WALLABIES PICKED TO WIN Lions May Not Be Ready For Test

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31071, 28 May 1966, Page 19

WALLABIES PICKED TO WIN Lions May Not Be Ready For Test

(Special Correspondent A’Z PA)

SYDNEY. The old saying that nothing succeeds like success is the Rugby thinking of the moment in Sydney.

Officials are hopeful that the triumphs of last season when Australia beat South Africa, two tests to nil, to notch the first home series win for Australia, will be repeated this year against the touring British Lions.

The largely New South Wales-dominated Australian team is being picked in some quarters to inflict a decisive defeat on the Lions today in the first test at Sydney.

But a more sober appraisal would be that there will not be much between the two teams, although Australia should win. Until last Saturday it looked as though the Lions would be easy meat for the Australians. In the match against New South Wales, however, they showed signs of settling down. The match may be watched by a record crowd of more than 50,000. The weather

which turned nasty the night before the New South Wales game, should stay fine for tomorrow, according to the weather forecast. There is no cockiness in

the Australian camp about I the outcome of the match, but I rather an air of quiet confidence. Most members of today’s .Wallaby team played against South Africa last year and were in the side that ! humbled New Zealand. 20-5, the year before. Although they might not have the keen edge on their play they had last year, they still comprise a formidable proposition.

At the start of the Lions

tour their manager, Mr D. J. O’Brien, was doubtful whether his players would be ready in time to face Australia in the tests. Today will see whether his thoughts then were correct. The Lions’ training has been extremely thorough and I there should be no doubt [about them being able to last the 80 minutes. Their preparation on a tactical basis, however, has been more hap-

hazard. In none of their games to date has a real pattern of

play emerged and no specialty moves have been made apart from a lumbering version of the “peel-ofT" technique from the back of the lineout. Rather it has been a play-it-iby-ear approach. Whether this will be good enough to win them a test match remains to be seen.

OUT OF STYLE Although it is the natural style of both teams to play open Rugby, today’s test almost certainly will be dominated by the two packs, as was the match last Saturday. The Lions’ best chance of winning could be to pin their faith on their back-line, which contains much individual talent. In D. Watkins, the outsidehalf, and D. K. Jones, the Lions have two brilliant movers. Last week Watkins forgot about his jinking abilities and became instead a kicker, while Jones's opportunities were limited. So far the Lions have not been able to find a completely reliable pairing immediately behind the scrum and this could prove the side’s undoing today.