ALL BLACK ABSENTEES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20493, 11 August 1936, Page 8

ALL BLACK ABSENTEES

STRONG TEAM CHOSEN The inter-island match, the thirtyfirst of the series between the two Islands, will be played in Christchurch on Saturday, and judging by the teams selected, the match should be a particularly interesting one. The South Island team, which was announced last night, is a very strong one, despite the fact that it contains

only three of last year’s All Blacks, namely Gilbert, Mitchell and King (West Coast). Gilbert did not appear to have any serious opposition for the position of full-back. So far as the threequarters are concerned, the field was narrowed considerably through Watt (Otago) and G. F. Hart (Canterbury) not being available. This left only Black (Otago), Morrison (South Canterbury) and Mann (West Coast) and Mitchell (Southland). Smith (Otago) has been playing well this season, and it was thought in some quarters that he would again find his way into the South Island team. The recent match between Otago and Southland apparently settled his chances, and

Mitchell was preferred for the position, thus still further reducing the aspirants for the wing positions. Mann and Morrison were last year’s threequarters, and they have again been chosen. The selection of Gillies (Otago) and G. Gaffaney (South Canterbury) will find favour in most quarters, despite the fact that both are really first fiveeighths. Gillies has played at second for Otago this season, and has been showing good form, and he should combine well with Gaffaney, whose experience in big football should stand him in good stead. This is the South Canterbury player’s third successive year in the Inter-Island match, and he has a good chance this, season of making the New Zealand team, for the North Island is not over strong in the key back positions. Simon, who represented the South Island in 1932 and again in 1934, is considered by Dunedin critics to be playing better than ever, and in the 1934 match he combined perfectly with Gaffaney, who played all over Griffiths and Solomon, who were selected for the trip to England last year. The forwards should be able to keep ’ _ northern pack busy. Orman, Quaid, Green and Rankin won their caps last

year, while King was in the 1934 South Island team. The new-comers are Hattersley, who has been one of the stalwarts for Canterbury for some seasons; Ward, who was outstanding in the Southland-Otago match recently, and Milliken, who has also played many fine games for Canterbury. There were 10 South Islanders in the All Blacks last year, and they are all accounted for with the exception of G. Adkins (South Canterbury) who has been passed over. Mitchell, Gilbert and King are in the team; Hart and Manchester are not available for the New Zealand team, so apparently are not being considered; Hore and Vorrath were not available; Best is in the North Island and Oliver has retired. The third representative from South Canterbury is J. Strang, who has been chosen as an emergency. He was also an emergency last year, but went on when Polson was injured, Rankin going to centre and Strang into the pack. Record of Results ’ Except for a break of four years during the war, the North-South Rugby football match was played annually from 1902 to 1929. In 1930, when the British team was here, no inter-island match took place, but since then the contest has been staged each season. Prior to 1902 there had been one match, North having met South at Wellington in 1897, so that all told there have been 30 inter-island matches. The records weigh rather heavily in North’s favour.North’s representatives have won 17 of the matches and South’s total of wins is 10, the other three contests

having been drawn. North have scored 509 points and South 345. The record of results of inter-island matches is as follows:

Year. Played at Won by Score. 1897 Wellington North 16-3 1902 Wellington South 20-14 1903 Auckland South 12-5 1904 Dunedin Drawn 3-3 1905 Wellington North 26-0 1906 Wellington North 9-5 1907 Christchurch North 11-0 1908 Wellington North 12-5 1909 Wellington South 19-11 1910 Christchurch South 14-10 1911 Wellington North 19-9 1912 Napier North 12-8 1913 Christchurch South 25-0 1914 Wellington South 8-0 1919 Wellington North 28-11 1920 Wellington North 12-3 1921 Christchurch North 28-13 1922 Auckland South 9-8 1923 W lington Drawn 6-6 1924 Wellington North 39-8 1925 Invercargill North 16-5 1926 Wellington North 41-9 1927 Wellington South 31-30 1928 Christchurch South 15-14 1929 Wellington North 29-20 1931 Wellington Drawn 20-20 1932 Christchurch North 28-10 1933 Wellington North 27-18 1934 Dunedin South 27-20 1935 Wellington North 15-9