All Blacks May Have Hard Tour

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31346, 17 April 1967, Page 14

All Blacks May Have Hard Tour

The All Blacks could expect strong opposition when they tour Britain later this year, said J. Thomett, who captained the Australian team in Britain last season.

Thornett was in Christchurch yesterday to play for the Barbarians against the Cantabrians. The standard in Britain certainly was far higher than when I was there in 1958. Players and teams seem to train harder and it was a new experience for me to find that some of the opposing teams in England had been training together before they met us. That was unheard of in 1958.

“However, what might be In the All Blacks’ favour is that some of the combined teams they will meet come from a wide area and they will not have the combination of some of the stronger club or county sides that we met.

Thornett said that he was not aware of any feeling against New Zealand Rugby in the British Isles. “They naturally will be out to beat you, but there does not seem to be any acrimony after the Lions visit.”

The Wallabies perhaps had been a shade disappointing because they lost so many matches but when we played well we were a very strong side and our wins over England, Wales and the Barbarians allowed us to forget some of the other matches.

"The British spectators had been most enthusiastic about the play of our backs and

were impressed by our handling and running. Of course, that is the way we try to play the game but it seems they are ready over there for brighter Rugby,” said Thornett.