STRONG BRITISH SIDE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 721, 22 July 1929, Page 13

STRONG BRITISH SIDE

Twenty-Seven Internationls

NEW NAMES IN REVISED LIST

News from England last week makes it quite clear* that the British Rugby team which will visit New Zealand and Australia next year will be organised carefully. At a meeting which it held in Edinburgh after the Scotland v. England match on March 15, the Selection Committee decided to get into early touch with players who were likely candidates for the tour, and to give them ample notice of the call that might come to them, in the hope that they may thus be able to make the necessary arrangements to get away. As the provisional selection was not announced until over a month after that meeting, it would appear that the committee had got into touch with the players before it announced its provisional choice. However, a cabled announcement this week that three more players had been listed, making 21 in all, makes it a little uncertain, until mailed advices are received, whether or not the first choice of 29 players—the number required for the tour —was of players who thought that they could come, and that the additional two picked this week are just emergencies. As it reached the New Zealand newspapers, the cabled list of the provisional selection of the team was mutilated and incomplete. The name of G. V. Stephenson, famous captain of Ireland, was missing from the list of threequarters, though it appeared in Australian papers. It seems improbable, however, that Stephenson is included. Judging from the names given in the first cabled message, that some .such errors had been made. The Sun has checked that list with English files. The result is the following amended list of the provisional selection, including the two players whose names were cabled last week: Fullbacks.—K. A. Sellar (Navv, United Service and England), T. W. Brown (Bristol and England), W. Bonner (Bradford). Threequarters.—W. Bonner (Bradford - ), J. G. Ganly (Monkstown and Ireland), C. L). Aarvold (Cambridge University, Headii.glv and England), IV. M. Simmers (Glasgow Academicals and Scotland), G. F. .S. Macpherson (Oxford Universitv, Edinburgh Academicals, and Scotland), ‘i S. Smith (Oxford University, Edinburgh Academicals and Scotland), A. L. Novis (Blackheath. Army and England). If. M. Bowcott (Cardiff, Cambridge University and Wales), Howie (Neath). Half-backs.—J. B. Nelson (Glasgow Academicals and Scotland), W. C. Powell (London Welsh and Wales). H. D. Greenlees (Leicester and Scotland >, F. Williams (Cardiff and Wales). M. Sugden (Dublin University, Wanderers and Ireland). Forwards.—lvor Jones (Llanellv and Wales), Dai Parker (Swansea and Wales), T. Arthur (Neath and Wales), S. J. Cagney (London Irish and Ireland), G. R. Beamish (Royal Air Force and Ireland). M. J. Dunne (Lansdowne and Ireland), C. T. Payne (North of Ireland and Ireland), H. S. Mackintosh (Glasgow University and Scotland), J. R. Paterson (Birkenhead Park and Scotland), 11. Rew (Exeter. Army and England), G. C. Gum- ! mer (Plymouth Albion), E. Coley (Leicester), W. W. Wakefield (Harlequins and England). S. Martindale (Kendal), H. Jones (Neath and Wales). [Bonner replaces Sellar, who may not be able to get leave from his warship. 1 Very few of the most prominent

players in international matches in the British s,eason of 1928-29 are missing from the selection. Perhaps the most notable absentee is J. D. Clinch, of Dublin University, who is held to be the best forward in Ireland. But as Clinch will be in his 29tli year when the British team is in New Zealand, it is possible that there is some doubt about his ability to retain liis form at that age in a hard tour immediately following a season at Home —that is, assuming that he could get leave of absence for the tour. J. E. Arigho, an Irish wing threequarter, showed some brilliance in Ireland’s earlier matches in the season, but did not maintain it. Scotland’s most consistently good forward in recent seasons has been J. M. Bannerman, formerly of Glasgow High School, but he has had eight seasons of international Rugby already, and will be only a few months short of 29 years of age when the team is In New Zealand. So, even if he were available, it is not surprising that he is missing from the selection. Otherwise Scotland’s best seems to be in the side. The only notable omission from the Welsh contribution to the team is that of W. G. Morgan, a sometimes-brilliant centre threequarter who is a nephew of the famous “Teddy” Morgan. But Guy Morgan, still at Cambridge University, may not be able to come. CHANGES IN ENGLISH TEAM England’s team is in a process of transformation, six new men having been put into it for the last Calcutta Cup match of the season. So several men who were very prominent a year or two ago are not chosen for the visit to this Dominion. Dr. R. Cove-Smith, who captained the British team in yuth Africa in 1924, and who has been captain of England since W. W. Wakefield retired from international Rugby, was dropped just before the match with Scotland a few weeks ago. Even if he had maintained his form, the fact that he will be 32 years of age next year would have needed consideration. Several other English players who starred in the 1926-27 season, when England was undefeated, are getting well up in football years now. There has been some surprise that A. T. Young and H. C. C. Laird, who played very well indeed as England's alt-backs in the 1927-28 season, are both missing from the side that has to come here. But even if Young had been available, It is doubtful whether he would have been chosen. He had suffered some ill-health during the English summer, and his form in the football season now ended was so patchy that he was dropped from the English team after a match or two. In any case, he applied, a little while ago. for a post in the Sudan. Laird was hurt before the end of the season, but he, too, was not as good as in previous years, except in his defensive kicking. The amended list shows that of the 31 players in the provisional selection, 27 have played in the international matches. England has ten representatives, Wales eight, Scotland seven and Ireland six.