To Play Free State

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 418, 28 July 1928, Page 1

To Play Free State

ALL BLACK TEAM PICKED Sheen Centre Three-quarter (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Special to Press Association.) THE All Blacks expect a closer game against the Orange Free State team to-day than in the last match against it, when New Zealand won by 20 points to nil.

Received 9.5 a.m. BLOEMFONTEIN, Friday. The New Zealand team to play against the Orange Free State tomorrow is as under: Lilburne Rushbrook, Sheen, Lucas Strang, Johnson Dailey Scrimshaw Ward, Snow M. Brownlie, Alley, C. Brownlie Hore, Swain Sheen was originally chosen as first five-eighths, but he goes to centre, because Carleton is suffering from an injured muscle. Johnson takes the first five-eighths position. The team is a strong one, and should put up a good showing. There are likely to be six changes in the team that represented the Free State last time the All Blacks met them, when New Zealand won by 20 to nil. The game to-morrow should be much closer. NOT ENOUGH CHANGES TEST MEN OVERPLAYED RISKS MUST BE TAKEN The most pleasing feature of this morning’s message is the fact that the Selection Committee has at last decided to give the second threequarter line an opportunity, and also spell

Lindsay. In the present tour there has been the usual tendency to play the same men match after match, and as long as this is persisted in there will be no opportunity of discovering useful men. Up to the present Sheen has had three games, Rushbrook four and Lucas five. For to-day’s match it is stated that Sheen was to have played first five-eight, but owing to Carleton being injured, he had to play in his old position at centre. This is unfortunate, as it robs Sheen of an excellent opportunity of displaying his worth closer up. Both Stewart and Finlayson continue to have a well-earned rest, and Hazlett's services also will not be called upon. With the exception of Snow, who relieves McWilliams, the pack is the same as that which beat the Pretoria forwards on Wednesday. It is far from being the best pack that the All Blacks can field, but it should be strong enough for the purpose. Even at the risk of losing a few provincial games it is desirable at this stage that the full strength of the party be exploited, and that some of the test men be nursed for the bigger engagements ahead. The value of this policy is to be seen in the performances now being put up by Ward and McWilliams. When the team arrived in South Africa neither of these two men were regarded as first-class forwards, and now McWilliams has played himself into a test side, and Ward has a good chance of doing the same thing. In the fifth match of the tour the All Blacks defeated Orange Free State (Country) by 20 to 0, but the team to take the field to-day is stated to be a stronger side, and may run the tourists much closer.