Team Manager Not Upset By Defeat

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30454, 30 May 1964, Page 10

Team Manager Not Upset By Defeat

Probably the quietest and most unassuming, certainly one of the most pleasant, Rugby managers to have visited New Zealand would describe Dr. R. M. Tooth, manager of the Australian Universities team.

An outstanding five-eighths both for Australian University and Wallaby teams in the 1950’5, Dr. Tooth was also an excellent captain of Australia. Most managers faced with five losses in six games could be excused if they became rather terse, but Dr. Tooth has remained cheerful and has made no complaints. The question of the eligibility of some of the New Zealand University players has been raised during the tour, but he has glossed over that matter, although it-has been a talking point among many Rugby followers. Not Compaining Now He told “The Press”: “We knew what to expect before we left and we would not complain now.” The youth and inexperience of the Australian team, and the large number of injuries suffered early in the tour, had been the main reasons for the lack of success, in addition to the strength of the oppositionDr. Tooth said the experience gained on the tour had been beneficial. He hoped that tours would become more regular than they had been in the past. The last Australian Universities team in New Zealand was in 1954, and only two New Zealand Universities teams had toured Australia since the war. Waste of Benefits "Australian University Rugby could gain much from playing against New Zealand teams, but if we have to wait another six years all the benefits from this tour will have vanished,” he said. Dr. Tooth said that even under the new laws his players had found New Zealand Rugby vastly different from that in Australia. The forwards were more rugged and perhaps the outlook on the game was more serious.