ALL BLACK TRIAL MATCHES

Hokitika Guardian, 3 February 1930, Page 7

ALL BLACK TRIAL MATCHES

ARE THEY NECESSARY?

AUCKLAND; January 30. If trial matches are to lie played in preparation for the final selection of All Blacks to play against the British Rugby touring team this year, . the problem of obtaining leave of employment for players is going to be a difficult one, states Mr H. Frost, chairman of the management committee of the Auckland Rugby Union. Air Frost considers that the suggestion of Mr J. Prendeville, chairman of the management committee of the Wellington Rugby Union, that the trials be not held, is a reasonable one. “Against this however, must be set the special importance of the occasion,” continued Mr Frost. “There may be grounds for every reasonable effort being made to produce the best possible team, for reports indicate that the visit mg British team will be a very poweriul one. both back and forward. In connection with the matches to be played j in the test series, the records of thq,j Australian tour last season, the inter-1 Island match of September 28 and the New Zealand Maori match in October should provide the main foundations necessary to team building.” |

Mr Frost says the possibility of trial matches as early as those set down namely, on May 14 and 20, throwing any new light on the form of players fit to represent New Zealand seems rather remote. Mr Frost said Mr Prendeville had carefully set out his reasons why three trial matches were not necessary. The chief objection seemed to be that raised by the Wellington selector, Mr Norman Millard, who said that their 1929 form ■selectors would want to know how nearly they were reproducing that form in 1930. It might be stated generally said Mr Frost that a good many possible 1930 All Blacks would already have played against the British team in provincial and other games before they met them in the first test. As far as the .various districts' were l concerned it was obviqus that the selectors in the vicinity would be paying particular attention to the 1930 form of possible or probably All Blacks.