Coach’s warning: Aust. tour no mere warm-up

Press, 20 February 1980, Page 42

Coach’s warning: Aust. tour no mere warm-up

PA Dunedin Mr Eric Watson, the All Black coach, yesterday warned that the New Zealand rugby team’s tour of Australia in June and July should not be regarded merely as a “warm-up” for the tour of Wales later in the year. Mr Watson, who coached the All Blacks in all 17 of their matches last year, has been appointed coach of the New Zealand side to tour Australia.

The appointment of the coach of the All Black team to tour Wales will not be made until later in the year. “There is no way Australia will be warming-up ground for the tour to Wales,” Mr Watson cautioned in Dunedin yesterday. “Australia is . our first hurdle. It has already proved it can beat us and there is

no way that we will underestimate Australia.” Australia has beaten New Zealand in their last two test matches — a record 3016 margin at Auckland, in 1978, and 12-6 in Sydney last year. “The strength of world rugby has evened out remarkably during the last few years and New Zealand is struggling a wee bit now,” said Mr Watson. “By world standards there is a dearth of good, strong props and tall, well-built locks.

. “There is also a weakness in midfield, plus in goalkicking. Richard Wilson did a good job for us in Britain last year but the depth in goal-kicking is not great. - “Our aim must just be to put things together this year and to play clean, attacking rugby,” he said. Of the criticisms which, have been made of him during the past year, Mr Watson said: “If I am to be crit-

icised I would rather it be by the players. , “I would rather be judged by the players. If 1 felt they did not have faith in me, then I would not have stood again this year,” he said. While he is entitled to disappointment by the New Zealand Rugby Union’s decision. to delay the appointment of a coach for the tour of Wales, Mr Watson is philosophical. “I can see the council’s point of view,” he said, "Let’s worry about Australia first.”

Mr Watson is not unduly concerned about the present rugby relationship between New Zealand and Wales.

“Wales are great competitors and so are New Zealand and sometimes the news media tends to blow it up. I hope that everyone concerned keeps things in perspective when the All Blacks tour Wales in October,” Mr Watson said.