LIONS THRASHED

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31114, 18 July 1966, Page 3

LIONS THRASHED

3-20 Defeat Could Have Been Much Heavier

(From I. J. D. HALL) DUNEDIN. The 1966 British Isles Rugby tourists suffered the heaviest defeat of a Lions team in a test against New Zealand when it crumpled before the superbly drilled All Blacks at Carisbrook on Saturday.

There can be no excuses for the Lions. They were so demonstrably outplayed that the 3-20 defeat perhaps flattered them. If Williment had kicked with his usual accuracy the New Zealand score would have climbed into the thirties. The Lions gave an anonymous performance. They looked like schoolboys who had rehearsed their lines well but, when suddenly faced with an adult audience, forgot their cues and then fluffed the words.

Such was the superiority of the All Blacks that the record crowd of 44,000 was strangely apathetic for most of the game. Only for the first 10 minutes was there the tension around the ground that is associated with a test match.

The spectators on the bank took up the chant of “black, black, black,” but as it became apparent that the All Blacks would win. the crowd became quiet and restrained. It was like a congregation expecting hell-fire and brimstone and being given a polite and innocuous sermon instead. If the Lions were disap-* pointing, no credit can be taken away from the All Blacks. The forward play was magnificent in its precision and power. The spirited play of the backs and the obvious intention to try and strike through them indicated that New Zealand may finally have crossed its Rugby rubicon of back play. For New Zealand, Williment, McLeod and Lochore scored tries. Herewini dropped a goal and Williment kicked two penalties and a conversion. The Lions fullback, Wilson, kicked a penalty.

Last year, in the second test against the Springboks at Carisbrook, the All Black pack gave an outstanding display in the mud and slush. On Saturday, if anything, its performance was even better on the dry and firm field. The power and precision of the forwards completely ! swamped the Lions pack. The .'AU Black locks, the Meads . brothers, dominated the line- . outs; Tremain, Lochore and ■ Nathan were in tremendous J form in the loose. But it was ,' the collective effort which was j‘ so impressive. s Two incidents highlighted f the great display of the pack. , Once, the Lions centre, Jones, ; was caught near his goal-line >|by Nathan and the whole of [ the pack crashed on top of .’them. Jones was rucked back f j by scientifically-churning feet; back came the ball after J Jones, but it was done so > quickly and expertly that - Laidlaw had not time to get up t to the ruck to get the ball. i Later Tremain crashed - through the front of the Lions - line-out and after him thundered the Meads; there was a bout of inter-passing and then • the whole of the pack fanned out.