ALL BLACKS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 23 June 1928, Page 7

ALL BLACKS

MATCH WITH NATAL. THE TEAM SELECTED. . TEST FOR NEXT SATURDAY. (Special to Press Association). Received 9.25 a.in. to-<lay. MARITZBURG, June 22. The Now Zealand team for to-morrow will be—r Lindsay. Robilliard. Carlton, Grenside, Strang, ..Johnston, Kilby,- . Scrimshaw (rover). Swain and Hadley (bookens). M. Brownlie and McWilliams (sides), Alley (lock). Stewart and Hazlett (back row). The <>-eneral opinion is that the team for to-moirow will be a. test team for next Saturday, with two exceptions. Dallev -is almost certain to play haltback and Finlayson is certain tp go to the side of the scrum in place ot Mc»»i ilia ms. It is surprising that the selection committee continues; to play Carlton. On his performances to date lie is unquestionably a great defensive player but is not reliable in attack. Several times he has dropped passes when the wings were .in scoring position. Dailey, has had a touch oi lntiuenzii., bust will be bv next StX lt' iff 'surprising tliat Nieholls has been dropped for to-morrow after Jus excellent .performance at Pbtohefsfcroon. He wave easily the best display at liveeighths play so far on the tour. Lucas is” also considered unlucky not toy be (riven a place after his brilliance on Wednesday. Finlayson will be rested to-morrow, having played more matches than anybody else in the team. _ Lindsay, on form, has'shown lumself more reliable than Lilbume. Be Licks with better length and judgment. SELECTING- SPRINGBOK SIDE

For the past week <32 players from all over South, Africa, have been engaged in .trial games at Durban- and to-day tlie final trial will be played. The Springbok’s side will probaibly be announced in the middle..of next week. The fullback position is very open and will probaibly 'be decided after the Natal v. New Zealand matchdo-morrow. Tindall is the public fancy at present. Unfortunately several of tlie union’s best players have been injured in the trial matches. The two outstanding wings, Van Nieoerk 'and J. J. Pienaar, have been hurt. It appears that Piinsloo and Slater mill be the wingers. . Both are fast, tricky players. The centre position is very doubtful for the moment. Duffy, fine all round, was injured y^ - terday and . Aibertyn, a player of considerable experience, will probably fill the position. The five-eighths will undoubtedly be Bennie Osier and Stanley' Osier. Devine, on his great play in the Transvaal matches, must be half. . There is hardly 'likely to be any alteration in the following pack: Van Diruten, Kruger, Mostert, Preforms, Van Wyk, Dutoit, Oliver, Daueel. EXCEPTIONALLY STRONG IN FIORWAIRDS.

•Most -papers in Hie country agree that the Springbok side will be exee>ptionally strong in the forwards, bout the foaflks will not be as good as expected. Several papers have published: articles saying that the Sjptchgboks will win the first test.' . ; Mr F. AE Howard, m an airtxele m Hie “Rand Daily Mail” says: “Tlie All Blacks; after .seven., matches!,. are not nip to- expectations,/falling short or the famous 1924 side.” He says that the Springboks will win next Saturday’s test; there als not the slightest doubt that; the 'All Blacks will have to play much better football than they have done so' far. Although the hacks have played some brilliant football they would not get a,way with it against the South African side. It as accogmsed that as- in most big Rugby battles, the test mat-dli will he chiefly a fierce forward combat. Afasitert and Kruger of the profitable test side, -are the' only flayers who toured New Zealand with the 1921 Springboks. .