Start of golden era — ecstatic press reaction

Press, 14 July 1980, Page 32

Start of golden era — ecstatic press reaction

NZPA Sydney “It’s pure rugby gold” and “Aussie magicians set to tackle the world” were the headlines in the papers which greeted the All Blacks in Sydney yesterday morning. The “Sunday Telegraph” heralded the Wallabies, 26-10, win over the All Blacks as the start of a golden era for Australian rugby; while the SunHerald said: “The Bledisioe Cup, symbol of rugby supremacy between Australia and New Zealand, remains in Australia and looks perfectly at home here.”

“The lusty boyishness of the Australian game won the day, while New Zealand floundered in the cobwebs of its stale approach,” wrote Russell Eldridge. “Many old New Zealand eyes must have been misty with the tragedy of their once mighty team reduced to this dull, uninspired performance,” he said. Brian Mossop, in the same paper, said that compared with the flair and style of the Australian backs, the All Black threequarters were “flat-footed, wooden and butter-fin-gered — frittering away opportunities that would have delighted their Australian counterparts. “Brett Codlin, the fullback, had a game that he would want to erase from memory,” wrote Mossop, who added: “This will not be remembered as a great All Black team.”

Evan Whitton, editor of the “National Times,” claimed it was, in the Australian rugby world, “the event of the century.” He wrote that with better backs the All Blacks use of the short line-out might have worked: “But, although they trained during the week with bricks in order, it was

said, to improve their concentration, they kept on dropping the ball.” The “Sunday Telegraph,” pointing out that the winning margin was the biggest by Australia over an All Black team, said that the result would send shock waves round the rugby world. A rugby writer, Jim Woodward, said that _if Australia could keep its team together, and the rugby league scouts at bay, the team could carry Australia to the pinnacle of world rugby. “Australia has now beaten the All Blacks in four of the last seven matches, and the career of the All Black coach, Eric Watson, could now come to an abrupt halt.” A former ace Wallaby half-back, Ken Catchpole, wrote in the “Sunday Telegraph” that “the once mighty All Blacks must now take stock of themselves and adopt a new attacking philosophy to bring themselves into the 1980 s.” “In the three tests we have seen New Zealand dominate possession over all yet lose two of the tests and scrape home in the other.”

Catchpole wrote that the forwards provided sufficient good quality ball but the All Black backs continued to try and make breaks close in where opportunities were scarce. On the other hand the Australian backs attempted to make their breaks wide out.

“Talent aside, it was this philosophy which was the difference between the two back lines,” wrote Catchpole. “With the door firmly shut on this series, the All Blacks must now return home and change their thinking to a more adventurous, positive style of attacking backline play.”