Mr Burke ‘available’

Press, 15 July 1980, Page 28

Mr Burke ‘available’

Meanwhile the Junior All Blacks’ coach, Mr Peter Burke, of New Plymouth, has joined the list of aspirants for the coaching job on the All Blacks’ tour of Wales. Asked yesterday if he wanted the post, Mr Burke said: “I am available.” He has coached the New Zealand Juniors for the last two seasons. The side hasn’t been beaten in 11 games. In 1978 Mr Burke coached the New Zealand Colts team, which produced the present All Blacks, Nicky Allen and Lachlan Cameron.

“I have done a lot of coaching over the years and I am very interested in coaching the All Blacks,’ said Mr Burke. The rest was up to the N.Z.R.U. council, he said. A member of the All Black selection panel and the N.Z.R.U.’s coaching committee, Mr Burke has already been nominated for the "coach’s position when New Zealand plays Fiji, at Eden Park, Auckland, on September 13. Nominations for the Wales tour have yet to be called. Mr Burke said that New

Zealand rugby still had plenty of sting in spite of the test series loss to Australia. Asked about the All Blacks’ chances in Wales, he said: “I reckon we can field a good side, provided everyone is available.” . New Zealand would have to look at taking established players on the tour, provided they were up to top form, said Mr Burke. "There may be one or two juniors who could make the side, but you can’t send a boy on a man’s errand,” he said.