BRITISH RUGBY TEAM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20562, 13 May 1930, Page 14

BRITISH RUGBY TEAM.

DEFECTION OF WAKEFIELD. SEVERE LOSS .TO THE SIDE. Special to Hkuai.d j; V J. N. SJIKHWOOD. LONDON. April 3. TV. W. Wakefield, the famous. English forward, who was to have captained the British fiugby team in New Zealand, lather than Lil.b the risk of being a passenger in that country, has withdrawn from tho team. Undoubtedly Wakefield's defection is a bad blow to our hopes overseas, but the selectors in the first place asked for such a disappointment by picking Wakefield, who, after all, is past his best. Wakefield received an injury some little Mima back, which did not mend as it, should have done, and it would have been foolhardy for him to continue with the intention of leading Fngland in New Zealand. We know what, happens to "doubt fid"- players on these overseas trips. Britain learnt, her lesson in the ease of Cove Smith's side in South .Africa, for ■•there were at, !en«t one or two j.laypn; who s't off from Southampton for ('ari-'town who were not fit for ordinary club lo'ithnll when thev boarded the vessel ll is 2: <• I quite clear who will lead Britain in place; of Wakefield (F. Prentice. Leicester..hire and Fnglarnl, has since been sdccled'i and to hp, candid, when one looks through the list, of 1-' avers making the trip, no name conies to one's mind as to who should take charge. There is no player in the side villi the same per-onality as Wakefield. Britain will miss his great fighting spirit.