“YOU CAN GET PRETTY TIRED” Mr Allen Resigning As All Black Selector

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31765, 23 August 1968, Page 15

“YOU CAN GET PRETTY TIRED” Mr Allen Resigning As All Black Selector

(New Zealand Prist Association)

AUCKLAND.

After five years as a member of the All Black selection panel, the last three as chairman and chief coach, Mr F. R. Allen, of Auckland, has announced his intention to resign the appointment at the end of the season.

Mr Allen made his decision known yesterday to the chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union, Mr T. C. Morrison. “I spent a long time making up my mind,” Mr Allen said. “Perhaps, if I had been wanted, I could have gone on for another year.

“But I decided some time ago that I did not want to go with the ’AU Blacks to South Africa in 1970.

“Therefore, it seemed to me only a fair thing that I should give the new man who takes over the coaching a chance to get hold of the reins and get close to the players.

“I have had a long time in this business of selecting and coaching. It is 11 years since I took over the Auckland team. You can get pretty tired.

1 “I don’t mind admitting -that after the last test jagainst the French I felt as if I just wanted to lie in bed for about three days.” Mr Allen had the distinction of captaining the All Blacks in all 21 matches he played for New Zealand, His first was against the Australians in New Zealand in 1946. He again captained All Black teams which toured Australia and South Africa in 1947 and 1949, respectively. After the latter tour, he gave up active play. He had two or three difficult years after being appointed selector coach for Auckland. SUCCESSFUL CAREER

But since 1960, when his team, which had won the Ranfurly Shield from Southland in 1959, lost it and then won it back, his career as a selector-coach has been arnaz- [ ingly successful. His Auckland team resisted 25 consecutive challenges for the shield, thus beating by |one match the record of the 'famous Hawke's Bay team of Ijhe 19205. Mr Allen retired as Auckland coach at the end iof 1963 in which season Wellington won the shield. Since Mr Allen’s appointment as a New Zealand selector in 1964, Ail Black teams have lost only two test matches. And from the time

that he succeeded Mr N. J. McPhail at the start of the 1966 season as chief coach, the All Blacks have won 15 consecutive tests and suffered only one draw in 34 matches. RESPECT OF PLAYERS

“I have had most enjoyable years," Mr Allen said yesterday. “The great thing about a coaching apprenticeship with a provincial team is that you develop confidence. After that everything is pretty straight forward. “In my time with the All Blacks it has been a wonderful experience to win the re. spect of the. players. I was especially touched and de lighted by the reaction of younger players. My main hope now is that New Zealand does not revert to the defensive type of Rugby we played for too long. “The players in the All Blacks last year totally accepted that concept of balanced Rugby. In some ways 1 would have liked to carry on coaching to a stage further, the stage at which our back play would unquestionably be of the first class. “But I am certain the backs will come along-j-backs as good as we have e/ver had.”