ALL BLACKS?

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 159, 26 September 1927, Page 16

ALL BLACKS?

Two Fine Teams To-Morrow’s Game POSSIBLES AND PROBABLES The selectors have chosen two wellmatched and capable teams for tomorrow’s All Black trial, Probables v. Possibles, and the result should be a match worth seeing. The likelihood of brilliant play is strengthened by the fact that the inside backs on either side are used to each other’s play. The Probables have only one non-Wellingtonian, Grenside, among the attacking backs, and the insides will be those who played against Auckland on Saturday week—that is, Kilby, Johnson, Nicholls, and •South. Rushbrook and Grenside, on the wings, are two star performers, and South, at centre, has only to repeat his dazzling play in the Wanganui trial to make his place as an All Black centre almost secure. AUCKLANDERS IN LINE The continuity of the Auckland backline, appearing for the Possibles, will be broken by D. Johnson, the Taranaki man, who is five-eighth. Outside him Berridge, Sheen, and Hook form an unbroken line to one wing, while D. Brophy, of Palmerston North, is the other threequarter. A capital display under difficult circumstances won Thomas, the fieryheaded Morrinsville fullback, a place in the Possibles. He has been playing well throughout the season, and his rush stopping, fielding, and tackling were on Saturday of the highest order. Butler, as the selectors doubtless recognised, was playing under a severe handicap. Under the circumstances he gave a satisfactory display, and is certain to be given another trial. The news that Cooke will be available is welcome to all supporters of Rugby, and should hearten New Zealand for next year’s ordeal. A wire to the effect that he would be able to make the trip was received by the selectors in Auckland on Saturday evening'. It was not from Cooke himself, but they stated that there was reason to believe he would now be able to go. _ Lucas, too, is still a possibility for the tour, and if he decides that he can go a place will be made for him in one of the later trial matches. Newcomers to big football are Leahy, Coulson, and Thomas, who figure in to-morrow’s trial. Coulson, who will hook with Swain against Hadley and Palmer, has made a rapid rise. At the start of last season he was playing junior in Wanganui. Leahy, who be“longs to Taihape is at the back of the Probables scrum with O. Galpin, of Manawhenua. Both are old boys of St. Patrick’s College. Donaldson won his place by virtue of a persevering exhibition at Auckland on Saturday, and will be alongside McWilliams, another much-improved forward. The suggestion, made previously m THE SUN, that the fullback shortage would ultimately be solved by dropping back a threequarter. finds support in the fact that H. W. Brown is fullback in the Probables. A good kick and field he has the qualifications for the job but will have to show better form than he exhibited against Auckland. Lilburne, who is playing in one of the southern trial teams, is another inside back —with ample experience of fullback play—who has been dropped back on account of the fullback difficulty.