League team returns; optimism for future

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32462, 24 November 1970, Page 16

League team returns; optimism for future

(New Zealand Press Association) ** AUCKLAND. J The New Zealand World Cup Rugby league team returned to Auckland yesterday with its management satisfied that New; Zealand has an excellent back-line for future international play, j

“I don’t think our backs could have played any better,” said the team manager (Mr C, J. Mountford). “We had backs as good as any in the World Cup contest. We have a very good back-line, with the forwards just having to tighten up in the middle.” The team coach (Mr L. Blanchard) said that he was quite pleased with the tour results, but slightly disappointed at some aspects. “The younger players performed very well,” he said. “Probably Garry Smith was the outstanding player of the tour. Lowther, Whittacker, Cooksley and Brereton played steady football, with probably Lummy Graham improving the most.” BIG FORWARDS NEEDED Mr Blanchard said that New Zealand was probably unlucky in the series by having R. McQuinn taken from them in the first game with a shoulder injury. “I would say that we will have to dig deeper for two big forwards,” he said. The New Zealanders had the playing ability and skill, bpt were not physically strong enough to match the professional players, he added. Mr Mountford on the other hand feels that it is not necessary to find two big forwards.

“One big one would do,” he said. “Greengrass is a very good front-row forward.” PRESIDENT PLEASED The president of the New Zealand Rugby League (Mr R. G. McGregor) said that the tour results were very pleasing. “The team was determined to do the best for New Zealand, and the players worked very harmoniously, both together and with the team management,” he said. “They showed a lot of dedication, played some wonderful football at timet, and if they could have maintained consistency might have been well up to the World Cup contest.

“We are underestimating the ability of our players,” he said. “A lot of our players do very well, and the problem now is to develop hard enough competitive play within New Zealand to bring this out.” TRANSFER OFFER

B. J. Lowther said that he had not thought any more about the offer from Wigan, that he received while on tour.

“It’s a really big decision to make,” he said. “It would not be so bad if it was only for six months, but it is for four years.”

“I will have to give it a lot of thought and discuss it with my parents. I am tied to the New Zealand Rugby League for another 12 month's under contract, so I couldn’t do anything about it until then. “And there is plenty of future in New Zealand league at present,” he said. "There are tours for the next four years.” AUSTRALIAN GAME Mr Blanchard said that at times the team showed glimpses of brilliant football, and at others it suffered lapses in concentration. Mr Mountford felt that against the Australians the loss of E. J. Heatley through injury was the turning point in the game for the Kiwis. “It was a different Australian team that went to the World Cup,” he said. “It went there to win the cup and we struck them first time up. We were starting to get on top, until we lost Heatley; the Australians saw this, so when Heatley went they got into us.” Mr Mountford said that he believed the selectors picked the best players for the Kiwi side. “All they needed was ex-

perience—which they gained < on the tour. Our best players j played very well,” he said. *-