RUGBY TOUR

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 135, 12 June 1929, Page 11

RUGBY TOUR

VISIT TO •:AUSTRALIA

COMPLETING <THE TEAM

The clashing of the Rugby forces 1 of Australia and New Zealand this season is arousing greater interest in; New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria than has been the ease with moat previous visits by New ' Rugby football teams to Australia. It is said that the Union game has come right into its own in New South Wales, and this,' with. the. revival ..of interest in Victoria and Queensland; has made the outlook better than for many a long day, probably brighter than ever before. The standard of play- is also reported to be so high as to create afeeling of confidence in the ability, of-Australia's players to .lower New Zealand's colours. According to latest-advices-from Australia, there is a feeling of disappointment that the Dominion-will not be represented at full strength, but it: is recognised that New Zealand sides are always hard to beat.- One Australian critic states: "The New Zealand side, although it eontainsjnany names hew to Australians, will be strong. No side from the land df / the silver' fern has ever been weak, and the present position in New Zealand Rugby almost demands a successful tour. Nothing succeeds like" success, and Australia's' success in the coming series woulS. crfeate a tremendous lot of frelhSinterest in the amateur code of Rugtiy.'?* "^

TEAM APPOINTMENTS. c

The Now Zealand:,team is to leave for Sydney on .Friday: .week. There is still one vacancy to. be filled, that of the second half.-b.acfc';'. "arid the appointl--ments of cap.tain and vice-captain are also to bo inadei By .this time the New Zealand selectors' have. 'Jnq doubt expressed their views 'as ;to.who should be.^the second half-back'in the team, and it is expected that Mr.-E M'Kenzie, chairman of the. Selection Coipmittee, will be. able to report to. the New Zealand Rugby Union's Management Committee to-night that the ,team is complete. It is also expected that there will ; be a recommendation, from the sele'ctbrs as to the captain and his'deputy! : C. G-. Porter stands out aB the man to lead the team, and W. C. Dalley appears to be the man for vice-captain. These two players captained the respective sides in the recent trial match. ...Another matter to be decided by the Manage-: ment Committee is the appointment; of; the Selection Committee for: the tour. There is no need for as big a selection committee as on the tour to South Africa, and the manager,'• captain, and vice-captain should be quite suflicient. Messrs. J. M'Leod (manager), C. G. Porter, and W. C. Dalley should be able to carry out the duties required of selectors in an efficient manner. HALF-BACK CANDIDATES. With regard to the selection of; ithe second half-back, it .is -known that Julian (Poneke) has been-.under-con-sideration, but.this-nrie -half-back -did' not show his usual form-in the presence of Mr. B. M'Kenzie at Newtown Park last Saturday. Julian that day played his worst game of the season, the Oriental half-back (Chambers) showing' up well. Hart, of Wairarapa, and formerly of Wellington, has been mentioned as a probable,' as also has Page, of Canterbury, although neither of these players was among the nominees for the: trip to Australia.; Leys, of course, must still be. entitled to consideration, and it is possible, that the- claims of some of the other half-backs who were nominated, but who did not play in the trial, have to be reconsidered. Among these nominees. were ,W. Shortland (North, Auckland),. J,. Tuck (Waikato), and E^qwleß^NelsonV: :Tuck' has-re-" coritly transferreoTto;^Wellington, and has joined up >rtTtth'-the Wellingtonl Club. J. Mill, although-, not nominated, has also been mentioned, but it is doubtful whether he would be able to go, as he is reported to be taking up a position in the Wairarapa. . Among those-.who intend to see the matches ; in. Australia- are many 'New Zealand enthusiasts/ • Among those^ from Wellington ma be Messrs. -S. S.V.Rean" (chairman »f;;the. New Zealand. Rugby Union), Khois: going, as the guest of the N<xv South Wales Rugby TTnionj G.; W. Slade (an ox-chairman of the New Zealand Union), H. Murphy (of the Wellington Rugby. Union), and T. Coltman: .'■."■■•.