Coach not so sure of Kiwi test win

Press, 14 October 1985, Page 48

Coach not so sure of Kiwi test win

NZPA special correspondent Harrogate The New Zealand Rugby League coach, Mr Graham Lowe, said he was not over confident the Kiwis would win the first test against Great Britain at Leeds next Saturday. “If the Kiwis do win then everyone will have to work hard,” Mr Lowe said. The Kiwis have a tough fortnight ahead of them. They face a tough Cum-

bria County combination at Whitehaven tomorrow, the first test at Leeds on Saturday and a strong Yorkshire team at Bradford on Wednesday week. The Cumbria and British sides have still to be announced, but 12 off the Yorkshire team, already named, have played for Great Britain. They include the 1984 tourists Keith Mumby, Garry Schofield, Ellery

Hanley, Brian Noble, Lee Crooks, Andy Goodway and David Heron. Carl Gibson, David Creasser and Deryck Fox were all blooded against France earlier this year, while Jeff Grayshon and David Heron have not played for Britain since 1982.

have bad some good tussles in post-war years with the Kiwis winning 33-17 in 1955, 21-11 in 1961 and Yorshire taking the honours 15-8 in 1965. Mr Lowe believes New Zealand can come up with the players to beat Great Britain.

The reserve forward David Hobbs was also a 1984 British tourist. Yorkshire and the Kiwis

“We have the players who have the commitment required to win,” he said. “Naturally I was disap-

pointed with our loss to Wigan, but we have had a good settling-in period. “Don’t write off Great Britain. I thought they were strong in 1984, and we were fortunate that we were in top form, and I hope we can produce the same standard this time.

“Great Britain have had virtually two years of training as a squad, and it should be a competitive series.”