I would be honoured —Loveridge

Press, 6 May 1981, Page 46

I would be honoured —Loveridge

PA New Plymouth The Taranaki arid All Black half-back, David Loveridge, said yesterday he would be honoured if selected to captain the All Blacks against South Africa in New Zealand this season. “I would be available for the job,” said Loveridge yesterday. “I would be honoured to lead the New Zealand team.” A new All Black captain will be picked for the 1981 Springbok test matches after the decision of Loveridge’s Taranaki team-mate, Graham Mourie. not to play against the South Africans. Loveridge, who led the All Blacks in Australia last year, when Mourie was also not available, must figure strongly in the selectors’ planning, in spite of criticism of his captaincy against the Australians. Loveridge said it was not unusual for the captain and the coach to be blamed when things did not go well (Australia won the series last year by two matches to one). However, he considered the experience he gained on that tour would be valuable if he was again appointed captain. “Obviously, experience in. captaining rugby teams is important and, thinking back to Australia, I’d do some things differently. There are all sorts of pressures — off the field as well as on — to consider. You are always learning. “Perhaps it is different for somebody like Graham' (Mourie).” Loveridge said. “It is second nature for him, he is a natural leader.

Loveridge said that although it was early days yet, : he expected to be available for the All Black tour to ' France and Rumania at the ' end of the year. | Loveridge returned to hisf Inglewood home last week-' end from Wales, where he played for a World XV against Wales in a centenary match at Cardiff Arms Park. Included in the world team were three South Africans, the flanker, Robbie Louw/ the full-back, Gysie Pienaar, and Louis Moolman. [ Loveridge said he learned; from the trio that the tour to New Zealand “is the big one i for them.” '? “But they are not getting ', their hopes too high about coming here. The feeling I; got was that they will be sure the tour is on when they • arrive in New Zealand.” * Loveridge also discussed tour prospects with Scotland's full-back, Andy Irvine, ' and the hooker, Colin Deans, who are expected to be in ‘ the Scottish team which arrives the hooker, Colin Deans, who are expected to' be in the Scottish team which arrives in New Zealand this month. “The talk in Cardiff was that Scotland should have a pretty good team and thatNew Zealand would not want to take them top lightly,< Loveridge said. ' < “They played an open 15-. man game in the Five Nations series and they will; make it interesting for theAll Blacks. “It wouldn’t do much for New Zealand rugby if they bowled us,” Loveridge said. .■