All Blacks Cautious About Newport Game

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30275, 30 October 1963, Page 18

All Blacks Cautious About Newport Game

(F?ornT. P. McLEAN, Sports Editor of the “N.Z. Herald"! ' PORTHCAWL, October 29. No-one connected with Welsh Rugby seems to be giving Newport the ghost of a chance of defeating the touring All Blacks tomorrow. But the New Zealanders are treating the match with every caution. The reasons for the All Blades’ cautious state of mind are several. For one thing, none of the four previous touring All Black teams in the British Isles had an easy win over Newport and the unbeaten 1924 “Invincibles” have always acknowledged that this was the game they ought to have lost.

Also, Newport ranks with Cardiff and Swansea among the greatest of all Welsh clubs, and the pull of tradition can have a profound influence upon temperaments as mercurial as the Welsh. The final and perhaps the most compelling factor of all is Welsh “hwyl.” This is a mystic spiritual force which possesses the Welsh when they are striving for the national honour and which can transfigure them into larger than lifesize. It was "hwyl” which in the last minutes of an internationai with England at Cardiff Arms Park a few years ago suddenly caused a section of the crowd to begin singing the Welsh National Anthem. 60,000 Singing Within seconds the entire assembly of about 60.000 was the hymn while out on the field the 15 Welsh players were starred to skill and pertormance beyond all understanding. In such a mood, Newport, in spite of an indifferent re-

cord during the season and the possible absence from the pack of an International, B. Cresswell, who was injured on Saturday, may offer opposition vigorous enough to counter the All Blacks developing forward strength and the hopes which have been aroused by the play of the backs. Even without Oresswell there are five internationals in the Newport team and of these the most dangerous is reputedly the centre, B. J. Jones. He is fast and brilEantly elusive, although apparently inclined to do mad-beaded things which confuse hiis teammates more than opponents. International Locks The locks, Price and Ford, have both played tor Wales, while Davidge, at the back of the scrum, is both a Welsh cap and a British Lion. The other international is Perrot who partners Jones at left wing and who is nippy and quick. On the New Zealand side the most interest almost certainly will attach to E. W. Kirton’s play at first fiveeiighiths. No doubt he would have preferred a partnership with his Otago and dub colleague, C. R. Laidlaw, but he has

moved well enough at practice with K. C. Briscoe to look a strong candidate for the first string position during the tour. Vital For Macßae

It is an important match, too, tor I. R. Macßae at centre, especially in the improvement oPtais sketchy defence of last Saturday.

The All Black forwards continue to work well at training, while D. B. Clarke, although decidedly “brassed off’ ’ about the press campaign which is now raging because of his conversion of penalty goals in the first two matches, has an opportunity to fulfil his ambition of beating the Welsh at every opportunity. According to all expectations the All Blacks ought to win the match.