N.Z. Maoris expecting safety-first tactics

Press, 13 November 1982, Page 64

N.Z. Maoris expecting safety-first tactics

NZPA staff correspondent

The New Zealand Maoris are expecting a new-look Welsh XV to play safety-first rugby as they attempt to grind their way to victory in the international at Cardiff Arms Park tomorrow. Wales hasia new coach in the former British Lion, John Bevan, this season and he has suggested that he will try to introduce a more expansive game by dropping the kicking first five-eighths, Gareth Davies.

However, the Maoris do not envisage the Welsh making anything like the sort of dramatic transformation which would see them taking on the tourists at their own running game.

‘They have selected a heavy pack and will probably try to wear us down,” said the Maoris' coach, Mr Percy Erceg. yesterday. “The sides we have faced over here have tried to win the battle for possession and then force us into errors and we think it will be the same on Saturday." The tourists believe they have the winning of the game in their slick backs sparked by a superbly inform Steven Pokere at second five-eighths. The good news for the Maoris yesterday was that the Southlander has recovered from a minor chest infection which put him in bed on Thursday. He will be the man most closely

watched by the Welsh. However the Maori backs can only sparkle if they are given ball and this is the area of greatest concern: “We must get our share of ball and we know we need to take them on in the forwards. That is why we went for piayers with experience such as Paul Koteka,” Mr Erceg said. The Maoris’ line-out possession improved vastly in the stunning win over Aberavon on Tuesday but still further improvement will be required tomorrow. Swansea’s Richard Moriarty seems likely to rule the middle of the line-out for the Welsh XV — Wales in all but name — and the Maoris best chance for ball maybe

through the lock, Paul Tuoro, a great success on this tour, near the front, and the experienced Marlborough No. 8, Jim Love, near the back. Welsh teams invariably are strong scrummagers but with the All Black, Koteka, back from suspension and propping for the first time in Wales with the Wellington strongman, Scott Crichton, there is a good chance that the home team may not gain its expected advantage. The Maoris’ game came stunningly right against Aberavon and they will be attempting to repeat the same sort of high-paced support play. They recognise that the fitness of Welsh players is suspect at a time so rela-

tively early in their season and the Welsh loose forward trio of the flankers, Mark Davies and Jeff Squire, and the No. 8, Eddie Butler, does not appear particularly mobile. “Their loose forwards look slow and that reinforces our view that they’ll try to take play back into the forwards as much as possible.

“For us, it means that we’ll try to move the ball quickly to our wings, Mike Clamp and Robert Kururangi, as often as possible so they can exploit any lack of cover down the flanks,” Mr Erceg said.

The Maoris’ losses to Swansea and Llanelli had the Welsh XV installed as firm favourites at the beginning

of the week but the tourist's confidence-boosting display against Aberavon has changed all that. If they can avoid the unneeesary mistakes which blighted their early tour performances and gain the share of ball which will allow their backs to rediscover the Aberavon scoring touch, there is little doubt that the Maoris can at least severely test the Welsh. A win by the tdurists would expunge the memories of the defeats at Llanelli and Swansea. Done in'style by running the Welsh XV off their national stadium it would do much to rekindle a romantic vision of the game which today is little in evidence in the principality.

The teams for the match which starts at 3.30 a.m. tomorrow (N.Z. time) and will be refereed by Mr Alan Welsby, of England, are.— NEW ZEALAND MAORIS: Warren McLean (Counties): Robert Kururangi (Counties). Arthur Stone (Waikato), Mike Clamp (Wellington), Steven Pokere (Southland). Tu Wyllie (Wellington); Richard Dunn (Auckland); Jim Love (Marlborough); Frank Shelford (Bay of Plenty), Hud Rickit (Waikato). Paul Tuoro (Counties), Paul Quinn (Wellington, captain); Paul Koteka (Waikato), Felix O’Carrol (Taranaki), Scott Crichton (Wellington).

Reserves: Paul Blake (Hawke's Bay). Victor Simpson (Canterbury). Eddie Dunn (North Auckland). Bruce Hemara

(Manawatu). Kevin Boroevich (King Country). Wayne Shelford (Auckland). WELSH XV: Mark Wyatt (Swansea): Elgan Rees (Neath). David Richards (Swansea). Robert Ackerman (London Welsh), Clive Rees (London Welsh), Malcolm Dacey (Swansea); Terry Holmes (Cardiff); Eddie Butler (Pontypool. captain); Mark Davies (Swansea). John Perkins (Pontypool). Richard Moriarty (Swansea). Jeff Squire (Pontypool); Graham Price (Pontypool). Billy James (Aberavon), lan Stephens (Bridgend). Reserves: Peter Hopkins (Llanelli). Bleddyn Bowen (South Wales Police), Malcolm Douglas (Llanelli), Clive Williams (Swansea), Alan Phillips (Cardiff). Carl Denehy (Ebbwvale).