Emphasis on football for second test

Press, 22 June 1984, Page 32

Emphasis on football for second test

From

JOHN BROOKS,

, in Auckland

Boots, biting, studs, stitches, rabies and the referee have been the topics most commonly associated with the France — New Zealand rugby series, which will reach its conclusion at Eden Park tomorrow.

Unlike the Lancaster Park international, with the boots controversy beforehand and the allegations and counter allegations of cannibalism subsequently, there is a very real prospect that the accent might be on football at the 53,000 seat ground.

One who lends his considerable weight to the overworked cliche about “rugby being the winner” — without putting it in those words — is the senior All Black, Andy Haden.

“The French do have a tendency to play the man off the ball, but I think that reports of savagery are highly inflated,” he said yesterday.

“The test in Christchurch was supposed to be violent. Well, I’ve played in far more violent tests. Jacques Fouroux, (the french coach) has treated' the matter as a joke, and I agree with him.”

Fouroux’s “rabies” quip aptly cystallised the French view of the injury received by the All Black tight head prop, Gary Knight, in the Christchurch test. He had to have 16 stitches inserted around his left eye after his face was creased with blood

in the second half. The cause of the wound has been variously described as a bite, a thudding knee or sprigs. The stoic Knight himself is keeping “mum” in the meantime, just as he did when he was gouged by a French forward in his first test in Toulouse, seven years ago.

The Manawatu heavyweight said yesterday that he would play in the Auckland test with the stitches still in his face. With typical nonchalance, he said he did not think he would be inconvenienced. Both Fouroux and his New Zealand counterpart, Bryce Rope, were at pains yesterday to defuse the human sacrifice situation, which seems to have crept into the test series. The French have been speaking amiably to Jean-Patrick Lescarboura, despite his four missed drop-kicks in the last five minutes of the Christchurch test, and the All Blacks paid considerable heed to ways of not having the skids put under them by the French in the scrums. “I think we will be a much more formidable force in the scrums this time,” added Mr Rope.

“Perhaps in Christchurch the forwards might have been living on past glory, but they have now been brought back to reality.” The New Zealand captain, Andy Dalton, who, as hooker, is caught up in the middle of the problem, was more explicit.

“It is months since we (the All Black forwards) were last together. That is a long time. I had some reservations before the first test. It is difficult to get the combinations together, certainly in three days. “It took time against the Lions last season, and I guess the same applies now.”

The All Blacks realised that their inferior scrum performance in Christchurch adversely affected the clearance of the ball to the backs, and consequently nullified a two-to-one possession advantage. Despite rainy, misty weather in Auckland, the All Blacks have worked hard to get this part of their game in order. And as for the French, Mr Fouroux, with a wide-eyed look of total honesty, said: “we have just got to improve.”