Many Changes In North Team To Play Otago

Northern Advocate, 16 August 1949, Page 4

Many Changes In North Team To Play Otago

THE complete discard of the inside backs and the intro duction of three new forwards highlight the selection by M? E. Griffin of the Northland Rugby representative team to play Otago at Whangarei on August 24. . • The inside backs Were the obvious weakness against Auckland and Mr Griffin is to be commended on giving three young players in P. Cherrington, Perrin and Dunn the opportunity to prove themselves. The team is

Fullback, V. Pearson (Bay); threequarters, N. Cherrington (Bay), J. B. Smith (Bay), captain, B. Beazley (Whangarei). five-eighths, J. Perrin (Bay), first, E. Dunn * Whangarei); halfback, P. Cherrington (Bay); front row, S. Simons (NW), J. Te Haara (NW), S. White (Mangonui); middle row, T. McHugh (Bay), I. Fraser (Whangarei), C. Sterling (Bay), C. Mcßae (Rodney); back row, E. Jerkovich (NW).

Reserves.—Backs, R. Langdon (Whangarei), J. Murray (Mangonui); forwards, I. Stanaway (NW), R. Marinkovic (Whangarei). Fullback Pearson had a very unhappy time against Auckland, but did not put a foot wrong in the Prince of Wales Cup match on Saturday. INSIDE BACKS CHANGED Dunn, who was favoured for the fullback position, has been included as second fivp-eighths. He is without a doubt the best back in Whangarei and is a g r and utility man. He toured as fullback with the Northland team last 'season and this year has played at fullback, centre and second five-eighths in Whangarei. Beazley, whose form at second fiveeighths in recent matches has been very poor, has been shifted to the wing, a position to which he seems much more suited. He has replaced the solid Langdon, who has been relegated to the emergencies. -Perrin has come in as first fiveeighths in place of Murray, who also is an emergency. Perrin was most impressive in the Maori-Pakeha trial at Kaikohe during the 15 minutes he was on the field. He handled splendidly and displayed thrust that has been lacking in the Northland team. Phil Cherrington must have played himself into thp team after his dynamic performance in the cup match on Saturday. His smartness and initiative should make a tremendous difference to the Northland team, and he lacks nothing in solidity. As an. attacking unit, the backlinp looks most impressive. EMPHASIS ON WEIGHT Knowing the traditional strength of the Otago forwards, Mr Griffin has obviously made an endeavour to field a weighty pack. The shifting of Simons from breakaway to front row and the placing of White on the other side of Te Haara would 1 appear to emphasise this policy.

The other five forwards are all round the 14 stone mark.

Sterling was not available for the Auckland match, but his recent form has been anything but impressive. He has been playing far too loosely and has been conceding too many penalties. Jerkovich was a last-minute reserve for the Auckland match after Sterling’s defection. He is a good honest worker in the tight. The inclusion of Marinkovic in the reserves is a reward for consistently good football, and an indication that he may soon gain a place in the eight. Stanaway has been dropped from the front row to the reserves and J. Isaacs and Grove have been discarded. The Northland pack has a tremendous responsibility in the Otago match. Should it succeed in gaining possession, the Northland backs are capable of capitalising. THE OTAGO SIDE The Otago touring team will comprise the following players: Backs: R. Orr, ft. H. Bell, C. J. McDonald, G. J. Moore, W. I. Perriam, J. Graham, L. Woodhouse, A. McGill, N. McKenzie, D. R. Wightman. Forwards: C. M. Garden, C. Todd, L. Hamilton, A. E. Hellver, J. Q. Pilling, H. W. Wilson, W. McNab, W. A. Lunn, K. J. O'Connor, I. McKnight, L. L. Thompson. R. F. Waldron (back) was not available. Otago plays Waikato in its fourth Ranfurly Shield match of the season tomori’ow. Its shield record to date this season is: v. Buffer 6 all; v. Manawatu 22—3; v. Southland 6 —3. Eleven Otago players are in South Africa with the All Blacks. Of the 21 players chosen for the northern tour, three plhyed against Northland in the shield match at Carisbrook in 1947. They are fullback Orr, whose goalkicking was worth 15 points that day, L. S. Woodhouse (halfback) and O'Connor (back row). Otago won that match 31—12. Paewai scored a try for Northland and N. Cherrington kicked three penalty goals. Otago opens its tour with a match against Wellington on Saturday. Its other games are: v. Northland, August 24; v. Auckland, August 27; v. Wanganui, August 31; v. Canterbury, September 3.