RUGBY IN EGYPT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24825, 27 January 1942, Page 4

RUGBY IN EGYPT

NEW ZEALAND v. REST ALL BLACKS IN TEAM (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service) CAIRO, Jan. 25. Twenty New Zealand Rugby players, including several All Blacks, have been selected to train for the biggest match of the Egyptian season. A team approaching All Black strength will be selected from them to play the Rest of Egypt at Alexandria on February 1. New Zealand fifteens have an unbroken record of successes this season. By a comfortable margin of points they have beaten South African, Australian and the Combined Services teams. Their Rugby superiority over teams of the Middle East forces will now be tested in this match against a side which is expected to include several internationals. . The players picked for special training are as -follow:—Fleming (Wellington), Morrison (South Canterbury), Perriam (Otago), McAneney (Poverty Bay), McHugh (Canterbury), Welsh (Wanganui), Burgess (Canterbury), Grace (Southland), Parsons (South Canterbury), Wells, Lambourne, Hegglun, Coull, Wales (Wellington), McHugh (Auckland), Mahoney (Bush), Finlay, Pye (Manawatu), Leith, Hobbs (Canterbury). The team is expected to be particularly strong in the forwards, all of whom are experienced players and have shown excellent form this season. Because of recent illness the backs are without the services of the centre, Sullivan, whose brilliance dazzled the South Africans in the Western Desert match. The selectors’ chief concern will be to find good inside backs. None of the men selected have shovyn particular brilliance in the trial matches. The game is part of a sports afternoon organised at Alexandria by the British Legion in aid of Greek charities.