TEAM COMPLETED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23397, 13 July 1939, Page 11

TEAM COMPLETED

LEAGUE COMBINATION. COMING ENGLISH TOUR THE REMAINING PLATERS PARTY OF TWENTY-SIX ■ The selection of the New Zealand ■ j Rugby League team-to tour England j and France was completed bv Messrs. \ T. A. McClymont, Auckland, J. A. ■ j Redwood, Auckland, and J. .Amos, ; Canterbury, yesterday. In addition to. j the 18 players already chosen, three forwards and five backs wero added to * the team, making 26 in all. ■ The eight players chosen yesterday ; were as follows: — j Centre-threequarter.—T. Chase, Auckland. • f Wing-threequarters. J. Campbell, Canterbury; Af Mclnnarney, Aiick- j land. j Halfbacks.—L. Brown, Canterbury; J. j Sterling, Auckland. Forwards. —R. Jones, Auckland; A. . i Loatherbarrow, Auckland; J. Cootes, "Wellington. The players previously chosen were:— Fullbacks. —J. Heini, Auckland; J. Suiith, Auckland. -- * ~\Ying-threoquarters.—C. Davison, Canterbury; L. Mills, Auckland. Centre-threequarters.—A. Kay, Auck - land; W. Tittleton, Auckland; V. Scott, Auckland. Five-eighths.—R. Banham, Auckland; D. Solomon, Aucliland. Forwards. —R. K. King, Canterbury; G. Bellaney, Canterbury; J. Clark, Canterbury; G. Beadle, Waikato; G. Orinan, West Coast; H. M. Milliken, Auckland; P. Ririnui, ' Auckland; H. Mataira, Auckland; G. Mitchell, Auckland.

SOME SURPRISES INCLUSION OF HOOKER FEW UNLUCKY FORWARDS GOOD BACKS . LEFT OUT The difficulties of the selectors in finalising the team centred round the ; last three or four players. Until the trial game on Tuesday, only one hookerj G. Orman, West Coast, was selected, and the inclusion of A. Leatherbarrow, Auckland, comes as a surprise. Leatherbarrpw was outclassed by Quirke in the Possibles and Prob- ; ables game and, throughout the season, both Quirke, Newton, and Flanagan, Ponsonby, have continuously beaten the New Zealand representative for possession. The hooker is a specialist, particularly in England, . where this position is vital in forward play. It was surprising that Quirke was not t given a further trial on Tuesday against J. Brooks, of Waikato, who was! the North Island hooker against' Orman. Leatherbarrow, however, has been a prolific scorer in. club and representative games. Only two additional forwards, R. Jones, Auckland, and J. Cootes, Wellington, were included, Jones must be considered lucky to beat either J. Gunning or M. Devine for a place in the second row. Gunning is a forward who can-maintain the pace for 90 minutes/ . and during the trial games he rose to the occasion in fine style. Devine played a splendid game on Tuesday, and the team will mi6S his weight in the scrums. The fact that no Aucklanders have been included in the back row forwardposition comes as a surprise. Play in this position requires a specialist, one who is capable of phn-ing as an extra back. C. Petersen, W. Cameron and J.' Gunn (Waikato) are unfortunate in being played good games in the trials and ho could be played as a threequarter if required'lt was unfortunate that Gunn met with an injury in Wellington, other-., wtee he might have received favourable consideration. Of the inside backs, Solomon and Banham deserve their-places. Donaldson can be considered unluckv to miss the trip. Among the threequarters chosen yes- -■ terday Mclnnarney, Mount Albert, is a surprise inclusion. His form in the trial games was not impressive, and on Tuesday he was given a game in the' second spell only. "N. Kiel}', West Coast, or B. Riley, Auckland, would have been preferable. Riley's form last season for Auckland against the New Zealand team stamped him as the best wing-threequarter in New Zealand. Campbell deserves his place on the wing and should do well in England. Keen followers of the game in 'Auckland will agree with the selection of T. Chase as one of the wings.'Chase actually played his way into the team " on Tuesday. The selectors spent a lot! of time in choosing the halfbacks. L:' Brown, Canterbury, was regarded as a: certainty. Sterling has a lot to learn about positional play and the way in which.to.put the ball into the scrums. P. Mahima, Manukau, has 6hown better form than Sterling.