WHANGAREI RUGBY REPS.

Northern Advocate, 15 July 1933, Page 3

WHANGAREI RUGBY REPS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —1 wish to commend you on your selection of players which you consider suitable for rep honours, but in my opinion the team could' be improved by one or two alterations. According to recent reports, the A and B trials are to be held on the 20th July to meet the wishes of the selector. 1 1 do not consider trials of much use, and, judging from past performances, they have proved absolute fiascos. I understand that the Otama,tea. Rugby Union offered to play the Whangarei reps on Thursday, July 20. Would it not have been better to have accepted this offer, rather than play the trials? 1 I am confident that li» players could have been selected from the various clubs which would have done justice to the district. There are eleven or twelve certainties, and it would not have been a very hard task to choose the remainder. Had those players |been able to play against Otsfmatea, they would have had an opportunity of developing some combination, particularly in the forwards, scrum work, etc, whereas with the trials, the team selected will not have an opportunity of playing together. I would like to commend the Whangarei Rugby Union on carrying on with the club fixtures, as in the event of the Harding Shield being won there would be numerous challenges, which would mean that the majority of the players would be standing on the side-line watching only a few participate in the matches. I append a team which I consider would have * been quite suitable for meeting the Otamatea team, lam confident that' with a little coaching this could be developed into a good side. This team has been judged on the performances put up by the various players throughout the club matches, and not on the reputation of previous years: Full-back. —G. Kerr; easily the best 'full-back in the North.

Whig Three-quarter.—Morgan; real tip-top whig player, also good on attach. ■ Centre Three-quarter. —.T, Hamilton; Still easily the best in the union, and a great heady player. \ Wing Three-quarter.—lll. White; good winger. As good on defence as attack. Half-back. Walker; . performance against Old Boys_ best seen in the North for number of years. First Five-eighth. —Lawrie; good steady player, with plenty of experience. Second Five-eighth: Pickering; good oh attack, and combines exceptionally well with Hamilton. Forwards. —Front Bow: M. Morresey, real good forward: Herbert, exceptionally good hooker; M. Sperriff, still one of the best forwards in the North.

Second Row. —A. Finlayson, tip-top forward; .1, Linnell, real good for ward, particularly in the line-out; .1. Peacock, playing good football, plenty of experience; S, Allison, good forward; McKenzie, hard-working forward. - First Emergencies. —Forward; I. MeImres, good forward worthy of place in team. Backs: Holmwood, good back. Campbell, I consider to be one of the best backs in the North, but, owing to his present physical condition, I do not think it would be advisable to play him against Hokianga, as the backs on that day will have to take hard knocks, the same as forwards.—I am, etc., • COUNTRY SUPPORTER.