Beaten, but not down

Press, 28 August 1978, Page 17

Beaten, but not down

“We came here with great expectations, but they have not been realised — and that’s it.” So said the Wallabies manager, (Mr Ross Turnbull) after Saturday’s test as he conceded the series.

“We are disappointed, but all credit to the All Blacks. They played excellent rugby in the conditions, and fully deserved their victory,” he said. “But we have learnt something — the power of rucks, and this is an area of play we will be trying to develop over the next two weeks.

The conditions were against Us; we could not get the possession we wanted.” Mr Turnbull said he had great faith in the spirit of his players. “We will be doing our best to win the third test; don’t worry about that.”

The coach (Mr Daryl Habarecht) supported this view. He too, congratulated the All Blacks on a good win. “We did not adapt to the conditions, but if the ground is firmer at Auckland we will do better.” The AH Blacks’ coach (Mr Jack Gleeson) was reluctant to say what his final instructions were to his team,

but “there was a message there, and I am happy to say they got it.” He said the team showed the improvement he had ex-* pected, and that he was very pleased with the whole performance. “The new players fitted in well, and I think the pack would have beaten any pack in the world the way it played today.” The result would have been similar on a firm ground. The All Blacks team for the third test will be announced on Wednesday and according to Mr Gleeson it will be “the strongest possible side.”