NORTH ISLAND TEAM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 123, 27 May 1938, Page 4

NORTH ISLAND TEAM

INTEREST IN SELECTION NOMINATIONS CLOSE NEXT WEEK (By “Cross-bar.") Nominations for the North Island Rugby team close next Thursday and interest in the probable selection is quickening. The team is to be played against the South Island at Wellington on June 11. The search for a full-back will oe keen. H. R. Pollock (Wellington) will not be available and the natural tendency will be to look to the players, actually playing full-back for their respective unions. Wellington will be offering Crisp; Taranaki, Simpson. The Others will not be known until after selection of teams for King's Day matches. It Wanganui selects D. Thompson (Kaierau) as custodian, he will be worthy of consideration as a North Island player. Knox Welsh (technical Old Boys) cannot be overlooked, even though he is playing at live-eighths. And that still leaves Glen Hook (Old Boys). Wanganui, it would seem, has quite a strong trio, to assist Mr E. McKenzie if his search, becomes in any way worrying. And that it might do. The Half-back Position. What about a half? Wellington claims for Tindlll are already very keen. He was held to be a better man than B. S. Sadler when Sadler won the position in the 1935 AU Blacks. Tindill got into that team as a five-eighth, and then only on one game and a potted goal. Len Russell (Waikato) played attractive football in the trials last year and is reported to be playing as well this year as last. It looks like competition between Tindill and Russell if last year » form is to be a guide. In the five-eighth positions J. L, Griffiths (Wellington) must be regarded as a distinct possibility. Thera is talk about J. Meuli (Taranaki) coming into the picture, but it is a big lift from school football to an island! team. That is in no way intended as» a reflection on Meuli's ability. It is a* question of whether his career as a’ footballer will be made or marred by suddenly giving him island status too soon atter leaving the ranks of school team. ' A C. A. Crossman (King Country)! should be a certainty for the fiveeighth line this year. K. Welsh (Wan-: ganui) should be given an oppor-’, tunity. If he was played in a good I line there would not be much danger ; of him failing. The Three-quarter Line. So far as the three-quarters go J.. L. Sullivan (Taranaki) must receive! first consideration. His play against; Wellington on Wednesday ratheri dimmed his form of last year and, it anything brought Fulton (Wellington) into the limelight as a distinct possibility for the North Island team. I W. J. Phillips (King Country), J. • Dick (Auckland) and D. G. Barton (Wanganui) will all be nominated. A good North back line would thugl read:— Full-back: to be found. Three-quarters: W. J. Phillips. (King Country), J. L. Sullivan (Tara-’ naki), J. Dick (Auckland). Five-eighths: J. L. Griffiths (Wallington), C. A. Crossman (King Country). Half-back: L. Russell (Waikato). Reserve; K. Welsh (Wanganui). The Pack Must be Coached. So far as forwards are concerned a good pack shoula be available, based on New Zealand form last year. Drastic alteration of coaching methods will be needed to mould talent to a I true conception of the forwards' part, j We have the talent forward but thu : irony of it is that there has been a I lack of captaincy and a lack of determination to get down to packing. South Africa learned a lesson in thu first Test against New Zealand, a les- ! son taught the pack. How quickly I they profited by it. The same can be done in New Zealand, and it will ba j easier for the island teams if the ciuos I get down to the task right away. Such players as E. S. Jackson (Hawke's Bay), D. Dalton (Hawke* Bay). A. Bowman (Hawke’s Bay), R. M. McKenzie (Manawatu), Pearce (Auckland), and A. Davidson (Wanganui) are as good a team of forward* as can be fielded in the Dominion, but until New Zeland gets to master the 3-4-1 scrum, play back and forward will continue to deteriorate.