All Black confidence mounting

Press, 20 July 1984, Page 34

All Black confidence mounting

NZPA staff correspondent Sydney Injury concerns have evaporated and the All Blacks are approaching their first test against Australia tomorrow believing themselves a better team than the one which defeated France in two home tests this season. The coach, Bryce Rope, and the captain, Andy Dalton, feel the New Zealand team is fitter, stronger and tighter than the ragged unit which limped to unconvincing victory over the Frenchmen. Both have noted an improvement in the All Black’s forward play in response to an intensive training pattern and an increased understanding among New Zealand’s maligned backline. But both admitted secret fears that the improvement in the New Zealand team

may be illusory. Their leadup to this test has been decidedly second class for only in their match against New South Wales two weeks ago did they meet opposition which really tested the level of their improvement. They, won that match heavily, but unconvincingly, and Dalton fears that subsequent matches against a raggle-taggle group of state sides has misrepresented their actual form. “If you look at our buildup it couldn’t really be worse,” Dalton said. “We haven’t got any idea of how we have been improving since the New South Wales game. That doubt concerns me a little going in to a test match and I can only hope that we have improved and trust in the team.”

Dalton said New Zealand’s performance against

New South Wales had been error-ridden. The team had lost too much ball at set play and had performed with something less than co-ordination in the backs. At the same time, in the only match on tour in which an opposing backline has run the ball at the New Zealanders, the tourists’ defence looked weak and unorganised. “We can’t afford to let Mark Ella have space to move, especially with guys like David Campese outside him,” he said. “We have to play better than we did against New South Wales; certainly we are going to have to defend a lot better. “We are going to have to play better against Australia than we did against France if we expect to win this test and this series,”

Dalton said. “For the first time I can remember Australia are talking about taking us on up front — in scrums. They are looking to at least match us there and they have strength in the backs which will make them very hard to hold if they manage it. If they match us in the forwards, they may beat us in the backs.” Rope agreed with Dalton’s assessment of Australia’s strengths. “Its strength is obviously in the backs,” he said, “but that does not mean we underestimate the forwards. New South Wales got a lot more ball against us especially in the lineout than we had anticipated and that’s important to note. ,s But what can you say about a backline like Australia’s — Cox, Ella, Hawker, Slack, Campese,

Moon and Gould, they’re all top international backs and they will be a strong force on attack. “Saturday’s test will be decided by who wins up front, who lasts 80 minutes and who makes best use of the quality ball they win.” Rope shared , Dalton’s hope that the All Blacks forward pack had improved since their clash with New South Wales. “We will be looking for more than 50 per cent of possession on Saturday,” he said. “I’d be disappointed if we didn’t get that because we have based our pattern around that amount. “If the pattern is right,” Rope added emphatically, “if we train to it and if we do it with the right amount of possession then we will have the opposition on the back foot from the begin-