RUGBY FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20961, 26 August 1931, Page 14

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

WALLABIES' FIRST MATCH.

SELECTION "OF ALL BLACKS

TEAM CHOSEN ON SATURDAY

Ihe Wallabies did well in (he opening match of their tour to draw with Otago. The team did not reach Dunedin until late on Thursday afternoon, after having travelled from Sydney, via Auckland. It was only natural that the players would not be. at their best, and a vast improvement may be looked for as. the tour progresses, especially when itWo .visitors step, out on dry grounds. One has only to go back to the last visit from a New South Wales side in 1928 to ascertain how hard it is going to bo to defeat the Wallabies in the test match in Auckland next month. The New South Wales team played three tests against New Zealand; and there was not more than three points difference between the "teams in any one of the games. New .Zealand won the first test, 15—12, and the second, 16—14, while the visitors were successful in tho third, 11 —8. The following season a New Zealand team went to. Australia, but it had very bad luck as regards illness and injuries to players. Nevertheless, Australia won all three tests, the first, 9—B, the second, 17—9, and the third, 15 —13. Only one test, has been arranged on this occasion, and it is already creating a. great deal of discussion. There is keen competition for all positions in the All Black team, and an analysis of the strength of the various provinces shows that the task of the selectors is by no means an easy one, there being so many candidates of almost equal standard. Fullback Position.

For the fullback position one would flelect Bush, who has done very well throughout tho season, both in Australia and New Zealand. It will be hard luck for the Otago and ex-Auckland representative if the selectors decide to play Lilbtirno at. fullback, in order to make room for another five-eighths. Nepia must be regarded" as a possibility, although it is hard to get a line on his form in Poverty Bay this season. The positions of wing-threequarters look the easiest to fill. Hart is a certainty, while Ball would be on the other wing if he has recovered from the injury he sustained earlier in the season. Mackay, another Wellington player, must have a great chance if Ball is still hors de. combat. A wing approaching the top class is Milliken, whose try against Hawke's Bay at Eden Park on Saturday was the best, seen there this season. Now for the centre position.- Will the .selectors have Cooke? Everyone appears to agree that Cooke is on tho down grade, but he is still a good player, and when one looks round it is not easy to alight on a centre much superior to Cooke. Allan, of Otago, played well in the-inter-island match, but he was on the wing against the-Wallabies on Saturday. The displays given bv Oliver, Canterbury, must give him strong claims to inclusion in the test team, either at centre or second five-eighths. His weakness is defence. Chances of Nicholls. The selectors' chief difficulty would appear to be in weeding out the f'veeighths. Strang and Lilburne make the greatest appeal, but, as with Cooke, v.ill tho selectors consider Nicholls? Kilby played a good game in the interisland match, and that will carry a lot of weight. Had the selectors • seen Corner play against" Waikato they must have been impressed. The diminutive Auckland half did not repeat that performance on Saturday, although lie did a. remarkable amount of defence. Solomon's position at wing-forward seems assured. There arc four outstanding candidates -for the front row of the scrum—Hadley, Keid, Hore and Cottrell. The two last-named played together in the last three tests against the British team last season. The inter-island match gave the selectors an opportunity of watching all four in action, and it will be interesting to see what their choice is. There are two locks in the running, Steere and Max. The first-named is playing great football at present, his display on Saturday last against Auckland at Eden Park being outstanding. Steere is gifted with pace, and this enables him to be prominent in the loose as well as doing his full share in the tight work. Batty a Certainty.

There are several forwards offering for places at the side of the scrum and also in the back row. Batty looks a certainty. and Purdue and Manchester have excellent claims. Other forwards whoso chances cannot be overlooked ore Metcalfe, McNeight, Campbell and McLean, although the Last-named has earned the reputation in Wellington this season of ' being too much inclined to look for the open play. The selectors, Messrs. E. McKenzie and A. McDonald, will meet in Christchurch next Saturday to choose the test team. Canterbury now holds the Eanfurly Shield, and, with Hart and Manchester in the test team, its representation would not be excessive. If the shield holders manage to defeat the Wallabies they will givo the selectors something to think , about. In the, case of any disagreement between the selectors, Mr. S. S. Dean, chairman of the management committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union, will act as* arbitrator. The Auckland'representatives added another victory to their credit for the season •when they accounted for Hawke's Bay on Saturday. The home team has to thank its forwards for the success. Satberley did not show up nearly so much as against Waikato, while; Bunting looked for the open. Palmer's Best Game. Palmer 'played his best game of 1 lie season, -and Hadley was always in the thick of things. ' Knight again produced his best form,doing great work on the line-out. Batty was always prominent, both in the tight work and the loose, while Finlayson also gave a line all-round exhibition. The sole redeeming feature about the play of the Auckland hacks was 'ho sound display given' by Davies, at fullback. and by the wing-three-quarters, Milliken and Hutchison Milliken's try was the outcome of a brilliant solo effort. ■ C'aughey was 'a little in and out, but ■ fce was unfortunate hi that he was playing outside .Jamie-son, who has lost all form. ■ Jamifcson appears to have gone stale, - and a ."pell from training would probably 'work venders with him. Howthe selector saw on! I .' the latter part of the second spell on Saturday, arid hn could not jridge on that. Consequently, name appears in the. training JiM, again for the match against Thames next. Saturday.

Corner received plenty of attention 7 from the big Uawke's Bay forwards, but a lot of it was his own fault, as lie could have got the ball away without, taking ,1 r4cp or two fro n't the base of the scrum. "Ft was remarkable the amount of defence the Auckland half did. Macindoe s play, and consequently Caughey's, was affected by tin; mariner in which the hall carno to him. It was not always Corner's fault, however, jus the ball hung in the scrum on numerous occasions.

The Auckland Grammar team which / won the senior championship this season ' srill go to "Waihi on Saturday and this accounts for the fact that only two of its members have jbeen selected for training in the representative teams. Palmer is ipot available on account of illness.