ALL BLACKS MASTER ULSTER Brilliant tries highlight commanding display

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33694, 18 November 1974, Page 28

ALL BLACKS MASTER ULSTER Brilliant tries highlight commanding display

(From

T. P. McLEAN)

BELFAST. They stiil have to win three big ones at the end, but if the All Blacks from next week-end, can match the spirit and sureness they developed while beating Ulster, 30-15, on Saturday, they may well be welcomed home as all-conquering heroes.

Through its fly-half, W. McCombe, Ulster scored five penalty goals in eight attempts, and as each splendid kick soared between the posts the unexpectedly small crowd of 15,000 raised great cheers.

Except for some enterprising runs which the Lions captain, W. J. Mcßride, ordered near the end, Ulster otherwise did not seem capable of scoring. This was the special point of pride in the All Blacks’ performance. All of their four tries were brilliantly taken. Two from fixed-piece attacks. Karam superb In addition, J. F. Karam, playing one of his greatest games, converted all of the tries and kicked two penalties.

The All Blacks led 6-0, after 19 minutes but they lagged 9-12 at half-time. This was predictable. Having lost the toss, they were made to play into a strong sun and a fresh breeze blowing straight down the field. As it happened, the wind fell off in the second half, and for some time cloud covered the sunlight. But the All Blacks, through a mighty blind-side try by B. G. Williams, took the lead four minutes into the second half. Gaining control Ulster had been getting stuck into the rucks and developing a dangerous hold in this phase, as I. A. Stevens fired the ball to six supporting backs. It would have been a try anyway had the ball been passed along the chain: Ulster would have had no man standing. But, with one of his

brilliant dashes, B. J. Robertson cut back against the run of play, was supported by Karam, and the field was full of onrushing men in black as J. E. Morgan took the final pass and trotted between the sticks. “Wee punches” There were no simmerings of ill temper or venemous attacks of play. Actually, said the referee, Mr J. West, there were a “few wee punches,” but none that mattered at all.

The pace was keen and the effort of both teams was admirably sustained. It was, all in all, a cracking good match. It should do a lot to restore the shaky confidence of the All Blacks.

To be frank, their performance was not faultless. The forwards not only lost two heels against the head, but in the middle of the line-out often lost possession. Faulty passing They showed a distressing tendency, especially early on, to fumble and lose control. Slowness in passing was a principal fault. A. R. Leslie played outstandingly well, covering large areas of the field. His

speed never seemed to falter. K. W. Stewart hounded McCombe, and the Ulster midfield backs were tackled fiercely. L. G. Knight was fine support in the loose play, while H. H. Macdonald rubbed shoulders with the great McBride and lost nothing in the contest. J. A. Callesen was not so happy at No. 5 in the lineout, but the front row, K. J. Tanner, R. M. Crossman and A. G. Gardiner, gave solid performances. Stevens involved

From within the party there was a special cheer for I. N. Stevens. He served his back-line admirably and was directly involved in three of the tries.

At the first, after nineteen minutes, he saw a tiny gap; charged into it safely, made a pass as Williams crossed behind, and took the return with the line just a few yards away.

At the second he fed Williams on the blindside—a straight forward but very quick pass—and Williams, with a thunderbolt charge, levelled E. L. Grant before running 25 yards to score. Courageous take On the third effort, Stevens dashed on to the blindside again as Leslie sent him a pass from the scrum. He held on long enough to suck in S. Blake, on the wing, made a safe pass, and Mitchell streaked 25 yards. Karam, apart from three forgivable mistakes, de-

monstrated yet again how much he has improved upon even the reliable player he has been of the last two years. A fair catch he claimed 20 yards in front of his own goal early on in the game was a superb example of courage. And his conversion of Stevens’s try from the touchline, and a great penalty from 43 yards, both into the wind, were kicks of exceptional quality.