Five Test Men Hurt

Northern Advocate, 16 June 1947, Page 5

Five Test Men Hurt

Aii Blacks

(11.30 a.m.) BRISBANE, This Day. One third of the New Zealand Rugby Union team which defeated Australia in the first test on Saturday is on the . injured list. The players are Allen, Frazer, Grant, Dalton and McLean. The assistant manager (Mr Norman McKenzie) has announced that Frazer and Grant will not be available to 1 play against New South Wales on Saturday. Grant was one of the line-out stars in the test and Frazer a performer of valuable work in the line-out and general forward play. Frazer has a oadly swollen and bruised right ankle and Grant has a shoulder injury. He was unable to raise his left arm yesterday and it is thought to have some fluid content in his shoulder. Allan was limping badly yesterday but is in the team to play Queensland today. McLean is not troubled by the effects of the concussion which sent him off during the test but has a bruised heel. Dalton has a swollen ankle. NOT FIT YET By next week-end the All Blacks will have played four matches in eight days, but the team managers believe that the team will not be thoroughly fit until the second test on June 28. The team to play Queensland today is: Fullback, Webster; threcquarters, Argus, Johnny Smith, Mason; liveeighths, Allen, Kearney; halfback. Bevan; forwards, Thorton, White, Hobbs, Dalton, Willocks, Simpson, Catley, Connolly. Queensland interest centres on whether the state’s star centre, Bourke. will play. He withdrew from the test team because of a strained shoulder. “Defeat by 13 to 5 in the first test has not disheartened Australians though there is now no chance of winning the Bledisloe Cup from New Zealand,” says the Sydney Morning Herald’s special correspondent in Brisbane. “The Australian team is very confident of winning the second test, taking heart in the fact that the New Zealanders could score only three tries, including one penalty, after having three-quarters of the game in Australian territory. NSW WAS SUPERIOR “Despite their territorial advantage the defence of the Australians was sound. “The only phase of play in which Australia was definitely outplayed was in the line-out and backing up. “The New Zealand backs, inspiringly led by Allen, did not play anything more than orthodox football, but were given too much room in which to move.” “Australia did not play as well as New South Wales did the previous Saturday,” said ti-.e New Zealand assistant manager (Mr McKenzie). “Australia did not seem to have the nip in its play that New South Wales had last week. “Possibly we caught the Australians on an off day. “On the actual play, Australia was never in it.”