No complacent air in New Zealand camp

Press, 30 May 1985, Page 34

No complacent air in New Zealand camp

NZPA staff correspondent Christchurch The All Blacks have already pushed thoughts of their impending tour of South Africa from their minds as they assemble to prepare for Saturday’s first test against England. The All Black captain. Andy Dalton, the team’s respected statesman, said yesterday New Zealand's players had their attention focused at present on nothing other than Satur-

day’s international three days ahead. “I think the players know they have got to justify their selection in the current side without thinking further afield,” Dalton said “There has been no talk of South Africa at all to my knowledge. I think it would be presumptuous to be thinking that far ahead at the moment. We have a very, very hard game ahead of us and’ that should be all that is on our minds.” Dalton said the All Blacks

were forced to dig their way out from beneath a heap of media speculation to view Saturday’s match from an undistorted perspective. “We have no doubts that Saturday will give us anything else than a hard game," he said. "The media has been picking England to get beaten but there has been no talk at all among the players along those lines. “It’s very early days yet, our preparation doesn’t

start officially till tomorrow but we are aware of the test we face. “There has been talk of complacency in this All Black team but I’m sure that doesn’t apply." Dalton accepted the Al! Blacks could be vulnerable to a degree in a test match which comes so early in the home season. "Historically, for what history is worth, the home side always takes the first test," he said. "But that doesn't neces-

sarily have to be so and we certainly aren’t putting our faith in history. England has a good opportunity to catch us on the hop here. Our lads haven't had a lot of first class games, they lack a bit of hard rugby and there's heavy pressure on us to get ourselves to a good pitch for this' test. “It’s one of the earliest tests I can remember,” he said. Dalton admitted neglecting his study of the England side and said he had seen

little of it in action so far but hopes to improve that in the next three days. “We have a video and I'll be watching some of their games to get an idea of what we're up against. We're in for a very hard game — I'm sure of that. A number of our players have met the England team already and they only reinforce the view that they will be hard to beat; The New Zealand players assembled in Christchurch from midday yesterday and

held an impressive training run at Rugby Park. There was’ a determined air to the practice, a suggestion that some players were intent on blowing away cobwebs after a spell of inactivity. Heavy security surrounds both the All Blacks and the English teams but. although there was a small group of protesters at Christchurch Airport yesterday to welcome the England team, protest activity is expected to be low key.