CHOOSING THE ALL BLACKS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 117, 3 June 1937, Page 15

CHOOSING THE ALL BLACKS

"Magpie")

Large Array of Talent Available ForSelectors SOME 0F THE P0SSIBIL1TIES

(By

The trials to be conducted by the New Zealand Rugby Union are not very far away now, and in preparation . nominations of players are to be lodged by June 15. The* first trial will be on July 10 between the Nbrtb and South Island fifteens, and on the following Tuesday, Thuridby and Saturday further trials will be held« It is presunted that the inter-island match will be contested by what is regardsd as the best in each island, although it is possible that this opinion will be revised as the form of players is revfealed in the subsequent matehes.

It is proposed that 65 players will j be assembled and all will be provided with an oppoTtunity of playing at eome time duriilg the weok. Thore are many more players in the North Island compared with the South, and it is possible to presume that. the North will provide the majority of the aspirants. There Will be keen competitidn for many of the positions, and it would be a bold man who would dare to try to eelect the NeW Zealand team just now. Quite recently I heard an enthusiast olfer to wager the odds of six to one that his friend could not nominate four men in as many selectiona who would play for New Zealand in the first Test. At first the offer appeared an easy one, but much can happen in the shape of injury and illness between now and August 15 and herein lies one of the traps of the test. However, readers can amiuse themselves in selecting four players if they wieh just to test the idea without, of course, the monetary interest. For their assistance the following are some who may be expected to figure in the 65 for the trials. To my mind there are at present four outstanding full-backs in New Zealand, and they are Pollock (Wellington), Taylor (Otago), Gilbert (West Coast) and Hook (Wanganui but recently of Auckland). Pollock is a football genius, but kis detractors say that he is too light to bump up against the Springboks. , Hook is young and a splendid place-kick, but lacking in experience. Gilbert is solid and will stop anything, while Otago people say Taylor is better than any other aspirant. Taylor played for Otago in Napier four years ago, when he was not impressive in defence, but may have improved in this respect in the mterim. The New Zealand full-back will, I think come from one of the above. South Island people say Mitchell is a real wing three-quarter and not a centre and if this be true then the centre's job is going to be easy to fill. Mitchell, I should say, is bound to find a place somewhere in the side. When in Otago, Watt was in the boom, but Wellington people say, while admitting his ability, that he is not a finished winger. Biaek, of Otago, is a aoughty contender and Edwards, of Wellington, to say nothing of Dick, of Auckland. The latter is a strong runner highlvspoken of in the north. The country districts are not barren, either, for

I there is Ford (Taranaki), MacAneny (PovertyBay) Waugh (Manawatu) and White and Apsey (Hawke's Bay). The outstanding centre in the Dominion today is Sullivan, of Taranaki, and certainly the fastest. He has the pace to link up with his wings and to my mind is outstanding fot the position. Tiiere will be need for more centres for the trials, but I confess they will be difiicult to find. For the important position of fiveeighths there are Cooney and Curtayne, of Auckland, who may be afforded chances because they represOnt a big union, but neither are of All Blaclt stundard, Crossman, of King Country, is in the boom. A prolific try-getter and sturdy of build with pace, he may turn out 'the first five for which all New Zealand is searching. Last winter ho caused a sensation in the match between King Country and Auckland. Le Quesne and Griffiths are sure to get an opportunity, and we know that Le Quesne is at his best in big football. In Canterbury Brooks and Hooper are a promising pair of young players who have done well so far. Brooks is of stnrdy build, and I expect him to reach prominence before long, perhaps this year. In Dunedin there is Trevarthan, of field-goal fame, not brilliant in tho true sense, perhhps, but his unerring boot is a match-winncrr and against the Springboks it may jfiove useful. Gillies, also of Otago and an All Black five-eighth last seacon, has so far not played this year, but there is yet time for him to come out. Half -backs are in fair supply, but not of the standard of previous times, perhaps. However, the best must be made of the material at hand. Simon, of1 Otago, has been tried several times and perhaps will not be given further opportunity for he is of the age that precludes the possibility of improvement. One of the younger brigade in Sarton, of South Canterbury, has prospects if he has recovered from recent injuries. Last year he represented Otago once or twice. McAuliffe (Canterbury) is a good half and a good place:kick. He went to Japan with the University side. Coming to the North Island there are Sadler (Wellington), Clothier (Hawke's Bay), and Russell Waikato). All are good half -backs, but in- stature Clothier is easily the winner and to stand up to the Springboks one must have size. Possibly Saxton, McAuliffe, Sadler and Clothier will be invited to the trials. Next week I will discuss the forwards.