RAMALLI'S CHANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23578, 15 August 1938, Page 11

RAMALLI'S CHANCE

TEST SCRUM HALF “HAPPIEST YOUTH IN AUSTRALIA ” (From Our Own Correspondent) SYDNEY, Aug. 4. The Australian Rugby Union selectors made drastic changes in the team to play New Zealand in the second test match in Brisbane on Saturday—most of them the result of suggestions made to them by newspaper critics, not after the inglorious defeat of Australia in the first test, but when the team for that match was announced.

One of those changes made Cecil Ramalli the happiest youth in Australia. A 19-year-old scrum-half, his claims for the highest honours have been pressed by disinterested critics from the beginning of the season. The failure of the New South • Wales “ behind-lhe-scrum ” pair, C. G. Stone and V. Richards, opened the door to Ramalli. This is Ramalli’s first season in grade football. Last year he was the outstanding player in High School football, and the reputation he brought from there has been enhanced by his form in club games. “ It feels pretty good to be picked for Australia,” lie said, just before leaving Sydney for Brisbane. “At the start of the season I did not even dream that this might happen to me. Lately people have been kind enough to suggest I might be played, and I began to hope the selectors would take some notice. I’ve got my chance, and I’m going to do my best to make the most of it. It will be a lot different from the two interstate games I’ve played in this year, but I won’t let it worry me.” Ramalli’s partner behind the scrum, P. K. Collins (in place of the injured Richards), was an unexpected choice, although, in view of the lack of a good five-eighth, his name had been included among the “probables.” He showed good form against the Springboks last year, but this season he has lacked initiative and soccd. The genius

of Ramalli may restore these attributes.

A good move was the restoration of A. Hodgson to his rightful position at lock-forward. There he is supreme; at breakaway he is merely a good player. A. McDonald, of Queensland, is the new breakaway. A. H. Stone has rightly displaced the veteran E. Bonis as hooker. One of the surprises was the displacement of the big New South Wales second - row forward, F. Hutchinson, who played well in the first tost, by A. Monti. Monti is a fiery type who apparently impressed the selectors in the Queens-land-All Blacks match last Saturday more than he did critics who watched the interstate matches in Sydney in June. The choice of C. Lang, a front-row man, who takes K. M. Ramsay’s place, is mildly criticised. The remaining change is the substitution of M. Moran on the left-wing for J. Howard. Moran, a light but speedy player, was chosen in the All Blacks first match, but injury prevented him from playing. He is the man to finish off a scoring movement, but his defence is not the strongest.