CRITICAL WEEK
Decision For Open Play
[From T. P. MCLEAN, "N.Z. Herald” Special Correspondent, by arrangement with the N.Z.f’.A.] , j SALISBURY, June 30. Their match with Rhodesia at Salisbury on Saturday wiU end the most critical week of their tour for the All Blacks. Many of the team were stunned by the nature and extent of the- defeat by the Springboks. One reaction was a standard of behaviour which did not leave the warmest of 'impressions in Northern Rhodesia. Another was a prolonged discussion within the team on the vaUdity of “the pattern” as the tactical approach for the tour.
Happily a meeting at which this matter was investigated made it clear that all of the players preferred the running game and they were heartily concurred in the decision to make this the standard approach for the rest of the tour.
Unfortunately, though the spirit was strong in the match on Wednesday but the flesh was weak, and most of the good intentions were frustrated by errors which were beneath the dignity of a touring team. The fact that the Rhodesian half-back put the ball into 48 of the 70 scrums demonstrated how unnecessarily the All Blacks infringed the simple fundamentals. The Rhodesian team on Saturday will be a stronger side and van Jaarsvftld, its captain, is an old hand who has played 83 games for Rhodesia. However., the New Zealand team also looks stronger than on Wednesday though it is unfortunate that ~S. R. Nesbit has not been encouraged at first five-eighths. W. A. Davies no doubt will display his unusual football intelligence in the position, but in terms of tests one feels that there could be. a greater profit in Nesbit The critical feature is that the AU Blacks, -for their own peace of mind, simply must discover a stronger technique. One must be blunt and say that at the moment they rank a bad third behind the Uons and the French in attractiveness to the public. A fine free winning game today could have a profound effect upon the rest of the tour.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29246, 2 July 1960, Page 7
Word Count
346CRITICAL WEEK Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29246, 2 July 1960, Page 7
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