TO PLAY ENGLAND

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 123, 26 May 1937, Page 13

TO PLAY ENGLAND

WELLINGTON TEAM

ASSOCIATION GAME

FIRST TEST SOON The most formidable task that has ever faced a Wellington representative Association football side will be undertaken on Saturday next when an eleven consisting ,of ten' Wellington players and one from Palmerstcn North will play England's amateur side. For many weeks a number of Wellington players have been training in anticipation of their being selected, and the men that the sole selector, Mr. George F. Aers, has finally sorted out are all in firstclass condition and fit to last the full ninety minutes of the game. The team was announced by Mr. Aers today as follows:— Goalkeeper.—Wyatt (Hospital). Full-backs. —Miles (Hospital), Haines (Petone). ■ ™ Halves.—Todd (Hospital), - Jeftery (Hospital), N. Gates (Technical Old Boys). Forwards. —Wilson (Seatoun), Allan (Manawatu); Leslie (Petone), Hatchard (Marist), Woods (Hospital). Twelfth Man.—Longbottom (Waterside). Players are requested' to meet Mr. Aers at the Sussex Street entrance to the Basin Reserve at 1.30 p.m. on Saturday. : Although the team to play the Englishmen represents Wellington-Mana-watu-Wairarapa, Allan, of Manawatu, is the only non-Wellington man in the side, and those who saw the trial game in which the Manawatu and Wairarapa nominees 'for selection participated will agree that only his selection was justified on the day's performances. The other yisiting players were not weak, but were no stronger than many local meh.who had the additional advantage of knowing one another's play. EXPERIENCED PLAYERS. Wyatt, the goalkeeper, has been playing well this season, and has had considerable.experience in the past. If he is on.form on the day of the match Wellington's citadel will, be well protected; -. Miles and Haines are the two strongest backs in local football, arid Todd-and Jeffery are a formidable pair, of. halves, each a hard worker with plenty of enterprise. N. Gates, the third member,of the half line, is one of the three, in the side who have not played for Wellington previously, but his football this season has warranted his inclusion and with the sup-' port of. the two veteran halves he should not-fail. Wilson and Allan are the ; \other two who have had no Wellington representative experience, and their wing, on paper at any rate, seems to' be the weaker. Wellington is not strong in right-wingers and Mr. Aers apparently considered % Wilson the best of an unlikely field. Wilson is a trier with a good knowledge of ball control arid with the tricky Allan as< a partner may surprise Wellington followers of the game in Saturday's exhibition. Leslie had no rival for the centre-forward berth and his knack of playing, superlative football on important occasions should be worth a lot to Wellington. ; Gn the left-wing Hatchard and Woods are a strong combination of deft "footwork and rugged enterprise,: and they should keep their centre well supplied with the ball. Longbottom is one of Wellingtons-best utility players and there could be no better choice, of. twelfth man. "'" Few ■■will cavil at Mr. Aers's choice, and. it fremains only for the eleven' to respond'- td r;th>''^confidence'" 'plaCe'dfiri them by making a worth-while 'showing against the almost unbeatable, visitors for the full period of the game. "LIKEABLE CROWD." According to telephone information received-.this morningfrom Mr. Frank' Campbell; vice-chairman of the council of the New Zealand Football Association, who was then at i Palmerston North with the; English team, en route to-Napier, the" visitors are all fit and looking forward'to their first game at Napier tomorrow afternoon. The players are .described by Mr. Campbell as a likeable crojsrd: who will be popular with the sporting public of New Zealand. : ■ ■' On Monday morning next the team wilLTse entertained at morning tea by the. Acting Prime Minister (the Hon. P. Fraser) at Parliament House, and on their way will stop" at the Citizens' War Memorial, upon which Mr. C. Wreford Brown, one of the Joint managers, will leave a wreath. Sir Ernest Davis, Mayor of Auckland and president of-the New Zealand Football Association, will be unable to preside, as-he intended, at the official dinner to be given to the team in Wellington , after Saturday's game, but he will give a 'dinner to the visitors when they return'again to Auckland. •■ ■ ~ FIRST TEST TEAM. .; New Zealand's first Test team is-ex-pected to be announced at any time now. by the sole selector, Mr. A. P. Neesham, of Auckland, as the match will take place at Dunedin on Saturday .week, June 5. North Island players selected are to assemble at Wellington on Saturday next, and with Mr. Neesham and their trainer, Mr. Taff. Davis, will travel south on Saturday night to Dunedin, so that the team will have a clear week of preparation for the game. This policy of assembling the New Zealand teams a week before the game will be followed for the other two Test matches also. Every effort is being made to see that the New Zealanders, if they cannot win, will at least play a creditable game.