RUGBY VETERANS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20023, 23 August 1939, Page 9

RUGBY VETERANS

SEPTEMBER 2 MATCH STARS OF A DECADE BARBARIANS V. SARACENS STRONG TEAMS SELECTED The recent announcement trial. a special match between toaips of Rugby stars of other days would be organised in Gisborne this season created an unusual amount of interest among followers of the code, many of whom have expressed a keen desire lo see in action the men who have made Rugby history in this country ancl overseas. ’ The organisers of the match have designated the teams Barbarians and Saracens, and have found no lack of first-class material available. One team will be almost identical with that which beat Auckland in 1926, on Eden Park, providing one of the sensations of a spectacular season; while the other will include several All Blacks and one New South Wales representative who played against New Zealand.

There are names in both teams which carried the highest honours of the code during the first post-war decade, and there are those of players who formed the effective background against which the feats of the stars were performed for a dazzled public.

A Run For The Public’s Money

All the players nominated have consented to take the match at least seriously enough to give the public a good run for its money, when the game is staged on September 2, at the Oval, and even allowing for some of them failing to reach concert pitch, it should be possible to give the gallery a really good idea of what Rugby football was like in “the days of the giants.” The teams have been chosen as under: —

Barbarians. —Full-back, A. Woods; three-quarters, H. Harris, F. C. Bennett, and G. Murland; five-eighths, W. J. Langlands and V. Caution; halfback, Piki Smith; hookers, K. A. Woodward and E. R. Thomas; lock, A. McPhail; side-row. N. Tasker and H. Webb; back-row, K. Spence ancl R. Harrison; wing-forward, K. Walters; emergencies, G. Gregory and D. Wells.

Saracens. —Full-back, J. de V. W. /Blath'wayt; three-quarters, D. Crawford, H. Brown, and R. Phillpotts: five-eigths, J. Griffiths and J. Mill: half-back, I. D. Bramwell; hookers, W. Mclldowie and H. Swan; lock. L. R. Stichbury; side-row, M. Brownlie and C. Brownlie; back-row, P. Barker and A. Toye; wing-forward, F. H. Bull; emergencies, J. Oman, M. Davies, and F. McDonald.

It will be noted that a handful of the 35 players mentioned are hardly to be placed among the true veterans of the game, but an effort has been made to place in their true position the stars who offered their services. Some have had to be left on the sidelines owing lo positions suitable for them being unavailable. An interesting appointment in connection with the match is that of Mr. O. R. Olson as referee. Mr. Olsen was the senior referee in this district for several seasons, and ranked high among those of the Dominion.