BRITISH RUGBY TEAM

Hokitika Guardian, 7 June 1929, Page 1

BRITISH RUGBY TEAM

TO TOUR N.Z. INTER ESTING PA RTI CUT, AR S. ■By Telegraph —Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June (i. “Jt is quite possible that, as was the case with the side selected for •South Africa in 1924, there will lie one or two changes, but if the great majority of the chosen players make the tour, the home countries will lie exceptionally well represented. Every one of the twenty-nine • are internationals, and all but two—K. A. Sellar one of the two full-backs, and W. W. Wakefield—have been this season’s choices.” The above pleasing information is imparted by Mr Cecil Wray, the New Zealand Rugby Union’s representative in England, in a letter to the New Zealand Union. The team will leave England on the second Saturday in April, and it is due back in the second week in October. “England,” explains .Mr Wray, “is the chief contributor with nine players —K. A. Sellar and T. W. Brown (full hacks), C. D. Arnold and H. L. Novis (tliYce-quarters); and H. Reid. C. D. A. Gummer, E. Coley, W. W. Wakefield and F. A. Mnrtindale (forwards).” j Scotland and Ireland each have seven' 1 representatives. The Scottish contingent are: W. M. Simmers, G. T. S. M.acPherson and I. S. Smith (threequarters) ; J. Nelson and H. D. Greenlees ('half-backs'); and H. S. Macintosh and J. R. Patterson (forwards). Ireland will lie represented by: G. V. Stephenson and J. B. Ganly (threequarters) ; M. Sugden (half-hack); and F. J. Cagney, G. R. Beamish, C. T. Payne, and M. J. Dunne (forwards).

Wales will contribute H. M. Bowcott (three-quarter), M. C. Powell and E. Williams (half-oack'A. and Ivor Jones. I). Parker, and T. Arthur (forwards). Mr S. S. Dean, Chairman of the Management Committee of the N.Z. Rugby Union stated to-night that 1 the team which Britain was sending to New Zealand next year would lie far and away the strongest which the Old Country had ever despatched to this country. No previous British team had ever been composed of international players. The British players, Mr Dean pointed out, had been selected conditionally upon their retaining their form. That the British selectors were in deadly earnest about sending their strongest possible team to New Zealand was evidenced from the fact that they had advised no fewer than ninety players in the four Rugby countries that they are still in the running for Now Zealand.

It will come as good news to followers of the game in this country to learn that G. V. Stephenson, the famous Irish captain, is coming out with the team, as his name did not appear in ihe original selection. Stephenson is freely acknowledged in Great Britain to be the greatest three-quarters in the United Kingdom to-day.