Otago May Play Lions’ Game

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31089, 18 June 1966, Page 17

Otago May Play Lions’ Game

(From Our Rugby Reporter) " DUNEDIN. Otago has beaten the last two touring British Isles Rugby teams but it is difficult to see it completing a hat-trick at Carisbrook today. There is an air of determination in the Lions’ den.

The buffetting and bruising of the Southland and Combined games have not gone unnoticed, nor the weaknesses that have been exposed in the line-out play. . This match could be a crucial one of the tour. The Lions badly need a convincing win. For them that is important, but what is important for New Zealand Rugby is that the game is played in the right spirit. Incidents Unlikely Otago will present a rugged pack but it is not expected there will be the incidents that have marred the games against Southland and Combined. At the moment the Lions are ready to retaliate at the slightest provocation. Fortunately, Otago for all its emphasis on the forwards, plays it straight. Otago has a good forward pack, a brilliant half-back in Laidlaw and an unknown quantity outside him in Peddie. Kirton, dropped from the New Zealand Universities side, is such a worrying type that this may prey on his mind and could upset his game.

Peddie, all 14st of him, is a deadly tackier, but whether he and Prain, Collins and Edward are sufficiently skilful or fast enough to match the Lions’ back-line is debateable. What the Lions can expect is good honest rucking, determined and aggressive for-

wards, and backs who will try to run and pass the ball. Because Otago will foltow this rather naive pattern, it is expected the Lions will win. Given this leeway the Lions forwards, unlikely to be troubled by suicidal driving and kicking in the rucks, should be able to give their backs opportunities to attack. The back-line of Gibson, Weston, Jones, McFadyean and Bebb coutd restore some faith in the belief that British Isles Rugby, for all its inherent faults in forward technique, at least can conjure up some memories of the time when Rugby was a running and passing game. One can only hope that the Lions can overcome their problems in the forwards. If they are going to be vanquished by this straightforward Otago pack, then it will be a sorry outlook for the rest of the tour. Lack of Spirit Perhaps what has been lacking in the Lions team is a lack of spirit, particularly in the forwards. The pack today has five Irishmen, two Scots, and a Welshman—enough to strike fire from the coldest stone.

British Isles.— D. Rutherford; D. I. Bebb, D. K. Jones, M. P. Weston, C. W. McFadyean; C. M. H. Gibson, A. R. Lewis: J. W. Teller; R. A. Lamont, N. A. A. Murphy, M. J. CampbellLamerton (captain), W. J. McBride; R. A. McLoughlin. K. W. Kennedy, D. Williams. Otago.— J. Henley; M. P. Collins, K. J. Prain, D. R. Edward: D. G. Peddle, E. W. Kirton; C. R. Laidlaw; H. Morrison; D. W. Clark (captain), G. T. Pohlen, W. Levido, W. Townsend; G. P, Booth, B. F. Duncan, D. P. Bendle.