More open rugby likely in crucial second test

Press, 21 November 1981, Page 64

More open rugby likely in crucial second test

NZPA staff correspondent Paris Everything is pointing towards a more open and entertaining game of rugby when the All Blacks play France in the second test at the Parc des Princes tomorrow morning.

The forward-dominated tactical game played by both sides in the first test, branded as “stone age rugby,” by one French newspaper, is likely to be abandoned by the French out of necessity and by the All Blacks but of a desire to win in style. The French lost out 9-13 in the Toulouse test by trying to take the All Blacks on at their own forward game and now know that they must change tactics and move the ball round if they are to take .a snare of the two-test series. The French coach, Mr Jacques Fouroux surprised when he opted to retain the same fifteen for Paris, including the three big loose forwards who restrict France’s ability to contest the loose ball. However, the All. Black captain, Graham Mourie, believes that in spite of the retention of the trio and two solid ratner than spectacular

centres, Roland Bertranne and Patrick Mesny, the French will try to run the ball. “We would certainly be happy if they stuck with the tactics they used at Toulouse, but I think they will try and move the ball. And any French international backs can move very well if they are given the opportunity,” he said. The All Blacks have shown in their test selection, which includes a backline considerably changed from Toulouse, that they are also likely to try to be more enterprising a fact confirmed by Mourie “We went into the first test having lost and drawn a game and kept things close to our, chest because we knew it was absolutely vital to win. Now we have the opportunity to play a better style of game,” he said. The All Blacks have watched a video of the first test and Mourie said it was

apparent that the French test backs had actually been less tight in their marking than many of the French selection sides who had stifled the New Zealanders’ wish to . move the ball wide. “Tomorrow we will be trying to move it more from the midfield. At Toulouse, their wingers were positioned very deep to retrieve kicks from our first and second five-eighths, and this left space on the outside which we will try and exploit.” In order to play a more attacking style of rugby, the All Blacks have brought Doug Rollerson in at first five-eighths to replace Brian McKechnie. The Southlander’s tactical kicking was a major part of the All Black’s forwardbased tactics at Toulouse but his tendency to move across field after receiving a pass from his half-back can cramp his outsides. Rollerson’s style of rapid flock passing is more likely to set the backs quickly in motion. Outside Rollerson, Waikato’s Arthur Stone retains his test place at the expense of Jamie Salmon, apparently another victim of the desire to run the ball. At Toulouse, Salmon played a two centres game with Stone, with his kicking off his left conceived as a

major means of keeping the French back-pedalling. With Stu Wilson moving into centre, it may have been assumed that Salmon may have won the second fiveeighths berth to maintain a provincial combination which prospered this season, but the coach, Mr. Peter Burke, has opted for Stone’s strong tackling and aggressive running. Wilson has played his best rugby for New Zealand on the wing but with the French backs likely to see a fair amount of the ball, his opportunism may be a decided asset in midfield if the ball is dropped or the intercept is on.

The All Blacks showed at Toulouse that they had the counters to the French loose forward trio at the tail and the French are likely to call for more short lineouts as a ball-winning ploy. Their success there will be based largely on the flanker, Jean Luc Joinel, who was guilty of rather too many errors at Toulouse in concert with the other loose forwards. Tomorrow, their objective is likely to be rather to set the ball up for their backs rather than play the All Blacks at their own driving game. The match, which starts at 3 a.m. (New Zealand time), will be refereed by Mr John West, of Ireland, who last, controlled the All Blacks when they played the Welsh centenary test. The teams are: New Zealand: A Hewson. F. Woodman. S. Wilson. B. Fraser. A. Stone. D. Rollerson. D. Loveridge. M. Mexted. G. Mourie (capt). G. Whetton. A. Haden, M. Shaw. J Spiers, A. Dalton. P. Koteka. Reserves: A. Donald. B McKecnme. J. Salmon. H Reid, R. Ketels. G. Old France: S Gabernet. M Fabre. R. Bertranne. P. Mesny. S. Blanco. G. Laporte. P Berbizier. D. Erbam. J. Joinel, D Revallier, A. Loneux. L. Rodnguez. R. Paparemborde (capt.). P. Dintrans. M. Cremaschi. Reserves: J. Dupont. D. Dubroca, P. Lacans, J. Ehssalde. L. Pardo. B Vivies.

North Auckland’s Fred Woodman wins his third cap in Wilson’s place where his aggressive running is certain to be good value while Bernie Fraser might feel lucky to have retained his place on the other wing after mishandling on occasions in the first test.

The French were disappointed in their inability to upset the All Black scrum at Toulouse — they asserted later that the New Zealanders had simply refused to scrummage — and Mr Burke clearly believes that the replacement of Rod Ketels by Paul Koteka at loose-head prop will be a further guarantee in that area.