R. H. Turton Could Equal Rugby League Record

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31119, 23 July 1966, Page 11

R. H. Turton Could Equal Rugby League Record

rpHE selection of the -Christchurch loose forward, R. H. Turton, to play for the Canterbury Rugby League team in its match against West Coast at the Show Grounds next Saturday indicates that the selectors (Messrs R. K. Andrews, D. L. Blanchard and E. Butts) are looking ahead to the match against Great Britain on August 13. The very experienced Turton, L. Mulcare (Marist) and C. C. Worters (Marist) have been brought into the team to solidify the defence. Turton and Mulcare are excellent defenders and Worters is very solid and the most determined wing in Canterbury.

Should Turton play ■gainst Great Britain he will become only the fifth Canterbury player to represent his province against Britain on two occasions. One of the four, J. E. Bond (Kaiapoi), is still playing and could conceivably set a new record of three matches.

Bond’s appearances were against the 1954 and 1958 tourfsts. Three players, J. A. Bond (Papanui), M. L. Cooke (Hornby) and G. R. Cooper (who recently came out of retirement to play for Kaiapoi), met the 1958 and 1962 touring teams. No player appeared in both

the pre-war matches, in 1920 and 1924. Several members of the 1962 Canterbury team are still playing and three, P. V. Smith (Marist), J. A. Flanagan (Linwood) and C. C. Preece (Sydenham), ap-

peared for Canterbury earlier this season.

Turton has had a rather chequered career. He began as a loose forward, then became an outside back, and finally returned to his former position. His appearances for South Island were in 1956 (loose forward), 1958 (second row), 1959 (second row) and 1960 (wing) and he last played for Canterbury in one match In 1964. In the last five seasons he has played only four representative matches.

In his earlier days Turton was regarded as a future Kiwi and for several seasons, including 1958 when he appeared against Great Britain, Cooke was forced to take one of the second row positions because of Turton’s presence. In 1959 Turton and Cooke attended the 1959 South Island coaching school at Rangiora, but it was Cooke who was selected for the tour of Australia that season. Turton had to be satisfied with island honours only. If Turton Is selected it is to be hoped that he does not encounter circumstances similar to those in 1958. On that occasion he had defended brilliantly from loose forward to assist Canterbury to lead, 14-8, at halftime. However, soon after the interval J. A. Bond was injured and Turton had to move to inside centre. He played solidly but the teamwork had been upset and Britain romped home, 41-21.