National coach to gauge league players’ potential

Press, 8 February 1985, Page 10

National coach to gauge league players’ potential

By

JOHN COFFEY

The high level of fitness shown by members of the Auckland rugby league squad last week-end has set a standard for other districts to attain, according to Graham Lowe, the New Zealand test coach and national director of coaching.

Mr Lowe will be conducting the South Island coaching course, incorporating 36 players from Canterbury ana West Coast, at Baisweil Domain tomorrow and Sunday.

He will be assisted by the 1984 Kiwis, Owen Wright, Clayton Friend (both from Auckland) and Howie Tamati (Taranaki), and the prominent coaches, Ray Haffenden, Jim Robinson (both Canterbury) and Ces Clark (West Coast). “I have no doubt that the South Island coaching school will be a success,” said Mr Lowe. “Last year South ran by far the best school of the four districts. “But the fitness of the Auckland players last weekend was absolutely incredible. I have no hesitation in saying it was the best of any squad I have seen since I started coaching — but I would not be surprised if the South Islanders were able to match it,” he said.

Mr Lowe said the intention of the coaching schools — others are to be held in the Central and Northern districts — was to “have a look at what the players have been doing in the offseason. Their success, after all, is not what they do with Graham Lowe. It is what they do themselves.”

Tomorrow morning all 36 players will have their physical measurements recorded, right down to shoe sizes in case they are called up for higher honours at short notice. A 90min conditioning session will then gauge their fitness. In the afternoon the squad will split into four groups to concentrate on skills, involving Wright, Friend and Tamati.

The Sunday programme starts with the three internationals speaking to the squad on what “they feel is required to become a Kiwi in Graham Lowe’s team.” “Their addresses were very well received in Auckland,” said Mr Lowe. “Players are always hearing the views of coaches. This

way they hear from their fellow players in a no-holds-barred manner.”

Mr Haffenden, the South Island coach, and Mr Clark, a member of the New Zealand selection panel, will also discuss topics with the players before the school is completed with a match on Sunday afternoon. The process of finding a team to beat Australia at Brisbane on June 18, and at Auckland on June 30 and July 7, has already begun, said Mr Lowe. The selectors had a preliminary meeting in Auckland last week and the district coaching schools provided another step towards a showdown which will decide international rugby league supremacy. Mr Lowe said that the 1984 theme of “commitment and attitude” had assisted the Kiwis to an unprecedented clean sweep of the home test series against Great Britain. That, would be extended in 1985, which Mr Lowe has labelled “the year of creative rugby league.”

Three months after opposing the Australians, the

Kiwis leave for a full tour of Britain and France and already there are high hopes that the present side will emulate the 1971 Kiwis in winning both series. South Island has an additional incentive to regain the national inter-districts title in May. The winner is to go through to the final Kiwi trial at Auckland on June 5, where it will come up against a Selectors XIII which will comprise both New Zealand and Britishbased players. The form of New Zealanders with British clubs is being evaluated from video recordings and if Mr Lowe believes it is necessary he will travel to England in April. He expects to make three trips to Australia before June to watch Kiwi candidates in action in Sydney and run the rule over likely Australian representatives in Brisbane.

“The theme of creativity will be carried into the matches with Australia. Anyone who saw the Kiwis in last year’s series against Britain knows we were playing creative football at its very best. We have the defence to back it up and will not be changing our style against the Australians,” said Mr Lowe.