Aust, rugby violence appals juniors’ coach

Press, 14 June 1978, Page 38

Aust, rugby violence appals juniors’ coach

PA Auckland The New Zealand Juniors’ rugby coach, Mr Eric Watson, watched the Australia-Wales test match on television on Monday night and was appalled by the match’s violence.

“It was a very dirty match — I hope we don’t; strike anything like it on our tour,” said Mr Watson, who leaves with the Juniors’ this morning for a seven-; match tour of Queensland. Mr Watson has a reputation as a man who coaches his teams to play hard, basic but clean rugby,'and he says! he aims to keep it that way. i “That’s how we intend: playing the game on ourj tour — I want none of! what I saw go on during! that Test on TV last night,"; he said. While the Welsh were the'; main troublemakers withj their blatant kicking in the test, Mr Watson believes the Australians brought some oft it on themselves. “Australian rugby seems to be going a bit this way,” J he said. ‘T here is quite a bit , of niggle there.” The Juniors’ first game is L against Townsville on Sun-; day. They then play Mt Isa;' on June 21. a Combined' Country XV at Mac Kay on • June 25, Central Queensland ! under lights at Rockhampton ' on June 28, Queensland in * Brisbane on July 2, Darling Downs at Toowoomba on ] July 5, and then Queensland t

again in Brisbane on July 9. In their six years with Mr i Watson as coach, the New Zealand Juniors have won 30 matches, losing only four. John Waldron, the Dunedin first-five eighths who is in his first full season of senior rugby, has been called into the touring party. Waldron (20) has replaced : another Otago player, Paul Mac Fie, who yesterday was [declared unfit to tour because of a hamstring injury. Waldron will not fly out ! to join the team until tomor- ! row. ' Waldron’s elevation to Junior All Black status continues a rapid rise to prominence. For most of last sea'son, he played social rugby, but after dropping out of iuniversity midway through I the year, he returned to his I home town of Alexandra and i played in several matches ifo r Clyde in the local senior competition. ; Back in Dunedin for the! start of this season, Waldron! joined the Dunedin club and! immediately won a place ini the senior side. The Juniors will be billeted in an army camp as they prepare for the first

match on their tour against Townsville and District an NZPA staff correspondent i reported yesterday. j The team has been booked to stay in the officer’s bar- 1 racks at Laverack, on the ' outskirts of Townsville, < from tomorrow on. “It offers a lot more fac- ■ ilities close at hand than any hotel or motel,” the sec- < retary of the Townsville and 1 District Rugby Union, Mr i Paul Williams, said. “There 1 is a fully-equipped gymna- <

sium, training fields, squash! courts, a nine-hole golf course and a swimming pool.” The Townsville team has been chosen solely from Townsville’s five senior clubs. It is.—Danty Leahy, Trevor Coward, Darryl Forno, Dick Harridge, Richard Miller, Peter Greener, Chris Mead, Neil ims, Wayne Hansen, Graeme Wilson, lan Lee, Ray Armstrong, Mai Cox, Ron Sullivan, Joel Mafi.