The New Zealand Team.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 60, 24 August 1901, Page 21

The New Zealand Team.

The burning topic since the New South Wales visit was definitely decided on was who would compose the New Zealand team to play against the visitors The critics — myself amongst the number — have had more than a word to say on the Selection Committee, the aspirants for colonial honours, and so on — but now the team is picked, and the criticism, good bad, and indifferent, prior to this climax has become history, or passed into oblivion. The team as chosen by the selectors is a good one but, for the life of me, I cannot see why four half-backs were picked. T,i this connection, a peculiar thought comes to mv mind, and I will give expression to it. Wood, Duncan, and Allen are each and all of them five-o-iehths in their respective provinces — Wellington, Otago, and Taranaki — and the selectors, individually come from these places. It looks like as if one said to the other, you put my man in and I will put yours. The only one of the halves I have an objection to is Allen — in my opinion, he is a back number. I thought so in 1899, when he was here with the Taranaki toam, and with two more years on his shoulders lie cannot have improved As far as my proscribed vision will nermit. my conclusion is that Duncan will be playing wing-forward, and Kelly would have proved a great mate for him. This practically is the only fault I can find with the se'ection, and my congratulations are tendered the selectors for the splendid wav in which the> carried out their thankless duties. * * * Mackenzie has all the elements to make a successful full-back. George Smith has a more than New Zealand reputation as a scoring three-quarter. McGregor, in my opinion, is the only back in the colony who approaches the high standard of Davy Gage in his best day, and that is according him the be*>t of praise. Jacob, despite" what other critics say, is playing in his correct position on the left wing three-quarter. Humphries is a clever little half-back, and, as Alf. Bayly tells me he is playing right up to his best form, is well worth his place behind the scrum. Wood, from the first day I met him— and that is a few years ago now — impressed me as a player that would some day earn his New Zealand cap, and I tender him my heartiest congratula* tions. Duncans form this season is as good an he has ever shown, and, that being so, he is well worth his place. He will, if elected to that oosition, make a capable captain of the team. Dodd has shown consistently good form, both in championship and representative matches, and has fully earned his place. I must confess, though, to a slight feeling of surprise when I heard he was selected, for he is yet on the young side, this being only his second season in senior football. But when one remembers that Wellington, in the front rank, has more than held ihs own with all its opponents, Dodd's selection is more than justified. My heartiest congratulations are his,_ with the hope that his success on this occasion may spur him on to still better deeds in the future. Purdue I consider the pick of thefoiwards. Udy is an acknowledged topnotcher, and Drake and Cross were selected bv me for a place in the team after I saw them play in the Welling-ton-Can terburv match. O'Dowda has plenty of weight and go. and Cunningham is undoubtedly the finest lock in the colony. Possessed of a fine physioue, and strong withal, he is the right man to hold the solid pack he will have round him together. The- Wellington-New Zealand match will bo played next Wednesday, and the New South Wales-New Zealand match on Saturday. Representative teams from the Wc'htigton Union travel to Carterton and Levin on Saturday, the l A" team playing Wairarapa and the "B" team Hoiowhenua. Mr W McKenzie w aj- an interested spectator at the Athletic Park on Saturday Hp received quite an ovation from both the Wellington players and the public when he walked into the ground. Though better in health than he was, he is still far from being in the state of health that his friends would liko to see him in.

New South Wales plays Otago on Saturday, and Canterbury on the Wednesday following. The dinner to the New South Wales* team on Saturday night, at the Trocadero, was a sumptuous affair, and was heartily enjO3 r ed by both the visiting and local teams. Mr. Pinnock, mine host of the Trocadero, deserves more than a passin~ word for the excellence of the dinner.