THE FIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 29 March 1938, Page 7

THE FIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

SELECTED BY “RUGBY ALMANACK” "In selecting our Five Players of the Year we have included three members j of the touring South African side,” says "The Rugby Almanack,” Which is now in its fourth year of publication, and a copy of which has come to hand. "We feel that they were indeed part of New Zealand’s Rugby during 1937, and all will agree that their inclusion in the special section of the Almanack is merited.” The players selected arc G. H. Brand. L. Babrow, P. Nel (South Africa), C. A. Crossman (King Country), R. M. McKenzie (Manawatu). “We have had considerable concern in the selection of the Five Most Promising Players,” continues the Almanack. "With so few new representatives appearing our list became rather confined. but we feel that the young players mentioned are above the ordinary and give great promise.” The players are: H. W. Kenny (Wellington), T. Berghan (Otago), R. H. Grace (Auckland). P. . Reid (Hawkes Bay), D. Herman (Canterbury). The editors, Messrs A. H. Carman. Read Masters and A. C. Swan, in the issue’s leading article have some point- j ed comment to make in reference to j the South African tour. "We were disappointed in the standard revealed by our players, and without wishing to detract from the fine performances of the visitors we feel that their path was made easy by the very feeble efforts of some of our supposedly strong sides. We were particularly disappointed in ! the result of the selectors’ deliberations, i We may not have a great wealth of talent at present, but in our opinion we possessed much better players than the selectors preferred in several of the positions. We do not contend that the players selected failed to show form. They did what they were expected to do, but their style was against a further success. We do not believe that theplayers should be made the scapegoats as some would have them be.” The latest issue of the Almanack stresses more than ever the value of the publication in recording New Zealand’s Rugby history. Last year proved to be a most interesting one in view of the Visit of the Springboks; and the various matches they played, and the New Zealand Trial games leading up to the selection of the All Black teams are dealt with. The progress of the game in the various unions is kept very completely in touch with by the compilers of the Almanack, a special section being set aside for that purpose. Records, photographs and comments tell in this issue all there is to know about the Dominion’s chief winter game.