MENACING PACK

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

MENACING PACK

Evading The Issues

[By A. A. MULLIGAN, a former Irish International)

PORTHCAWL, Oct. 29. The first testing week of the tour is over. W. J. Whineray’s All Blacks can relax momentarily and ruminate upon their two wins. They have plenty to browse about.

At Oxford, we again saw how the devastating effect of world travel and time differences can upset the metabolism of the players. Among the crowd were battalions of Welshmen who came to spy out weaknesses. What they saw was a menacing-looking pack, penetrative halves in K. C. Briscoe and M. A. Herewini, D. B. Clarke's kicking lessons and some indifferent finishing by the backs. The more vociferous Welshmen, and therefore the least qualified, were boasting idly about the possibilities of beating the visitors clearly. They were evading the issues. Although New Zealand played within themselves they again demonstrated the savage power of their pack. There can be few players in any field of sport who has been more eagerly awaited than D. B. Clarke. That he has already chalked up 30 points is a good omen for things to come. Clarke has already made his mark and in the light of his two drop goals and his three penalties it seems unlikely that even the Welsh can have much confidence in themselves. Whineray has impressed as a fine, steady captain and as a great forward. He is seen more than ever in the lineout.

Briscoe and Herewini did not look happy as a combination, mainly one supposes on account of lack of practice together. Socially the All Blacks have attended many dinners and that masterly invention of the Victorian social era—the cocktail party. One hopes that these onerous functions will be minimised, tor the greatest value of these tours is to meet the people in their homes.

There will be many homes open to them ( since they are socially a delightful team.