All Blacks finish learning process

Press, 24 October 1984, Page 56

All Blacks finish learning process

NZPA staff correspondent Suva New Zealand’s learning process in Fiji has finished and the All Blacks wil] begin gearing for Saturday’s unofficial “test” when they play an Eastern selection at the National Stadium today. The coach, Bryce Rope, said yesterday that the tourists’ programme of learning and acclimatisation ended with their match against Western Division at Nandi last Saturday. Since then the hard slog had begun to prepare the team for the match against a strong and match-ready Fiji side in Saturday’s international. Today’s encounter with the Eastern composite side was the last stage of the team’s preparation for the unofficial “test,” Mr Rope said. He would be looking to his players for signs that their adjustment to local conditions and grasp of the team pattern and strategies was progressing favourably.

Eastern Division was a balanced and talented side, he said, which would need little leeway to disrupt the New Zealanders’ nrenaration. “From what I gather they’re not as abrasive a team as the Western Division," Mr Rope said. Mr Rope said his reports indicated Eastern was a side with gifted backs which the All Blacks would need to be quick to tie down. “It’s an important opportunity for us to gauge the sort of opposition we’ll be facing on Saturday. The styles should be similar and so we intend to try a few things here which we will be watching very closely.” Mr Rope would not discuss the All Blacks match strategy in details but he said new emphasis had been placed in. training on controlling the team’s own possession and contesting opposition ball. Mr Rope said the threat posed to New Zealand by the swift Eastern backs em-

phasised the need for today's All Black team to limit possession won by the home side. It was inevitable they would gain some ball, however, and when they did New Zealand needed to impose constant pressure to disrupt their running game. “It’s the old All Black pressure ploy,” he said. “When these chaps are under pressure they haven’t got options in the backs. They’re intent on moving it out and moving it out and moving it out. That’s all they do. We can disrupt that and if we do we’ll control the game.” Mr Rope said his eye would be on many players today with the selection of New Zealand’s side for Saturday’s international in mind. Meanwhile the Auckland No. 8, Alan Whetton, strained a thigh muscle at training yesterday and was forced to withdraw from the reserves for today’s match. The team physiotherapist, Peter Stokes, said Whetton’s wrenched muscle was a cause of minor concern for the tourists.