Lochore unavailable for All Black coach

Press, 9 October 1982, Page 64

Lochore unavailable for All Black coach

PA Palmerston North In spite of offers of support for his nomination from at least three unions, the former All Black captain, Mr Brian Locliore, ruled himself out yesterday as an All Black coaching candidate.

Mr Lochore said he was not sure whether he had strong enough convictions to stand for the job. He had not harboured any ambitions to hold the top coaching job in the country.

Yesterday, he said the travel factor had finally made up his mind.

“I'm not 10 minutes away from an airport here. If I was in Wellington or somewhere like that and could travel anywhere in New Zealand and" home again in the same day, then my decision

would probably have been the other way.

“But it means two hours for me to get to Wellington airport and back, and the time and travel involved could well be a really frustrating problem." he said.

Mr Lochore. aged 42, a farmer at Mauriceville, said if he had had a strong desire to be All Black coach then this would have been the right time to stand. “It s no use doing it when you're 50 and can't enjoy the parties any more." he said. Mr Lochore said it appeared likely he would continue guiding the Wairarapa-Bush side, but it was not definite.

The Manawatu coach. Mr Graham Hamer, is not available to coach the All Blacks

next season either. Mr Hamer, the Palmerston North baker who has guided Manawatu through the last eight seasons, is the longestserving provincial coach in New Zealand.

He was unavailable because he wanted to spend at least another season with the green and whites, Mr Hamer said yesterday. “I still hope to get up there, though,” he said.

Mr Hamer told the Manawatu Rugby Union he would not be available for the national position this season. The union has decided that the area will make no nomination.

Mr Hamer said he hoped to be nominated by his former club, Kia Toa, to continue in Manawatu's top coaching job.