N.S.W. EXPECT TO BEAT ALL BLACKS TO-MORROW

Grey River Argus, 20 June 1947, Page 3

N.S.W. EXPECT TO BEAT ALL BLACKS TO-MORROW

Team Slightly Altered

(Rec. 11.26) SYDNEY, June 19. The New South Wales team to meet the All Blacks at Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday is as follows: Full-back, B. Piper; three-quar-ters, C. Eastes, T. Allan,' M. Howell, T. Macßride; halves, J. Cremin, C. Burke; forwards, C. Windon, A. Buchan, R. Cornforth, P. Hardcastle (captain), D. Kraefft, D. Keller, D. Furness, E. Tweedale. The New South Wales selectors nave again gone contrary to the Australian selectors in preferring F’urness to Kearney as hooker. Furness out-hooked Catley in the first match between the State and New Zealand, but Catley outhooked Kearney in the first test. It is quite possible that with increasing experience of the Australian hooking rule interpretations, Catley will out-hook Furness on Saturday. The alterations in the home backline are somewhat speculative. Walker, although brilliant in attack, if given room to move, is uncertain on defence.- However, by dropping him, the selectors have broken up the Walker-Eastes combination, which has been outstandingly successful all this season, except in matches against the AU Blacks.

It is doubtful if the selectors have improved the defence by putting MacBride at centre, although his cleverness in attack is considerable. The selectors evidently consider his great speed will be more valuable at centre than on the wing.

Allan, probably the soundest centre of them all, has been placed on the wing because of his lack of recent match play through injury. Allan is playing to make sure of his place in the team for Britain, and can be depended upon to try his hardest. •

The All Blacks’ trouble will be. not so much the quality of the opposition as the amount of playing and travelling they have done in the last eight days, combined with the number of players injured. The All Blacks arrive back from Queensland to-morrow afternoon. They will have only a light training run before the game on,Saturday.

Australians make no secret of their confidence that New South Wales will win again. Much will again depend on the hard-working and battle-scarred All Black forwards. Considering all their difficulties and troubles, it would be a ■great performance for the All Blacks to win.