N.Z. wins easily despite bout of ‘Mondayitis’

Press, 17 June 1980, Page 38

N.Z. wins easily despite bout of ‘Mondayitis’

NZPA Newcastle The All Blacks suffered from an understandable bout of “Mondayitis” in defeating N.S.W. Country, 34-3, at the International Sports Centre in Newcastle yesterday.

The wing, Stu Wilson, the first five-eighths, Murray Taylor, the No. 8, Murray Mexted, the lock John Fleming, and flanker, Mark Shaw, had their second match game in three days and all performed creditably given the demands placed upon them. New South Wales Country, with the centre, Billy McKid, and the wing, Stephen Streeter, in outstanding backline form, did not exactly provide the All Blacks with an opposition picnic either. However, the New Zealanders managed to score six tries to none and the total would have been more of the fast All Black centre, Tim Twigden, had not received such close defensive attention from the equally speedy McKid. One encouraging aspect to emerge from the match for the All Blacks was the return to form of the Wellington wing, Bernie Fraser. Fraser’s second try of the game came after a long onehanded pass from Twigden in a secondary phase movement.

The Wellingtonian had to use all his pace to run around his opponent, Streeter, before running the 30m to score in the corner.

Mexted helped New Zealand to a line-out advantage of 30-11 and was assisted in the ball quest once his early match opponent, Greg Cornelsen, was moved further up the line in an attempt to contain Fleming. Richard Wilson, at full-

back, finished the game with a less than 50 per cent kicking success rate and his performance must have been a source of concern to Mr Watson. The coach, however, was pleased to see his half-back, Mark Donaldson, play without aggravating the hairline fracture of his jaw and the Manawatu man, like all 25 playing members of the All Blacks party, will be available for test side selection. The team will be announced in Sydney this afternoon after the coach journey from Newcastle. The Canterbury lock, Graeme Higginson, left the field half-way through the first spell with an inch-long gash on the back of his head but re-appeared four minutes later to play out the remainder of the match with a bandaged head. The All Black backline just had too much class for its opposition although some I

alarming mistakes were made. A would-be clearing kick from Taylor after a scrum near the All Black line failed to find touch and the Country full-back, David McKinlay, posted his side’s only points with a well-struck dropped goal from about 30m out. 1 The tempo of the game was slowed down considerably; by a number of injuries suffered by New South Wales Country players. The prop forward, Peter Benson, and flanker, Gary Consedine, were forced to leave the field and were re-i placed by Gary Cooke and Ollie Hall respectively. The Country No. 8, Cornelson indulged in some outstanding cover defensive work and one early match tackle on Richard Wilson saved an almost certain try. But the bearded New England club player was obviously lacking in big match, fitness. Mr Watson conceded that it was not an outstanding All Black performance, but given the quality of the opposition and the demands placed on five of his leading players it was a satisfactory, i pre-test match effort. j Scorers: j I New Zealand: Bernie Fra-' ; ser 2, Murray Taylor 2, Lachlan Cameron, Geoff Hines tries, Richard Wilson 2 penalties and 2 conversions, 34. New South Wales Country: David McKinlay drop goal, 3.