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Press, 13 November 1981, Page 26

NZPA staff correspondent Toulouse With the first test against France only two days away, the All Black coach, Mr Peter Burke, was given plenty to ponder upon by his side’s inept 6-6 draw against a French Selection at Perpignan yesterday. If Mr Burke had been looking for the All Black backs for the first time on tour to show the sort of form that would win an international he must have been gravely disappointed. He admitted as much after the match when he said: “I

ca "‘«-« i ,.o urfor . wards again played wonderfully well and carried the day but the backs nearly killed it for them. They did many silly things especially in their own half.” Among those silly mistakes were a host of missed touch-finders, many missed tackles and a naive desire to run the ball from well inside their own territory against a tight marking French defence. Amongst the test candidates in the backline few did their chances much good. Doug Rollerson, at fullback, was especially guilty

of missing touch with clearing kicks and rarely figured effectively in backline moves. The Waikato first fiveeighths, John Boe, making his All Black debut, was also unimpressive and his kicking was generally misdirected. Steven Pokere outside him was usually content to be a link but Lachlan Cameron at centre again showed a lack of acceleration and was often quickly wrapped up by the French defence before he could run his wingers into position. With his test place in some doubt, the left wing, Bernie