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World Cup trial
matches are
i
disappointing
SYDNEY, Sunday.
— The World Cup
rugby league selection
trials, with 60 of Aus
tralia's top players ön
display, proved a dis-
appointment at the
Sydney Showground
today.
A very small crowd at
tended with many leaving
at half-time in the main
game.
The two trial matches of
fered very little help to the
Australian five-man selec
tion panel which next Satur
day night names the 19-man
team to contest the World
Cup in England.
In the "main" match, a
Sydney team downed a com
bined Queensland-NSW
Country team 26-13 after
having trailed 5-8 at half
time. The early match saw
a more experienced Sydney
side down Country 26-20
after leading 8-5 at the in
terval.
Each match was generally
scrappy with only brief
glimpses of exciting foot
ball. On these occasions dis
appointing defence lapses
allowed tries.
Players in the main fix
ture were poorly numbered
and were difficult to iden
tify.
Man of the match was
Newcastle's footballing
priest, Father John Cootes,
who streaked away for two
tries — each after 50yd
dashes.
Cup prospect Bill Mul
Iins, of Easts, was carried
from the field on a stretcher
after attempting to tackle
Father Cootes on his first
try-scoring run.
Midway into the second
half Father Cootes was car
ried from the field, also on
a stretcher, after injuring a
shoulder attempting to tac-,
kle East's robust centre,
Mark Harris. Country of
ficials hurriedly conferred
on the sideline.
Father Cootes slowly rose
from the stretcher regained
his feet and returned to the
field.
Although favouring his
right shoulder, Father
Cootes continued to tackle
vigorously.
He brought the crowd to
its feet with his second try
after his long sideline dash
to carry Allan McKean of
Easts over with him in the
comer.
The Sydney centres, Har
ris and Owen O'Donnell,
had good matches with two
tries each.
Interest centred on the
nine Queenslanders, some of
whom will be included in
the Cup team solely as
Queensland representatives.
Of the Queenslanders,
full-back Tony Scott ran
strongly, 18-year-old wingér
Wayne Stewart received few
chances, centre Max Ander
son was completely out
classed, five-eighth Barry
Dowling impressed, second
rowers Jim Murphy and
Reg Cannan and prop Des
Morris ran into torrid Svd
ney defence while Test
hooker Brian Fitzsimmons
was shaded in the scrums
and outplayed in the open
by Cronulla's Ron Turner.
Half Brian Burke, of
Maitland, kept alive his
Cup hopes with a tireless
effort.
Queanbeyan winger David
Grimmond had few chances
and must be rated a outside
chance following today's
form of the Sydney wing
pair of Paul Cross and big
Lionel Williamson.
The main match failed to
produce the team efforts
more evident in the curtain
raiser.
City halves Terry Rey
nolds and Tom Raudonikis
proved a lively combination
but failed to provide their
outside men with many
more of the opportunities
that came.
Purposeful
forward
The former Kurri lock,
Gary Sullivan, except for
failing to gather in Father
Cootes on his first try-scor
ing run, continues to im
press in both attack and
defence.
The Canterbury - Banks
town second row pair of
Nev Hornery and Ron Cos
tello unsettled their oppos
ing forwards and bruising
tackles and constructive
work around the rucks.
The 21-year-old Parra
matta prop Bob O'Reilly's
Cup hopes firmed with
probably the most purpose
ful forward play of the day.
City full-back Allan Mc
Kean's sound general play
keeps him the Cup running.
Scores: Sydney 26 (M.
Harris, O. O'Donnell each
two tries, T. Reynolds and
G. Sullivan tries; A; McKean
three goals and a field
goal) d NSW Country
Queensland 13 (J. Cootes
two tries and B Dowling
try, T. Scott two goals).
$