Rugby

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 18, 29 July 1949, Page 5

Rugby

SELECTORS—AND WHAT THEY DO

(By “Kai ti Tiro”)

It matters not who they are or what they have been but rugby football selectors are continually baffling the followers of the sport with their decisions. Unpredictable from the start the selector appears to move in a world of his own, oblivious to the cries of others and, at times, apparently unaware of the players whom he is studying. Th' ee years ago three New Zealand selectors ignored one of the best half backs this country has ever produced and denied him All Black honours against the Australia?: s. Through this stupidly biassed blunder M. N. Paewai gave up rubby, to New Zealand’s loss. In 1947 H. Johns, Taranaki, missed wearing the silver fern to Australia. Why? Nobody knows, including the selectors.

And so it goes on. The selector chooses, everyone is dissatisfied. Of course there is the old excuse that everyone can’t be satisfied but that does not explain some of their acts.

Followers of Whakatane rugby will no doubt bO wondering what is going to happen to the Whakatane representative team when it meets Rotorua tomorrow for the Shield. It is hard to see what the backs are going to do. At this stage of the year it is time the selector gave up experimenting, if that is what he is doing, and attempted to pick a

team that can play together more than once. So far Whakatane has never had the same team twice. Its performances have not been good while the moving of players from their accustomed positions has not helped. Although he has consistently played sound football at first fiveeighths in club games the selector placed G. Stewart at half back in the Whakatane team, although he was in need of a five-eighth. Stewart was not happy in this new position so in tomorrow’s team he moves out as an emergency.

With McCready not being available another wing is required. W. Rutherford, who has improved out of sight in this position in the last few, weeks, is ignored and the opportunist B. Carter gains a place on a couple of club games. When this is done is it any wonder that Whakatane finds it hard to win a game and equally hard to play good football. Tomorrow’s backline will have to start almost from scratch again and it will probably be left to Welch to bear the brunt of the work at the rear. While on Welch it maybe a handy suggestion to some of the other, 14 players in the team to back him up occasionally. Lest it be doubted Welch is only human and he can miss. Of the forwards there can be little improvement. There are about a dozen knocking on the door for representative honours and some one must miss. The newcomer to the pack is Hughes of Waimana. Tomorrow’s game will be for the Te Hurinui Apanui Shield, of which Rotorua are the holders. It will be a strong team that will lift the trophy. WHAKATANE TEAM FOR ROTORUA Because of the representative rugby match for the Hurinui Apanui Shield to be played at Rotorua tomorrow between Whakatane and Rotorua there is to be no football at Whakatane, although games will commence next week. The Whakatane team is to leave McCombs’ bus depot at 9.45 a.m. tomorrow and all Taneatua, United and Wairaka players are to collect there. Poroporo players will be picked up at the Poroporo store and Paroa members of the team at Hohapata s corner. All players are required to bring boots and white shorts.