South Island Soccer Team Plays Today

Press, Volume C, Issue 29509, 10 May 1961, Page 13

South Island Soccer Team Plays Today

P’ANTERBURY soccer players who aspire to national selection this season wiil have their second chance to show their ability to the New Zealand selectors today. The occasion is the national trial match between Wellington and South Island teams, in Wellington this evening. Two of the national selectors, Messrs J. Shankie and G. Smith, were present at the match between Canterbury and Otago on April 29. and what they saw there would not have advanced the claims of many of the Canterbury players. Judging by trials already played at Auckland, players from that centre should take most of the places in the New Zealand teams to play the touring English side in two test matches. Shamrock’s J. Callaghan will be in goal for the South Island today, and all his supporters will be hoping for a sudden improvement in his form. On his club displays in Christchurch this season, there are at least three local 'keepers who axe ahead of him. These are D. Smith (Western), D. Chapman (Old Boys) and K. Flintham (Technical). J. Stephenson of Otago, displaced by Callaghan in the national side several seasons ago. gave a better display in the first trial.

P. Frost (Canterbury) and B. Morris (Otago) will take the full-back positions. There are great chances here for an accomplished player to take a place in the national side. Of the last five New Zealand full-backs D. Lapwood and J. Aird have moved to Sydney, D. Rodger has lost form. P. Flynn has been overlooked by provincial and national selectors and J. Middleton has taken to play-

ing in the forward line. Frost must have a great chance of selection, after only a few weeks in the Dominion. With D. Simmonds (Canterbury) at centre-half and D. Downie and P. McFarlane at his sides, the South Island will be well served in the half-back line. Simmonds was one of the few Canterbury players who came through the Otago match with his reputation more or less intact. W. G. Ward (Auckland) seems to be his main opponent for the New Zealand side, with J. Warrender on the injured list and J. Kemp out of form. McFarlane has had previous international experience, and both he and Downie showed in the previous match that they are experts at putting their forwards away to good advantage. They will give their frontline men every opportunity to show their ability, and should be able to cope with the Wellington inside forwards today. The South Island wings will be W. Berry, of Otago, on the right and C. Steele, formerly of Canterbury and now of Southland, on the left. New Zealand’s leftwing position has been left wide open by the transfer of A. Moynihan to Wales, but Steele does not seem to provide the answer. Berry also comes into the category of those who are in the team only because there is no-one better in the South Island, and the claims of these veterans to another national cap seems slim. R. Stewart, of Nelson, will fill the inside-tight position, and he has shown in previous seasons that, in good company, he can hold his own. The wizardry of D. McVey at inside-left may today again impress the national selectors, and the task of E. Charlton (Canterbury) in gaining the New Zealand centre-forward position will be considerably aided by the recent injury to Wellington’s talented J. Raat. Charlton and Raat were the centre-forwards on New Zealand’s tour to Tahiti last season. It has been emphasised that the teams selected for the trials are of an experimental nature, and Canterbury players who have not been chosen for today's side may still have a further chance to show their ability. This will be wljen Messrs Shankie, Smith and R. Speed choose their New Zealand team to oppose Auckland in the final trial.