maten here on Wednesday week next. Rankin Unfit replaced by r. h. ward. WELLINGTON, August 12 It is learned that J. G. Rankin, ; who was in the original selection of All Blacks, announced to-day that he < is not in a fit enough condition after a severe chill to take his place in the ( First Test side. R. H. Ward, of Southland, has been , included in Rankin’s place. I 1 Final Practice ' < SPRINGBOKS BACK IN j WELLINGTON. ) NEL MAY NOT PLAY. ’ [Per Press Association]. WELLINGTON, August 12. The Springboks held their final practice prior to the First Test at Memorial Park, Masterton, this . morning, when all of the players ; turned out for over an hour. They ( returned to Wellington in the afternoon. . , The composition of the Test side ( was decided upon after the practice, 5 but it is not ’likely to be announced 3 until Saturday morning, as the final j selection will depend on the state of the weather and the ground. It is understood that, as his recent ; form has not been of the best, the ‘ Captain, P. J. Nel, may follow C. G. ; Porter’s example in England in 1924, and omit himself from the Test team. , The visitors left Masterton well J pleased with, the hospitality extend- t ed to them.

Springbok Team NAMES ANNOUNCED. WILL BRAND PLAY? WELLINGTON, August 12. The names of the seventeen Springboks from whom the team to play New Zealand in the first test match will be chosen, were announced tonight. The forwards are complete, but two of the backs named will require to stand down. The players are: — Backs: G. H. Brand, F. G. Turner, D. O. Williams, P. J. Lyster, L. Babrow, J. White, D. H. Craven, P. de Villiers, T. A. Harris. Forwards: S. C. Louw, J. W. Lotz, C. B. Jennings, W. E. Bastard, M. A. van den Berg, W. F. Bergh, L. C. Strachan, G. L. van Reenan. “Boy” Louw is still suffering from an injured shoulder, which he received in the previous game. The inclusion of three wing threequarters may mean that Brand’s injury is more serious than was thought and Turner proved himself, in the Wellington match, a first-class fullThe listing of Harris as last of the backs may be taken to mean that the half-backs will be de Villiers and Craven. TEST REFEREE.

Mr. L. E. Macassey, of Dunedin, who has been appointed referee for the first Test, left yesterday for Wellington. He was the referee of the Wellington Springboks match last Saturday, and his refereeing is said to have earned him favourable commendation on all sides. He is an old boy of Otago Boys’ High School, where he was a member of the first fifteen, and also established a school athletic record for 100 yards. He had been club captain of the Dunedin Cpicket Club, and. as a Rugby referee has officiated in many important representative fixtures. He is a son of the late Mr. E. L. Macassey, who was for many years president of the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. A knee injury caused Mr. Macassey to retire from active participation in football after leaving the High School. . He is about 26 years of age, and is tne youngest referee to control a test match in New Zealand. test seats speculation. WELLINGTON, August 12. Striking evidence of a desire by speculators to sell tickets for seats at the Test match next Saturday Detween the All Blacks and Springboks, is afforded in the advertising columns of the local newspapers. In one I paper over one hundred advertise-

ments have appeared offering tickets for sale. The ruling prices for grandstand seats, for which the New Zealand Rugby Union charged £1 when they had them available for the public, start at 30/- and soar as high as £5 apiece. W. J. PHILLIPS. "■ H The selection of W. J. Phillips, the King Country wing-threequarter, as the additional player to be added to the list of New Zealand Rugby players chosen to train at Otaki was considered justified in Waikato. Phillips was an outstanding member of the New Zealand Maori team which toured Australia in 1934, captained by G. Nepia. He has been sipwing brilliant form in club football this season, and was included in the North Island fifteen for the interIsland match played at Wellingtin on July 10th. In this fixture, Phillips showed distinct promise, displaying plenty of pace and fine determination. REFEREES SELECTED. MR. EGGLETON AT TIMARU. WELLINGTON, August 14. The following referees have been appointed by the Referees’ Appointment Board of the New Zealand Rugby Union to officiate in matches to be played by the South African team:— August 18: v. Marlborough, Mr. A. Gordon (Manawatu). 1 August 21: v. Canterbury, Mr. J. S. King (Wellington). August 25: v. West Coast, Mr. A. B. Rowlands (South Canterbury). August 28: v. South Canterbury, Mr N. Eggleton (West Coast). September 8: v. Southland, Mr. N. O. Tilley (Otago). September 11: v. Otago, Mr. A. E. Austin (Southland). PARDON ME! A “drunk” who had seen the Springboks in action in one of the provincial matches, entered a crowded tramcar, and was loud in his praises of their play and of the spectacular passing by Danny Craven in particular. Being anxious to start a conversation he selected as his victim a small inoffensive man who was reading a newspaper. Fixing him with a glassy stare, he demanded: “What’s your opinion of Craven, eh?” The little man looked up and replied hurriedly, “Pardon me, Sir, but I'm a nonsmoker!”