AUCKLAND HAS POOR HOPE AGAINST BRITAIN

NZ Truth, Issue 1282, 26 June 1930, Page 18

AUCKLAND HAS POOR HOPE AGAINST BRITAIN

PROVINCE LACKS TALENT

Five Men Wanted To Complete Mediocre Team PRESENT STANDARD IS POOR (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.)

Is Auckland's house m order for the clash with Britain? With only three playing days intervening before the big event, the northern .fans have reason to feel aDDrehensive.

ON performances to date this season, it seems . extremely unlikely that Auckland will hold the visitors.. "With three men m the first' Test, Selector Nicholson's job has been made easier, but the question is, where will .he find twelve" players approaching the standard of Lucas,- Batty and McWilIJams? v ' • Players •of that calibre are by no means plentiful this season/ and the last five men at least will be hard to choose. And it will not be because too great a number, hold legitimate -claims for the honor! The seloc t o r cannot ' overlook the three me n picked for th c Test. ~ With these he will . have two good forwards and still have Lucas to put at centre ..or else on one , of the wings. • Then, m order of their prominence m club ■' games come Solomon, Minns, A. Knight and L. Knight Corner has hie chance In the Second Test and will take hia rightful place behind the Auckland pack. '. . z It is difficult to see who can take the place of Swin. Hadley m thescrum

Then, task of tasks, there is ,the job of finding a full-back. .On whom, will the selector's ultimate choice fall? Both Butler' and Bush must" be -;ln the' final running, but only time will tell. The mentioned men are • looked upon as certainties, but what of the final five? Those who have caught "Truth's" eye during the season ap- \ pear to be In a class of their own In

.'Auckland, and e\en If fifteen such men could be fielded, they could not be considered a team approaching representative standard. Present indications are not very hopeful as far as Auckland is concerned. Solomon, the "Ponsohby Rover, is striking, form again after a spell with an injury. He was m the thick of things on Saturday, and. his exhibition as a rover was all that could- be -desired. Showing a great: deal of his old dash, he made opening after opening, 'and led many a spirited attack. After being dropped from the Test when Porter ultimately appeared on the horizon, and then suffering from an injury, Solomon's . play was "off ." He is heading for selection m the Auckland game, however. ; ■No matter what -' anyone might think IliiMiliiiniliiiliiiiiiniliimiiiimniiimiiiiinmiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinimiiimiiiiii'iiiiiiiiii ,