All Blacks soar too high for American Eagles

Press, 10 October 1980, Page 24

All Blacks soar too high for American Eagles

From

KEVIN McMENAMIN

in San Diego

The All Blacks gave a display in keeping with their surroundings when they overran the American national rugby side, the Eagles, 53-6, under lights at San Diego late yesterday afternoon (New Zealand time).

Although easily a record tor a rugby crowd in the United States, the turnout of 8500 made little impression on the vast San Diego football stadium, a magnificent complex which can seat nearly 60,000. But the All Blacks made a fair impression on the crowd, especially in the second spell when their size and speed told and they scored six of their eight tries. However, the superlatives must be tempered by the generally disappointing performance from the Eagles. It was more than just the score which must raise doubts about whether the Americans are ready for bigtime rugby. The Eagles had insufficient ball to hope to press very far ahead on attack, but even the possession they did gather was poorly used. Once or twice they did manage to get a man into the clear, but, surprisingly perhaps, they never showed anything like the pace necessary to outrun the New Zealand cover defence. Apart from stout defensive work early — it took the All Blacks 33 minutes to score their first try — the defence soon dissipated and one of the reasons perhaps why the All Blacks were able to look so good was the ease with which they were able to create overlaps. Still, the All Blacks did well the things that they have oeen generally criticised for of late. The passing was sharp and precise and apart from one or two exceptions, the handling was class above anything showhin Australia earlier this year. Most of the thrust came from the centres and wings

and it was an added strength when Brett Codlin joined the line from fullback, usually outside the centre. Codlin had a very fine game. He converted six of th eeight tries and he posted the All Blacks’ first nine points with three penalty goals, two from more than 40m out, giving him a personal tally of 21 points. The North Auckland.wing, Fred Woodman, was the other high scorer with three tries. He scored the only two the All Blacks managed in the first spell and like the one he added after half-time, the key ingredient was speed which he seems to possess in abundance.

Given a steady flow of tidy possession, particularly from rucks, all the All Black backs were able to make a favourable impression. Mark Donaldson was an artful dodger behind . the scrums and outside him, Nicky Allen was extremely sharp, both ■ in his acceleration, when he spied a gap, and in his choice of action.

Bill Osborne was full of vim and vigour at second five-eighths and at centre Bruce Robertson found the free moving game tailormade to his style of attacking rugby. Robertson consistently sliced through the American defence with deft changes of pace and clever use of the men outside him.

Andy Haden kept the ball flowing New Zealand’s way from the line-outs although there were surprisingly few line-outs in the second spell. Up to half-time New . Zealand had won 12 and lost only three. From the second spell the count again New Zealand’s way, was a mere 3-1.

John Ashworth, Graeme Higginson and Geoff Old were other forwards whc were far too skilled in their basic duties for their opponents. The All Black forwards broke away on many surging runs and their prompt return of the ball gave their backs every opportunity to make use of their superior pace. The All Blacks now go on to their second game of their North American stopover, against Canada at Vancouver tomorrow, in a confident frame of mind. There was no doubt that they won as well as they did because the Eagles, to put it politely, was a very modest side. But the way victory was achieved offered hope for the harder, games in Wales during the next three, weeks. For New Zealand, tries were scored by Woodman (3), Osborne (2), Allen, Wilson and Old. Codlin kicked six conversions and three penalty goals.