CAUGHEY NOT ASKED TO PLAY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 163, 28 July 1937, Page 12

CAUGHEY NOT ASKED TO PLAY

-Prest> Association.)

Has To Show His Form First SELECTORS' Sf ATEMENT

(Bv Teleeraph-

AUCKLAND; Last Nieht. The report circulated in Auckland that. T. H. C. Caughey had been requested by four members of the New Zealand selection committee to turn out in a club match next Saturday, on account of their anxiety that he should go into training with the All Blacks lor a week prior to the first Test match against the Springboks is without foundation. In the early part of last week before the New Zealand selectors arrived in Auckland Caughey informed a Herald representative that he inteuded playing for University on Saturday' next. Caughey, who returned oa July 9, from a business trip to America, received a request by telephone from Wellington two nights later from Mr S„ S. Dean, chairman. of the management committee of the New Zealand .Rugby TJnion, to proceed to Wellington to participate in the two final All Blacks trials. Fivi of the New Zealand selection committee witnessed the match between South Africa and Auckland on Saturday last and Mr W. Pearson, of Otago, went t-p Hamilton on Stinday evening, while Mr E. McKenzie, of Wairarapa^ Mr A. A. Adams, of West Coast, and M. F. N.icholls, of Wellington, and Mr G. Nicholson, of Auckland, remained here and will proceed to Hamilton in the morning. Mr McKenzie" said that in company with Mr Adamix he made a friendly call upon Caughey to-day and merely expressed a wish that the Aucklander's services would not be lost to the g»me. He had been pleased to hear that Caughey was going to turn out once" more. Mr Adams agreed with what Mr McKenzie stated and said no mention had been made of Caughey's attending th«> All Black camp. ' Mr Nicholls stated that he had made a persoual call alone on Monday to see both Caughey and H. F. McLean. "I told Caughey I was very pleased to learn that he would be playing again," said Mr Nicholls. "There is no- suggestion of pitchforking Caughey into the New Zealand team, and until he plays and his form has been witnessed by tho New Zealand selectors he could not possibly be considered. "My personal view is that it is a question of placing the best New Zealand team in the field and if sooner or later Caughey reveals form sufficient to warrant his inclusion I think he shouid receive every consideration." So far as Mr Nicholson was concerned he said he was aware that Caughey had been " in solid training since he arrived back from America and that he had been aware all along that Caughey was going to pla-y club football next Saturday. Whether he eventually gaiued a place in the New Zealand team rested entirely upon the form Caughey displayed. Itegarcjing the selection of the New Zealand team Mr McKenzie said the names of the players to go into the training camp at Otaki for the week prior to the first Test match in Wellington on August 14 would be annouuced in Wellington on Saturday week. Ho was not certain how rnany there would be in camp, but he did not think tho number would be fewer than . 25,