THE BIG MATCH

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 16 September 1921, Page 5

THE BIG MATCH

N.Z. v. SOUTH AFRICA

(IIV TKLEGBAFH—FEEBB ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Sop. 15. under the terms of the official programme contract the teams in the matches on the Springboks' tour are not announced until the day of play, and therefore it is impossible definitely to state what the team will bo for the third test mutch on Saturday In any case, present selections are'subject to alteration before the actual game. The South Africans make a point of studying weather and ground conditions before they pick their representative fifteen, and were it not for the sake of giving time to print the team on a slip inserted in the official programme would probably not make the precise selection until the morning of the match. So many of the visitors are, however, suffering from injuries and other disabilities that their choice of a fifteen is more limited than ever before during the tour. A general idea of the probable team can be gathered by a process of elimination. The same process has been at work with the New Zealand team, but here it is rather a case of the survival of the fittest, and the performances of members of the party in training have been carefully studied by the selectors. Two recent acquisitions will in all probability be found to have justified their inclusion in the team namely, Siddells and Fea. The performance of Siddells—who, in versatility at least, recalls the great W. J. Wallace—on the wing in a practice gamo on Saturday delighted the critics There is every possibility of Siddells appearing .as wing threequarter in the test. In Fea there is a prospect of the old weakness in the centre behind the scrum being corrected. Tho position of centre threequarter is an open ono, but the form shown by Mark Nicholls leaves the question open whether ho might come to light in that position. This brings Ifwerson to second five-eighths, and establishes a good connection between the scrum and the three-quarter line. Among tho forwards it is practically certain that Bellis will play wing, where his individuality in attack and ■ defence will have freer scope. Duncan, in the opinion of many who saw j the tvo to<"t matches already played, did not really justify himself, and it I is doubtful whether he will be played on Saturday. With him goes the whole idea of hooking as a specialty. Fletcher is likely to be the companion of . Fmrartv in the front rank. Tumbull will probably be found in the rear . rank.

On the p .rt of the Springboks there is more than the usual reticence as to the composition of their representative fifteen. If among tho backs Clarkson is unable to play, as stated, and De Kock is available, while Kruger cannot figure among the forwards, the third test team will not be far to seek. The following then are the probable teams:

NEW ZEALAND

Full-back: Kingston. Three-quarters: Siddells, M. Nicholls, Steel. Five-eighths: Ifwersoh," Fea. Half: Roberts.

Wing forward: Bellis

Forwards: Fletcher, Fogarty McLean, Moffitt, Richardson, * West, Turnbull.

SOUTH AFRICA

Full-back: G. P. Morkel. Three-quarters: Van Heerden, Meyer, Strauss. Zeller.

Halves: J. P. Michau, De Kock. Forwards: "Boy" Morkel, Van Rooyen, Dv Plessis, Walker, Mellish, Mostert. Royal Morkel, Scholtz.