THE BIG MATCH.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1921, Page 5

THE BIG MATCH.

N.Z. v. SOUTH AFRICA. PROSPECTS FOR TO-MORROW. THE PROBABLE TEAMS. ‘ NEW MEN MAY BE TRIED. By Tehgraph.—Pre*. Aswelatlon. Wellington, Last Night. Under the terms of the official programme contract the teams in the matches on the Springboks’ tour are not announced until the day of play, and therefore it is impossible definitely to state what the team will be for the third test match on Saturday. In any case, present selections are subject to alteration, before the actual game. The South Africans make a point i of studying weather and ground conditions before they pick their representative fifteen, and were it not for the sake of giving time to print the team on a slip inserted in the official programme would probably not make the precise selection until the morning of the match. So many of the visitors are, however, suffering from injuries and other disabilities that their choice of a fifteen is more limited than ever before during the tour. A general idea of the probable team can be gathered by a process of elimination. The same process has been at work with the New Zealand team, but here it is rather a case of the survival of the fittest, and the performances of members of the party in training have been carefully studied by the selectors. Two recent acquisitions null in all probability be found to have justified their inclusion in the team—namely, Siddells and Fea. The performance of Siddels—who, in versatility at least, recalls the great W. J. Wallace—on the wing in a practice game on Saturday delighted the critics. There is every possibility of Siddells appearing as wing threequarter in the test. In Fea there is a prospect of the old weakness in the centre behind the scrum being corrected. The position of centre three-quarter is an open one, but the form shown by Mark Nicholls leaves the question open whether he might come to light in that position. This brings Ifwerson to second five-eighths, and establishes a good connection between the scrum and the three-quarter line. Among the forwards it is practically certain that Bellis will play wing, where his individuality in attack and defence will have freer scope. Duncan, in the opinion of many who saw the two test matches already played, did not really justify himself, and it is doubtful whether he will be played on Saturday. With him goes the whole idea of hooking as a specialty. Fletcher is likely to be the companion of Fogarty in the front rank. Turnbull will probably be found in the rear rank. On the part of the Springboks there is more than the usual reticence as to the composition of their representative fifteen. If among the backs Clarkson is unable to play, as stated, and De Kock is available, while Kruger cannot figure among the forwards, the third test team will not be far to seek. The following, then are the probable teams:

NEW ZEALAND: Full-back: Kingston. Three-quarters: Siddells, M. Nicholls, Steel. Five-eighths: Ifwerson, Fea. Half: Roberts. Wing forward: Bellis. Forwards: Fletcher, Fogarty, McLean, Moffitt, Richardson, West, Turnbull. SOUTH AFRICA:

Full-back: G. P. Morkel. Three-quarters: Van Heerden, Meyer, Strauss, Zeller. Halves: J. P. Michau, De Kock.

Forwards: “Boy” Morkel, Van Rooyen, Du Plessis, Walker, Mellish, Mosiert, Royal Morkel, Scholtz.