Irish rugby dilemma

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34104, 17 March 1976, Page 38

Irish rugby dilemma

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Crspdt) CORK. Some members of the Irish rugby party which will tour New Zealand in May and June may not get to play much rugby. The Irish coach (Mr Roly Meates) said yesterday he would have no “Saturday XVs” or “Wednesday XVs” on the three-week tour, but would pick the best players for the hardest games. And for Ireland, that could be all seven games — South Canterbury, North Auckland, Manawatu, Canterbury, Southland and the All Blacks, none of which could be described as “easy” opposition.

Some of the lesser players in the touring team — which is being named next week — could find themselves going home having travelled 12(000 miles for one or two matches. Mr Meates will not fall into the same trap which befell lan McLauchlan’s Scots on their New Zealand tour last year. The Scots named their test XV for the first -match — against Nelson Bays — in order to achieve a moraleboosting win, which was duly done. But the Scots

then had to play the balance of their touring party in their second match, which was against Otago. The Scots lost and then went down to Canterbury in their next game.

Mr Meates recognises that South Canterbury is probably the weakest opposition Ireland will face, although he said yesterday that was only relative, and he knows South Canterbury is a difficult side to beat on Fraser Park. “We’ll have to look closely at the balance of our players for the first match,” he said. “We’ll probably try and blend a team, including test players and those who we Women’s golf team The Mid-South Canterbury women’s golf team to play Canterbury at the Ashburton course on Sunday, is:—Mesdames F. Hutchins (Geraldine), J. Knight (North Otago), A. Bond (Timaru), R. Bearman (Ashburton), N. Seed (Methven), B. Watt (Timaru), H. Mclntosh (Gleniti), A. Wigley (Waimate), E. Fenwick (Tokarahi), H. Hames (Waimate), G. King (Mayfield) and Miss C. Craig (Ashburton).

would not expect to play in the test.” Mr Meates has known since July he would be coaching Ireland in New Zealand, and has made detailed studies of conditions likely to be met on the tour, and of seven teams. He has also had informal discussions with his Scottish counterpart, Mr Bill Dickinson.