Confident coach predicts win for Wellington

Press, 30 May 1981, Page 60

Confident coach predicts win for Wellington

From

JOHN BROOKS,

in Wellington

The Wellington rugby team believes it has a very real chance of beating Scotland at Athletic Park this afternoon — and that assessment is not based on the possible withdrawal of the tourists’ captain and prolific points scorer, Andy Irvine.

A strong pack with particular talent in scrummaging and a. backline loaded with talented, inventive attackers have boosted hopes that Wellington . can produce a match winning performance. And the home side’s coach, Mr lan Upstqn, hopes that Irvine will play so that noone will be able to belittle a Wellington win. Courageously confident, Mr Upston thinks that his team can come up trumps on just 40 per cent of possession. The Scots, for their part, are approaching the game with the utmost seriousness. “We are expecting a very hard game, very near to a test,” said Mr Ken Smith, the Scottish manager. “We recognise the ability of backs such as Stu Wilson, Bernie Fraser and Alan Hewson and of course Murray Mexted's brilliant solo try at Murrayfield in 1979 is still sharp in our minds.” One factor in the tourists’ favour is the weather. Unlike last week-end when a storm raged over the All Black trials, the game might be blessed with clear skies and an absence of wind, which will minimise Wellington’s advantage of local knowledge. The pitch, too, is ' in good order. ’ Scotland, however,’ cannot be sure of Irvine’s participation. He is troubled by a strained groin muscle and. it might be decided not to risk him with the first test only two weeks away. . “Naturally we are here to win and we will plan and play accordingly,” Mr Smith

said. “But so many things can happen in the course of a game — we call it the rub of the green. It's the little things that can give you a win when there is not much between the sides.” Mr Smith said that the King Country side had bustled the Scots in the first tour game in Taumarunui, but his side had played well in its first gallop in six weeks.

“Early bn we were playing Barbarian-type rugby and we should have brought our game down a gear,” he said, “but it was a good settling down game — you can’t beat match practice to produce hardness.”

This afternoon’s opposition will be a cut -above the King Country side. The backline contains five All Blacks and a current national trialist on the right wing, Mike Clamp, who will be playing his blazer game.

As well as the lofty Mexted at No. 8 the pack will include, the seasoned lock, Brendon Gardner, who will be celebrating his birthday, although no-one seems sure whether he will turn 25, 30, or 35.

In the front row Welling-' ton has a mystery man in Scott Crichton,, a Maori tighthead prop of impressive measurements, notably a 52 inch chest. Although only just introduced to first-class rugby his strength will give the Wellington scrum confidence.

The Scots are dedicated to the 15-man approach and the coach, Mr Jim Telfer, has called for quality possession from his forwards so that good use can be made of a talented three-quarter line. But they will encounter spirited rivalry in that department from Wilson, Fraser and . Clamp, all potential match-winners. The three New Zealand selectors will be at the game and as well as studying Scotland’s strengths and weaknesses they will pay particular attention to two members of the home team, Mexted and Tu Wyllie.

This week Mexted has passed fitness tests after injuring an' ankle and he will be certain of the test No. 8 place if he comes through the game soundly. Wyllie, who missed the national trials because of a strained back gets an eleventh-hour chance to stake his claim for the first five-eighths place in the All Black side.