THE ALL BLACKS

Chronicle (Levin), 4 September 1946, Page 6

THE ALL BLACKS

SELECTION WELL PREDICTED The All Black team .contains ten North Islanders and live South Island1 •ers. All, ineluding the four emergencies, took part in the inter-island match in Wellingon 011 August 17, with tho exception of Dunn, who was selected, but eould not play owing to a leg iujury. Six lviwis, Seott, Argus, Smith, Ailen, Ithind and Finlay (Alanawatu), have Deen chosen. None of the players has previously gained All Black honours, but several repiresented New Zealand during the war against service lifteens. Auckland, with four men, and Otago, with three, have the prineipal representation. The selection arouses little surprise, for the team ciosely follows carlier predictions. On their forni overseas and good displays in New Zealand this season, the six Kiwi players have all inerited selection. H. Cook (llawke's Bay) Avas eonsidered a better full-back for the lviwis than Scott, but the latter lias shown splendid forni in recent wecks, and he and Emith, the brilliant centre three-quarter, were probably two of the Iirst men picked. The versatilo forward, Ivhind, who can play 111 any position in the scrum, goes to the fVonl row. He played ;n the back row iu the recent inler-islaud match. Heavy Forwards. The two heaviest men in the team are Prazer and Elliott, whose wcights were botli given as I5st. 41b. in the interisland match. The only surprise omission from the forwards is that of \V. Alumni (Buller) who made a line impression in the 1945 inter-island match in Auckland, and appears to be playing as well as ever tliis year. There has been great rivalrv for tho half- back p>osi tioxi, with Haig, Paewai and P. L. Tetzlaff all strong couteuders. The earlier opiuiim thal Haig would be chosen, in view of tho v--uuo oi' tho Iirst test, has been confmnod. It is likelv that 0110 of tho North Island players will be selected foi the second test in Auckland 011 Septembc.r 2S.