All Blacks May Attack With The Backs Today

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29910, 25 August 1962, Page 9

All Blacks May Attack With The Backs Today

THE Rugby test between New Zealand and Australia at Athletic Park, Wellington, today will be a continuation of the series in Australia a few weeks ago, and the All Blacks must be favoured to win. Notwithstanding the impressive scores compiled by the visitors m their games, the Australian side does not have the strength in the forwards to match New Zealand, and that is where the game will be won or lost.

The New Zealand backs, too, are a lively lot. with the wings, T. R. Heeps and

P J. Morrissey probably the fastest pair to represent the country for many years.

Morrissey’s selection caused

a surprise, but both D. McKay and J. R. Watt are

injured—Watt for the rest of the season from all accounts and Morrissey was third choice. In many respects he is a better player than Heeps. He is more robust and is a much better defender. Heeps could beat him by a few yards over the field in a race, but the difference would be negligible in a match.

A great deal will depend on the New Zealand backs, for it seems that they will be given the opportunity to run. an opportunity that has been denied them often in the past. The chairman of the New Zealand selectors (Mr N. J. McPhail) said yesterday that the team had the speed and the skill in the backs, and they would

be given the chance to use both. But the ball would not be thrown about merely for the sake of doing so. The forwards would play their part, but the accent would be on attack, on moving the ball. Mr McPhail said that if the Australians stand flat—and he did not think they would—then New Zealand would have to revise its thinking. Australia is not likely to close the game up—it is not good enough at present for that—and so there should be plenty of movement in the game today. But New Zealand will have to dominate in front before it can throw the ball back, and the game therefore is not likely to be fluid and full of movement from the first whistle.

The All Black pack will have a weight advantage, but there will be no loss of mobility. The flankers, K. R. Tremain and W. Nathan, are particularly active, and the No. 8. D. J. Graham, is well known in Canterbury for his swift covering. Of the three, Tremain is the most formidable with the ball and his form' this season suggests that he is at the peak of his form. Then, too, there are C. E. Meads and I. N. Mac Ewan, robust locks.

So on paper, New Zealand looks the logical winner. But, of course. New Zealand teams have looked far stronger than Australian sides in the past, and have lost. 2* ?