Lions’ unbeaten record under fire again today

Press, 25 May 1977, Page 42

Lions’ unbeaten record under fire again today

From I

KEVIN McMENAMIN

Gisborne An air of uncertainty hovers over the third match of the Lions’ rugby tour, against Poverty Bay-East Coast at Gisborne today. Even the Lions await their fate anxiously.

i It's a little like backing a I horse which has won impressively at his first start land then finished well back at his second. What the [third outing will produce is [anyone’s guess. Certainly, it the Lions are i wearing their Masterton i faces then they will very [likely out-run the Combined [team, as they did Waira-[rapa-Bush. But if the lessons given by Hawke’s Bay at I Napier last Saturday have not been heeded, then the [visitors’ unbeaten record Icould again be in jeopardy. There are a number of [reasons why the Lions should treat the Combined [side with respect, not the [least of them being that in a : warm-up game two weeks ago Poverty Bay-East Coast beat Hawke’s Bay, 25-16.

The local coach, Reece Johnstone, for one, is not taking much notice of this | result. He believes that the : Lions will be a much [tougher proposition because of the mauling they received at Napier and that there [could be a backlash to a disappointing performance. | Although, Poverty Bay land East Coast are often heavily beaten in provincial [games, their record against international teams is quite [good. The 1966 Lions only scraped home, 9-6, and even the great 1971 side could win just 18-12. And this time the Combined side will have the services of two of the best, possibly even the two best, loose forwards in the country, lan Kirkpatrick and ! Lawrie Knight. At top form [this pair could inspire any ■side to lofty heights. The Lions will also need to keep a close eye on Poverty Bay’s third All Black, the second five-eighths, Mike Parkinson. Parkinson had a rest from representative football last year and he is reported to be playing as well this season as at any stage of his career. Poverty Bay-East Coast will, not doubt, try and emulate Hawke’s Bay tactics of restricting the Lions to meagre rations in the lineouts and a strong defensive line. The Lions, for their part, will be looking for a vast improvement in their forward play and sharper movement in the centres,

where Mike Gibson will team up with his test partner in South Africa three years ago, lan McGeechan. It is not just a win that the Lions want today. They ne-d to win well if the harm done to their image at Napier is to be quickly repaired, and there will be an additional reason for today’s players to distinguish themselves. Ten have been retained from the Hawke’s Bay match and already there are signs that the selectors are thinking in terms of Wednesday and Saturday players. The division was emphasised at training yesterday when the nonplaying forwards outscrummed today's pack. It has surprised some observers that the Lions’ coach (John Dawes) has not worked the team harder this week, but he is obviously keen to avoid any sign of panic. He may have got his message across better at two lengthy team talks. The non-players today had the tougher time at yesterday’s training and they completed the session with a series of exhausting sprints. The Welsh flanker, Terry Cobner, was clearly the fastest forward and while John Williams, who competed as a sprinter at the 1970 Commonwealth Games, was the quickest back he was at full stretch to beat Phil Bennett.

The Lions will display the third of its string of goalkickers today. Neither Bennett nor Steve Fenwick, who kicked the Lions to victory at Napier, is playing and the job will probably go to the chunky Scottish half-back, Doug Morgan, who has kicked consistently well at training. There has been a good deal of rain in Gisborne since Sunday, but it has had little effect on the Rugby Park gound and with an improvement in the weather yesterday the Lions should get the firm surface they say they like, although it did not help them much at Napier.

Teams for the match, which starts at 3 p.m. and which will be refereed by Mr M. G. Famworth of Auckland, are:— British Isles.—B. 11. Hay; P. J. Squires, I. K. McGeechan (captain,) C. M. H. Gibson, G. L. Evans, J. D. Bevan; D. W. Morgan; W. P. Duggan; A. J. Neary, M. Keane, A. J. Martin, T. P. Evans; F. E. Cotton, R. W. Windsor, C Williams.

Reserves.—Backs: A. R. Irvine. J. J. Williams, D. B. Williams! Forwards: G. Price, P. J. Wheeler, D. L. Quinnell.

Poverty Bay/East Coast.—W. Issac; J. V. Walters, B. H. Sheririff. G. J. Torrle, R. M. Parkinson G. W. Thompson; S. J. Donald: L. G. Knight; R. N. Falcon. C. N. Kirkpatrick, B. Cameron, 1. A. Kirkpatrick: R. A. Newlands, G. J. Allen, W. E. McFarlane.

Reserves.—Backs: M. S. Jensen, L. Rickard, T. Willson. Forwards: P. F. McGrannachan, W. M. Truman, T. McClutchie.