BRITISH TEAM CHOSEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27383, 8 May 1950, Page 6

BRITISH TEAM CHOSEN

Opening Game On Wednesday VISITORS HAVE ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION Special Correspondent NELSON, May 7. After a practice run in the morning, and a sight of prospective opponents in the afternoon, the team to represent British Isles in the opening match of the tour against Nelson-Marlborough-Golden BayMotueka at Nelson on Wednesday was chosen last night as follows; Full-back, W. B. Cleaver (Wales); three-quarters, M. Thomas (Wales), N. Henderson (Ireland), J. Matthews (Wales, vice-captain), M. F. Lane (Ireland); stand off half, I. Preece (England, captain); scrum half, G. Rimmer (England). Number eight, J. R. S. Stephens (Wales); middle row, G. V. Roberts (England), D. Hayward (Wales), J. Nelson (Ireland), J. S. Macarthy (Ireland); front row, G. M. Budge (Scotland), Dai Davies (Wales), T. Clifford (Ireland). The touch judge will be P. W. Kininmonth, the captain of Scotland. The leader of the forwards has not yet been named.

The team had been expecting the selection to be made today, and the announcement just before 6 o’clock last evening therefore took most of the players by surprise. It was evident from the way the selected players were congratulated that the choice for the opening match of the tour was regarded as an honour, and it was good to see the sporting spirit of those who had been passed over. One's impression is that the team is not quite representative of the best talent in the side. Nevertheless, the selected side ' should defeat the combined team on Wednesday with great comfort, perhapss even to the extent by which Prentice’s team of 1930 won the comparable match, which was then played at Blenheim. The score in 1930 was 41 to 3. Yesterday afternoon the British Isles players were officially welcomed to Nelson at Trafalgar Park, where Wednesday’s match will be played, and afterwards they watched a trial game among candidates for selection in the combined team. Outstanding Player Form in this match was not attractive, and only one player was outstanding. He was W. Taylor, formerly of Auckland Marist. who captained one team from the second five-eighth position. Taylor made a strong impression in the first of the 16 All Black trial matches staged in 1948, but he was passed over for subsequent games because of his Maori blood, Yesterday he made one fine mid-field break and put his wing in for the try, and all his work had evidence of class. The play generally was scrappy. The forward play was chiefly notable for the winging play of the flank forwards, who did not compare well with the British packmen in speed or scrummaging ability. Both these important assets of the British Isles team were well demonstrated in the practice yesterday morning. The ground had been flooded on Friday, and consequently was much softer than for the first practice last Thursday. The players revelled in the springy turf and staged an excellent practice. There was a good deal of scrummaging ’and following the heels, one back line or other swung into action. No tackling was indulged, but the pace was on in the movements and some attractive passing resulted. As on Thursday, both packs got down extraordinarily low, and a few of the scrums showed that a good deal of thought had been devoted to the problems likely to be posed by New Zealand’s use of the South African style of hooking. 1 - v The results were most interesting and usefully indicated the high degree of intelligence with which Karl Mullen and the pack is approaching the problem of securing adequate possession. After yesterday’s trial match, all players felt reasonably secure that a victory would be obtained in the opening match of the tour. There is still considerable discussion about the second match, which will be Buffer at Westport on Saturday. Buffer’s good record last year has become known, and is a subject of speculation. but until Wedesday it will be impossible to say whether or not the touring team can afford to approach its second match with confidence. The kindness of the people <of Nelson and district since their arrival on Thursday morning has continually astonished and entranced members of the team, and today their tour, of the district topped all other experiences, as evidence of the intense public interest in the team. “It was truly glorious,” said Dr Karl Mullen, the captain. A. W. Black, the Scottish half-back, who is a medical student, said: “I will be back here within five years. I am sure of it.” When someone queried his enthusiasm, his answer was quickly made. “ Would you blame me? ” he asked. Varied Experience With members of the Nelson-Marlborough-Golden Bay-Motueka combined team against whom they will play on Wednesday, the British Isles players were taken by bus from Nelson to Motueka for a training run on a local field. They then saw a tobacco leaf factory before proceeding to Kaiteriteri Beach, where they were given lunch and had their first experience of a Maori welcome. On the way home they stopped at an apple-packing factory at Tasman and were then entertained at afternoon tea at trestle tables set out on the local Rugby field. In these few hours their experiences were rich in humour and good fellowship. At Motueka, almost the entire population seemed to have turned out to watch the team have a short training run with accompaniment from the local Boys’ Brass Band. The local ladies’ committee had provided morning tea as a suitable finish to the practice and the tables seemed to be bulging with sponge cakes with cream layers an inch thick. At Kaiteriteri they were greeted with some show of Maori tradition with an aged Maori orator speaking with singular grace and fluency. Maori girls sang and afterward partnered some of the comic characters of the team, notably W. B. Cleaver, G. W. Norton, G. Budge and D. W. C. Smith, in imitation of hulas and dances. Eight of the team even contrived to perform an eightsome reel without the bagpipes. Tasman, however, was the most unusual experience of the day. It was first notable because an official of the fruitpacking firm made the shortest and neatest speech the team has yet heard. “ Welcome to Tasman,” he said. “We hope you have as good a time in New Zealand as the Kiwis had in Britain.” From there it was only a short walk to the Rugby ground, where one set of goal posts had been decorated with the sign, “Welcome to Tasman,” worked with various embellishments by apples being strung together on wire. Generous Gift By now the team seemed to have been eating apples and pears throughout the day, but the players reacted enthusiastically to the promise that at every hotel at which the team will stay a case of apples will be delivered for players from residents of the Tasman district. It was also announced ffiat efforts were being made to overcome the British Ministry of Supply objections to the proposal to forward to each next-of-kin of the touring team a case of apples from the people of the Tasman district. Dr Mullen said: “We have had wonderful welcomes ever since we reached New Zealand, but we regard this as the finest of all. We feel very touched by your very great kindness.”

COMBINED TEAM PA NELSON, May 7, The combined team to play British Isles on Wednesday is: K. Sharland (Nelson), J. Smith (Marlborough), F. Hobson (Motueka), T. Kingi (Marlborough), W. Taylor (captain, Golden Bay), M. Kearney (Marlborough). E. Eden (Nelson). R. Gargiulo (Nelson), S. Craddock (Golden Bay), S. Woolley, S. Jensen and K. Lammas (Marlborough), D. Ward (Nelson), I. Hammond (Marlborough), C. Baas (Motueka). Reserves: Back, I. Leggat (Nelson); forward, R. Harrington (Nelson).