Maoris will seek forward control

Press, 17 November 1982, Page 64

Maoris will seek forward control

NZPA Staff Correspondent Barcelona Barcelona rugby officials may be pessimistic about the chances of the Spanish President's XV holding the New Zealand Maoris tomorrow but the tourists will be taking few chances. The Maoris’ coach, Percy Erceg, readily admits that he is largely in the dark about the strength of the side which his team will face at the Campo Fuxarda Stadium. However, he said yesterday that forward control early in the game would be the absolute priority: "We will look to control the game for the first 20 minutes and then think about running the ball. “We don’t really know

what to expect but probably they’ll play in a French style with hard mauling forwards and nippy backs. “We can't afford to drop passes against that sort, of back as we were doing in Wales,” he said. The Maoris stamped their determination not to take the Spanish opposition lightly by training solidly for two hours yesterday. Today they will hold a session at the match venue. The Maoris may be taking no risks but Spanish officials see little chance of the local combination holding the tourists. The Spanish President’s XV will be comprised largely of Barcelona players, most of whom are, at best, only on

the fringes of selection for the full national side. “Barcelona is only a small rugby centre compared with Madrid and for the local players, this game is very much a trial in which they can press their claims for national selection,” said a Spanish official yesterday. “There is not much chance that our smaller forwards can match the Maoris for possession and we must hope that our flankers and centres tackle well,” he added. The Maoris will field a side which includes 10 changes from that which lost to the Wales XV last Saturday. The survivors are the wing, Mike Clamp, Arthur Stone, who will play a two

centre game with Victor Simpson, the lock, Paul Tuoro, Jim Love, wbo transfers from No. 8 to lock, and the prop, Paul Koteka. Bill Bush will be making probably his farewell to Maori rugby when he captains the side. The Taranaki loose forward, Colin Cooper, has still not recovered from the knee ligament damage suffered in the second game of the tour but his replacement, Wayne Shelford, free of passport problems, plays on the side of the scrum. The Aucklander, who left his passport in Wales, rejoined the Maori party yesterday after being given temporary British documentation during his enforced

stay in Madrid. A number of the Maoris who play tomorrow, including Bush, the No. 8, Carl Baker, and the flanker, Miah Melsom, have not played for a fortnight and they will be keen to finish their tours in style. Another in that category, the Waikato full-back, Andy Baker, is doubtful after pulling out of training yesterday with a touch of influenza. The prop, Kevin Boroevich, is named in the reserves but is also doubtful. He has an ear infection and did not train yesterday. A crowd of about 4000 is expected at the Campo Fuxarda Stadium which is likely to be soft after recent heavy rain.

The New Zealand Maoris side for the game, which starts at 8 a.m. tomorrow (N.Z. time) is: Andy Baker (Waikato); Kawhena Woodman (North Auckland), Victor Simpson (Canterbury), Arthur Stone (Waikato), Mike Clamp (Wellington), Eddie Dunn (North Auckland); Paul Blake (Hawke's Bay); Carl Baker (Wairarapa); Miah Melsom (Waikato), Paul Tuoro (Counties), Jim Love (Marlborough), Wayne Shelford (Auckland); Paul Koteka (Waikato), Bruce Hemara (Manawatu), Bill Bush (Canterbury, captain). Reserves: Richard Dunn (Auckland), Steven Pokere (Southland), Warren McLean (Counties). Felix O’Carroll (Taranaki), Kevin Borofevich (King Country). Frank Shelford (Bay of Plenty).