French jinx may thwart Kiwis

Press, 7 December 1985, Page 80

French jinx may thwart Kiwis

NZPA special correspondent Perpignan

The touring New Zealand rugby league team could fall tomorrow to the jinx which has made it very difficult for a Kiwi side to win the last test of a series in France.

New Zealand is out to become the first Kiwi team to win every game in France by winning the second and final test at Perpignan tomorrow.

The country has only once won the last test of a series in France when it won the second of the two tests, 11-3, in 1980.

New Zealand has been beaten in the last test of a series in France four times V

and has drawn the other two.

The powerfully built Todd is a double New Zealand representative, having played for his country at water polo in Australia last year.

The tourists were thwarted yesterday in their effort to have a tough training session before the test. They spent seven hours travelling from Bordeaux, on the west coast of France, to the eastern city of Perpignan. The team left at 9.30 a.m. and arrived at 4 p.m. and the Kiwi coach, Graham Lowe, ordered a training session for 5 p.m. blit darkness prevented the tourists from having a long session.

The Auckland back, Mark Elia, and Canterbury forward, Brent Todd, have been named reserves for the Kiwis.

While the Kiwis almost frittered away their match against a combined French team at Bordeaux on Wednesday night the test team is expected to be too strong and fast for France. New Zealand had. little difficulty in keeping on top of a weak French side, 22-0, at Marseilles in the first test.

“I expect France to be much stronger this time,” said Mr Lowe. “They have got nothing to lose.” But even if the French team does show enough

fight and spirit to get close tomorrow the Kiwis have shown they have the ability to tighten ? their defence when the pressure is on. France has made three changes froria its first test team and New Zealand has replaced Darrell Williams, Shane:' Cooper and James Goulding with Fred Ah Kuoi, Olsen Filipaina and Ron O’Regan. The Kiwis’, biggest worry will be if the French centre, Denis Berge, can break up the Kiwi defence with his tactical kicking. Berge did not play in the first test and has been brought into the French side for his tactical and goal kicking. The referee is

bell, of England. The teams are:— New Zealand: Gary Kemble, Dean Bell, Fred Ah Kuoi, James Leuluai, Dane O’Hara, Olsen Filipaina, Clayton Friend, Dane Sorensen, Wayne Wallace, Kurt Sorensen, Hugh McGahan (captain), Owen Wright, Ron O’Regan. Reserves: Mark Elia, Brent Todd. France: Serge Pailleres, Hugus Ratier, Denis Berge, Rogue Palisse, Didier Couston, Dominique Espugna, Bruno Gaush, Max Chantal, Thierry Bernabe, Serge Titeux, Pierre Montgaillard, Marc Palanque, Guy Lafforgue (captain). Reserves: Andre Perez, Jean Luc Rabout.