All Blacks’ psychological advantage

Press, 4 February 1982, Page 28

All Blacks’ psychological advantage

PA Wellington New Zealand rugby teams have . reigned supreme in Europe for the last five seasons because opposition sides were 20 per cent beaten before taking the field. This is the view of the National Coaching director, Bill Freeman, who was commenting yesterday on the fact that in the last five years New Zealand teams had played 12 tests and lost just one in Europe. “The way European teams respect All Black sides is a great psychological advantage in New Zealand’s favour,” he said.

Mr Freeman admitted that AH Black sides under the captaincy of Graham Mourie had been lucky at times — particularly in winning the tests against Ireland and Wales in 1978. But luck was a commodity which better teams generally enjoyed more of, he said. Commenting on the fact that the last test the All Blacks had lost in Europe was against France, at Toulouse, in November, 1977, Mr Freeman said that individual European opponents had often exhibited greater skills in the intervening period. “British and French teams spend a great deal of time

and concentration on back play and free running of the ball. What they are going to do becomes very, very predictable. “Predictability erodes the skill because predictability brings pressure which in turn reduces time and time is an important commodity in endeavouring to obtain penetration,” said Mr Freeman. All Black defensive systems under the astute Mourie captaincy had overcome such individualistic attacking flair. Mr Freeman said that British sides would do well to study the mechanics of All Black forward play: “What

the Europeans need is more of the solid foundation, but we could do with perhaps a little bit more of the imagination European teams have exhibited.” The All Blacks tour Europe again in 1986 when they will visit France. Mr Freeman said that if the French were to reverse the recent trend against the All Blacks their forwards would have to concentrate more on winning possession through better body positioning. In the two tests against France last November the French forwards had placed too great an emphasis on

winning possession purely with their hands. Their body positioning was suspect. “What I have seen of New Zealand sides in Europe in the last five years shows the AH Blacks have run hard and straight and with support. “Many British and French players have done a lot of running, ducking and diving. They looked good but it is no use looking good and losing matches.” Mr Freeman said that the All Blacks had succeeded where Australia had failed during its European tour of 1981-82 basically because of superior goal-kicking when the occasion required it.