Key Decisions To Be Made For 2nd Test

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32367, 5 August 1970, Page 11

Key Decisions To Be Made For 2nd Test

(From T. P. McLEAN)

CAPE TOWN. Decisions of outstanding importance to New Zealand’s hopes in the Rugby international with South Africa on Saturday are in the hands of the All Blacks tour committee—the managers, Messrs R. L. Burk and I. M. H. Vodanovich, the captain, B. J. Lochore, and the vice-captain, C. E. Meads.

It is clear there will be several changes from the team which lost the first test at Pretoria. The predictions are that A. R. Sutherland will replace A. E. Smith at lock, that A. J. Wyllie will displace T. N. Lister from the side of the scrum, and that E. W. Kirton will take W. D. Cottrell’s place at first five-eighths. It is possible, also, that W. L. Davis will displace G. S. Thorne at centre and that R. A. Urlich will be hooker instead of B. E. McLeod. Depending on the play against Boland today was the placing of S. M. Going or C. R. Laidlaw at half-back. Perhaps this last is the most important decision of all for the committee.

Laidlaw was strangely out of touch even before he suffered light concussion after 12 minutes of the first test at Pretoria. When Going came

on in his place, the All Black effort was uplifted by several notches.

But against Eastern Province last Saturday, Laidlaw was back to his masterful form of previous games. His control of Kirton, which be exerts so much more efficiently than Going, was one of the important aspects of the All Blacks fine display. It cannot be questioned he is'a better general than Going, and unless Going plays magnificently in association with Kirton today, it looks as if Laidlaw will get the vote.

The tour committee is divided over Thorne and Davis. The latter has regained favour because of some smart running, but even against Eastern Province he made three or four serious errors. It seems possible the vote will go to Thorne. Urlich has progressed remarkably. His transformation from a second-string provin-

cial hooker to international class has been one of the outstanding feats of the tour. His hooking last Saturday against one of the best hooking opponents of the tour was clean, and the control of the ball through the scrummage was much more efficiently done than in the test when swift heels embarrassed both of the half-baeks. Urlich’s general play has been better than McLeod’s. But it is known that McL.od is still favoured as the better hooker and for this reason may win the test place Howover, Urlich is pressing very hard and it seems certain he will be capped before the end of the tour.

Sutherland and Wyllie performed splendidly last Saturday. They had punch and crunch; they put vitality into the pack at the right places. These various changes seem certain to improve the quality of the team for the test