THE THIRD RUGBY TEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20028, 18 August 1928, Page 12

THE THIRD RUGBY TEST.

RIVAL TEAMS SELECTED.,

FIVE NEW SPRINGBOKS.;

LILBURNE AT FIVE-EIGHTH.

NICHOLLS AND LUCAS OMITTED. 'Australian and N.Z. Press Association. PORT ELIZABETH, Aug. 16. The ,New Zealand test team for Saturday is as follows: — Fullback.—Lindsay. Threequarters. Robilliard, Carleton, Grenside. Five-eighths.—Johnson. Lilburne. Halfback.—Dalley. Forwards. —Stewart (rover), Swain, Hadloy, M. Brownlie, Alley, Finlayson, Hazlett, McWilliams. The only change from the second test, side is the inclusion of Lilburne as first five-eighth. It would appear a tactical blunder has been made by the selection committee in excluding Nicholls. In the last three games Nicholls has given the best exhibition of five-eighth play on the tour. Ho staged a fine " come-back, vet he has been dropped for Johnson who, in his last three matches, has gone off. Johnson has played only one game at second five-eighth on the tour and that was a poor exhibition. His defence is always sound and it would appear that it is on that quality he has been chosen. Robilliard, who has not shown his true form once on the tour, has been put in ahead of Lucas, who has been playing good football. It is plain that the backs have been chosen for their ability on defence rather than for their good attack. There are no surprises among the forwards. The pack is probably the best that the New Zealanders can field. There was rejoicing in the Springbok camp when it was learned that Nicholls was not playing in the third test. Gerhard Morkel, the famous 1921 Springbok fullback, -writing in the Outspan said it was beyond his comprehension why Mark Nicholls was left out of international matches.

The Springbok learn for to-day's match ■will be:— Fullback.—Tindall. Threequarters.—De Jongh, Rousseau, jVan der Wcsthuizcn, Brand. Halfbacks.—Bennie Osier, De Villieirs. Forwards. Mcstert, Daniel, Nel, " Boy" Louw, Van Druten, Oliver; Pretorius, Dutoit. Tho Springbok selectors notify that the team is liable to changes in the event of wet weather. The greatest surprise is tho omission of Slater, wing-threequarter, ■who in the trial match yesterday was outstanding. He showed himself to bo a brilliant scoring man. Do Jongh, the new wing, previously represented Western Province. He did not impress at practice.

Dutoit, Louw and Oliver are three vigorous young forwards, averaging fifteen stone. Evidently their inclusion indicates that the Springboks are concentrating on obtaining possession of the ball from the scrums. All the backs are Western Province players who know each other's play intimately. There arc Ave new caps in the side, namely, De Jongh, Bousseau, Oliver, Dutoit and " Boy " Louw. Rousseau is a clever centre who won the match for the [Western Province town side against the 'All Blacks by a potted goal.