Graham Price keen to mend fences

Press, 6 May 1983, Page 28

Graham Price keen to mend fences

By

PETER BILLS,

, of “The

Times,” through NZPA

Graham Price, Pontypool’s prop forward, his expression set and serious, relates some basic requirements for the British Lions rugby party to play in New Zealand.

Basic, as much through brevity as content, they are: The need to illustrate not only to New Zealand enthusiasts but to followers of the game in Britain as well that British back play is still alive and flourishing — and to mend fences torn down by unsavoury aspects of the last tour in 1977.

Price, one of only two survivors from what became known as the “badnews tour,” said: “Little things became annoying to us and we tended to look inward. “Of course, the weather didn’t help — it was simply atrocious. “The week’s training before the first match was completed under blue skies and delightful sun. On the day of the first match at Masterton, the weather broke and never really relented thereafter.

“Players found they could not leave the hotels. We felt the New Zealand Rugby Union had been inflexible in

certain ways, especially with regard to food. Having your choice limited to steak, fish or lamb for almost three months became a sore point with the players.”

Perhaps there was too high a proportion of Welshmen in 1977, Price said. Of the 33 players used on that tour, 18 were Welsh.

“The composition of this party seems so much better,” he says. “No country has the dominance and that is good. On previous tours, one particular country always seemed to provide the majority of the players. “Consequently, the Lions

sides took on the national identity of that particular country. In 1977, we played the same way as the Welsh international side. It didn’t come off but there were so many Welsh players that it was probably inevitable we would keep that style.” Price is every bit as patriotic a Welshman, in his own particular way, as more blatant flag-wavers such as Max Boyce, but even he admits: “The Lions of 1977 became a sullen lot. We did not mix very much with local people; we preferred our own company. This party must be more outward-going though I

would also hope the authorities in New Zealand would be more flexible, too.

“Both sides can learn from the experiences of 1977. I am sure of that.

“For us, it is important to mix with local people. We have a public relations job to do after what happened in 1977, we have a lot to make up for.

“We won’t rely on individuals to inspire the team and we won’t go there thinking if we win 30 per cent of the bail, our three-quarters will walk through the opposition to finish the job. That was the mistake in 1977 and

we paid for it.”

Price exudes the confidence of a man at the peak of his powers. His record of 41 caps as a Welsh prop is proof of his qualities in the front row. He is, says that fine French prop, Robert Paparemborde, an excellent prop in the technical sense, very big and strong. Inevitably, says Price, not discussing his own merits, but the comparative ascendancy of British props against their New Zealand counterparts. “The strongest props are from Britain because the New Zealand game is

geared so much towards second-phase possession. “What happens in . the tight is not so crucial as at the point of breakdown and the battle for the secondphase ball.

“That is their philosophy and so Lions’ props do not experience their hardest games in New Zealand. It is normally much harder in Paris or at Twickenham.” The collision, in a metaphorical sense, of the prop, Price, and the Lions’ tactician, Telfer, should be something worth travelling half the world to see.

“We won’t neglect the

scrummage from wbat I hear of our coach,” grins Price. “From what I gather, he is a very dour Scot. But then we are a dour lot at Pontypool. “We shall get along all right because you’ve got to remember, it is very important to avoid the clan groups on tours like these. It is vital there are no cliques.

“We must also ensure we do the basic things properly, without too many frills,” 4ays Price.

“We leave without real stars behind the scrum but perhaps this tour can make a few.”