All Black coach pleased with team

Press, 6 May 1980, Page 46

All Black coach pleased with team

PA Dunedin Eric Watson, the All Black coach, yesterday expressed faith in the ability and attitude of the New Zealand rugby team chosen to make a 16-match tour of Australia and Fiji. Mr Watson settled back in Dunedin yesterday after completing the complicated task of choosing the team. The job of the selection panel of Messrs Watson, Peter Burke and Bryce Rope was made immeasurably more difficult by a rash of players declaring themselves unavailable for the long tour.

“It was hard in the sense that we had to find adequate replacements for those who had pulled out but the actual selection, I would say, was relatively easy,” Mr Watson said. “Some players played themselves into the team, others played themselves out.” The selectors were in conference for about 90 minutes but, as Mr Watson said: “We have been a lot longer on other All Black teams. I’m pleased with the team. I think it could develop into a verv good side. “It would .be nice to have

more experiece in the fiveeighths but I’m sure the young players will rise to the occasion. “The backs could develop into quite a quick set and some of the forward play on Saturday was quite good — there was. some quite good driving. “One of our first tasks when we assemble will be to get our scrum and line-outs organised.” Asked about his hopes for Australia, Mr Watson said: “It would obviously be nice to go through the tour unbeaten but our first aim must be to win the test series.”

Mr Watson explained the omission of Bruce Robertson and Frank Oliver from the All Black team. “We thought that the players who were picked were playing better rugby at this time. We thought that Higginson had a very good trial and that the players chosen have more to offer. I’m sure Higginson and the players chosen will do well.” Mr Watson said that the unavailability of Graham Mourie was “a great loss,” but he expressed confidence in the ability’ of: Dave Loveridge, the half-back and new All Black captain.

“I’m sure Dave will do a very good job. I believe the two half-backs we have in the team are as good as any in the world.” No official vice-captain has been appointed to the team but it seems likely that Andy Haden, the big Auckland lock, will be appointed as the forward leader. The All Blacks will be sent a fitness schedule and they will assemble in Auckland on May 24. They will leave for Australia four days later and play their first match, against Sydney, on May 31. ; ; “Sydney will be a difficult game first up,” Mr Watson

said. “It is virtually a New South Wales side.” Because of the early start to the tour, the All Blacks will have had a limited amount of rugby when they arrive in Australia. "Some of the players at the trial had had only two or three club games and there is not much in the way of representative games coming up this month,” Mr Watson said. He reiterated that he expected the opposition in Australia to be extremely tough, and that there would be much hard work to be done on the tour.