TALK OF DROPPING LOCHORE No Panic But All Blacks Worried After Test

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32361, 29 July 1970, Page 19

TALK OF DROPPING LOCHORE No Panic But All Blacks Worried After Test

(From T. P. McLEAN)

SKUKUZA.

Although the All Blacks are relaxing at Kruger National Park, their thoughts keep turning back to the test match at Pretoria last Saturday.

What went wrong? How did the Springboks know of two manoeuvres the All Blacks had been secretly practising?

to first five-eighths and W. D. Cottrell could supplant I. R. Macßae at second-five. There is also the possibility G. S. Thorne could be placed at second five-eighths and that Williams could be tried at centre. In fact the choice of Williams for centre is likely when the All Blacks play Eastern Province. Possible Line So the best back-line might —and there is a big might about it—consist of Going, Kirton, Thorne, Williams, W. L. Davis, M. J. Dick and W. F. McCormick. This line-up would have a good deal of speed and in Thorne and Williams it would have unusual attacking qualities. Unhappily, little time remains for experiments before the second test There will be even less time before the final test at Johannesburg because the matches of the last eight playing-days of the tour, against Northern Transvaal and Gazelles, and the Springboks, represent in effect three test matches, or, if not three tests then the nearest possible. The All Blacks are not panicking but they, are deeply worried. If the Springbok team improves as much as is likely the New Zealanders will have to take drastic steps. Their best on Saturday was only second best. They have every cause for thinking very hard indeed.

Why were the for-1 wards so decisively out-j played at the short and the field ends of the line-

'scrum, chased after him withi ruthless efficiency. The Springboks, on the lother hand, preferred the!

| all the pack, except Lister, most commanded admiration for their devotion to the I cause. But Strahan, at all necessary times, was outjumped by F. de Preez, whose magnificent two-handed catches were a feature of the game. It could be said with good reason that Strahan’s poor performance must be ascribed in part to his partners, Muller at four and Lister at six. Their legitimate protective play was not up to scratch. At the field end, neither Lochore nor Kirkpatrick judged their tap-down with the excellence of R. H. ; Graham, in those famous days of the Auckland team when ; W. J. Whineray was winning a reputation as the originator of the “Willie away.” Not There And the loose forwards, ’ with the exception of Lister, 1 an opinion which is not shared by the All Blacks’ 1 tour committee —simply were not getting to the loose ball or the South African inside backs with sufficient speed and sustained vigour. At times in the game G. C. Williams, of Wellington, came to mind as an ideal man to do the rriarauding work in which the All Blacks were so deficient. Lochore made a blunder after a tap-kick penalty which presented S. Nomis with a try and South Africa with five points. Yet well before this calamity it was evident he was not playing as well as he has so often done. It is no secret the tour committee is discussing whether it would not be better to substitute A. R. Sutherland, who, after early misadventures, has come on remarkably. Last Occasion The 1960 All Blacks faced this problem before their third test when the replacement of Whineray by I. J. Clarke was most seriously considered. The selectors talked for a long time before they stuck to Whineray, and they were much-cheered when Clarke, a magnificent sportsman, told them they had made a decision he himself would have made. If Lochore were to be replaced, this great sportsman would take it too; but it would be sad to see him put out, even for one match. So to the backs. Going now has a great opportunity. Laidlaw, for one or two reasons, has suddenly lost status. E. W. Kirton could return

out? The questions go on and on—even to the extent that the captain, B. J. Lochore, may be replaced at least for one match.