Sydney massacre an ill omen for Wales test

Press, 14 July 1980, Page 32

Sydney massacre an ill omen for Wales test

NZPA Sydney The crowd’s enthusiastic singing of “Waltzing Matilda” during the third rugby test between New Zealand and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday, could be a bad omen for New Zealand’s tour of Wales later this year.

The Wallabies deservedly and conclusively won the deciding test, 26-10, and the victory very clearly placed New Zealand rugby in the doldrums.

There is much to be done if the second All Black team of 1980 is to counter the singing of the Cardiff Arms Park crowd in the Centenary test against Wales in early November.

Even allowing for the fact that food poisoning had upset the stomachs of the prop, Gary Knight, the No. 8, Murray" Mexted, the first five-eighth, Nicky Allen, and the wing, Bernie Fraser, before the match, the All Blacks were soundly beaten in most phases of play. The unavailability of several of New Zealand’s top rugby players to make the tour was painfully obvious as the All Blacks seemed to do all in their power to lose the match by dropping as many balls as possible. By contrast the young Australian backs, who scored all of their side’s seven tries throughout the series, ran in four tries in the match against the one All Black touchdown by the Wellington wing, Bernie Fraser.

The Australians embarked on their campaign to win the Bledisloe Cup for the fourth time with a superb sixth-minute try by Peter Grigg. The Townsville man, a belated inclusion in the Wallaby side, finished off an equally impressive thirtyfirst minute try-scoring

I move, which took the Wallabies to a virtually unassailable half-time lead of 17-3. It was not just the work of the Wallaby backline which ensured the win in front of the crowd of about 50,000, however. The Australians recorded their biggest winning margin in a test over the All Blacks equally as much through the efforts of their forward pack. The sturdy front-rowers, Tony D’Arcy and Declan Curran, did the job that they were selected for. Their solidity at scrums was obviously a big factor in overcoming the All Blacks’ second test superiority in this area. The distribution of forward set-play possession was far more equitable than it had been in the first two tests and the Australian backline benefited accordingly. During the match the All Blacks were a sad, sorry and battered side going through the motions of the conclusion of a tour they had embarked on with too few players. This factor did not in any way minimise the good solid forward play of the Australian lock and captain, Tony Shaw, Curran D’Arcy and the flanker, Greg Cornelsen. The All Black cause was not helped in the tenth minute of the second spell when the right wing, Tim Twigden, suffered heavy concussion when he collided with his opposite, Brendan Moon. Twigden lay motionless on

-<the ground for about 35 se- - conds while ambulance attendants waited for play to stop < before going to his assistance. = He was lifted onto a stret--1 cher and carried from the t field and it was a very relieved crowd which wit--3 nessed him lift his head in the i process. s The Wellington No. 8 Murj ray Mexted, joined Twigden j in the All Black dressing shed 25 minutes later when it be- , came obvious that the effects r of the food poisoning he was / suffering from would allow him to continue no longer. ; The New Zealand coach, r Eric Watson, fully aware of 1 the consequences which the - series loss could have on his - future in the position, was z generous in his praise of the : Australian. i “I have no excuses, we ; were beaten by a better side,” 1 1 2 said. The Australian coach, Bob 1 Templeton had waited a long 1 time for his first series win i over New Zealand as the - Australian coach. 1 “Our forward • play im- ' proved a lot from the second test. We realised our weak- ’ ness only too well after the I Ballymore game and it was ■ the pride of the players ini’ volved which enabled them to I come back and win the series.” Mr Templeton said. > Australia: Peter Grigg 2, ■ Michael O’Connor and Peter i Carson tries, Mark Ella a , dropped goal, Roger Gould a i penalty and 2 conversions, • 26; New Zealand Bernie Fraser a try, Brett Codlin 2 pen1 alties 10.