LOOKING OVER THE TEAM

NZ Truth, Issue 1080, 12 August 1926, Page 14

LOOKING OVER THE TEAM

■ ■ f " The Bay " Discusses Prds and Gons for Saturday

(From "Truth's" Hast ings** Representative.) It goes without saying that the. chief topic of conversation m Hawkes Bay to-day is Saturday ?s big game. f

PESSIMISTS and optimists are heard 1 everywhere venting the emphatic! ■ predictions, so inconsequence, arguments are the order" of the day. Of all the games played here for the Ranfurly Shield, the Wellington game is creating by far the most interest— and speculation. Form points to the Bay retaining the Shield. Nevertheless the team is by no means invincible, while on a wet paddock, "Truth's" representative would favor the visitors. Seeing the local champions on a few: occasions under wet conditions Avarrants such an assertion. Strength Many fans consider that the holder's team on Saturday will be the strongest yet fielded* Certainly, Cooke's inclusion has' strengthened the rearguard,/but not to such a marked degree to make up for the absence m. the forwards of McNab, Gemmell and Jack.Ormond. The following players will m all probability wear the black and white against Wellington: Paewai, Johnston, Blake, - Grenside, Cooke, Corkill, Mill/

•'Walker, Kirkpatricki; Irvine, Brownlie, Mahoney, Brownlie,/Craven and Swain. Tne backs ir^Jude seven All Blacks, while the*, remaining one, Qrenside, has the Nopth , s|and d H at present is p|aying ri ght iflp to international standard. - J as a wing three-quarter, Johnston ■ should be a success. j^ straight rufcner, a sure pair of hands, and a deadly tackier, he' can be guaranteed as t/ie goods. . The forwards are all, well known. Brownlie (2), ICirkpatrick and Irvine (All Blacks), ' Swain (North Island) Craven (N.Z.'fVarsity and Southland), have reputations further afield than the Dominion.' Mahoney aidd Walker have acquitted themselves s<s» well with the Bay to be very near as;- well known as their team , m,ates. ' ■ / vQne thing you can gamble on, ' arfd that is the holders have never . stripped fetter, '■'.. : }'■ With a Wjeek's let-up after the "Aussie" Stour t'he All Black members will be at the of their form, while the remainder?; will not be .one whit less fit. ■'■■)',