PROVINCIAL LEAGUE CLASH

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 169, 7 October 1927, Page 11

PROVINCIAL LEAGUE CLASH

TOMORROW’S BIG REP. GAME

AUCKLAND AGAINST BULLER

THE big attraction at League headquarters to-morrow will be the match between Auckland and Buller. Although beaten in Christchurch last week, the Buller side has been in Auckland all the week, and has been quietly preparing for the match, The visitors realise that they are up against a tough proposition in opposing the crack provincial side of New Zealand, but they will step out on the field to-morrow with the determination to make Auckland go all out to win.

The Auckland representative team has had to be altered a good deal owing to several of the original players being unable to play, but it is nevertheless still a very strong combina-

tion, and by the time the final whistle blows, the Buller team will certainly know they have been playing football. Dufty will be seen at fullback, and needs no introduction. List will be played at centre this week. He has been playing wing-three-quarter lately, but he is equally at home in either position. Of the wings, W. Wilson is a promising young player from the Mangere Club, and while on tour showed good form. Little, on the other wing, is well-known. The five-eighths, Wetherill and Gregory, are plhying fine football and understand each other’s play. Gregory will play first and Wetherill second. Webb will replace Mclntyre at half, the latter being unavailable. The accident to Somers, who had a small bone in liis foot broken, has given J. Peckham a chance to earn his first representative cap. St. George, the reserve hooker, was not available.. Hall replaces O’Brien in the front row and is a good, keen forward. Moisley, who has been selected as first emergency, is a fine forward and most League fans consider him unlucky not to have been given a chance before this. He was also selected as reserve in the North Island team, but did not get a try-out. THE BULLER TEAM

If Buller goes under on Saturday it will be by lack of experience only. In the South, they have not the opportunities to train and learn the fine points of the game as given to Auckland Leaguers, and although the coach, Mr. Alpine, can really be considered the father of the code in the Buller district and puts much of his valuable time into training the team, it is found a big job to muster the team Cor practices. The players are also very young, but next year Aucklanders can expect something quite different from the League team from Buller, which are bound to learn a great deal while on thiis trip to Auckland.

There are, perhaps, no outstanding men in the Buller backs, which are a bit on the light side, although they all handle fairly well and are safe on defence. G. Thomas, on one wing, who is a newcomer to the code, is only lOst. 81b., but is a fast and lively sort of player. He handles well and knows what to do with tho ball when he gets it. Jones, on the other wing, who is a couple of pounds lighter than Thomas, is perhaps one of the soundest backs in the team. He handles well, and has plenty of speed. He was a junior Rugby five-eighth last year. He has a slightly injured foot wdiich may give him trouble on Saturday. Burns, at centre, who is one of the heaviest of the rearguard, is considered

to be the best centre on the Coast. The recent game against Canterbury was his first game after recovering from a broken collar-bone, and in his training at Carlaw he has been perhaps a little dubious about the hard ground. The two five-eighths differ in weight a good deal. McCarthy, at first, goes about 12st., and is a big, strong player. The harder it is the better Mac seems to like it. He is considered to be the most improved back in the team, and the fact that he does not hesitate in making moves justifies his position in the team. He should be the right man to oppose Gregory. Cameron at second goes a few pounds over 10st.. and, although very light, is considered to be the cleverest back in the team. He is good at making openings and being very young he seems to improve with every match. His defence is very sound, and since lie learned his football at St. Patrick’s College, Wellington, he plays a scientific game. Half-back Barnard is very light; in fact he does not yet go lOst. In recent games he has gone off a good deal and was very disappointing, but sinee he has been in training in Auckland, he has improved a great deal, and he can no longer be considered weak at getting the ball away from the scrum out to his backs. G. Wright, the fullback is a wellbuilt chap, and has represented Buller in League and Westland at Rugby. He fields the ball exceptionally well, and kicks with either foot. AMONG THE FORWARDS McElwee, the breakaway, is a fast and open forward, and is considered by many of the Southern tans to be as good a forward as the South Island rep., Goodall. He handles well, and is the type of player who will appeal to the Aucklanders, as he keeps up with the play, and is on the ball all the time. Goodall is the recognised star forward of the team and the Auckland fans will remember him by the fine exhibition he gave as a forward in the North v. South Island match, which took place here a few weeks ago. Powell, who plays second row next to Goodall, is a hard and sound tackier, and is always on the ball. He is a bit weak at handling, but has improved since liis training at Carlaw Park. The three front-row men, Jack, Davis and Harris know their job well and it is not likely that they will have anything put over them. Jack is reported to have played good football this year and represented Buller in both League and Rugby. He is the m

type to be found helping the backs along. The hooker, Davis, is the veteran of the team, being 41 years old. If any player knows how to do his stuff it is Davis. In 1921, he represented Hawke’s Bay at Rugby, and has represented the West Coast and Buller ever since. Ha.rris is a solid and bustling type of forward, and with his good tackling is no doubt the most reliable man in the team. King is suffering from an injured leg, but if he is fit enough on Saturday he will get a game. The two reserves, Walsh and Lamont are very reliable forwards.