‘All Black’ victory extolled

Press, 2 May 1986, Page 32

‘All Black’ victory extolled

NZPA staff correspondent, KIP BROOK Bloemfontein A display against Orange Free State worthy of the best of All Black sides at Bloemfontein yesterday morning (N.Z. time) has given an added edge to South African demands for the Cavaliers to play as the All Blacks in the “first test” against the Springboks. The rebels’ performance in trouncing Free State, 31-9, has been hailed in South Africa as one of the best by a New Zealand side on South African soil outside a test. The All Blacks sign clung boldly- to the Free State scoreboard all week and was only switched at the last minute to “N. S. Kavaliers.” The South African Rugby Board president, Dr Danie Craven, said yesterday that the first “test” on May 10 would be an official test for the Springboks and the tourists would be called All Blacks. Local officials, who printed All Blacks in the programme, need hardly have bothered changing the sign on the evidence of the Cavaliers’ performance against a side ranked as one of South Africa’s top three provinces. They played with All Black power, especially in the second half after leading 16-6 at the break. The left wing, Craig Green, who scored all three tries, and Grant Fox, seven successful shots for 19 points in the ratified night air, had magnificent games. It seems that Fox can not now be left out of the side to play for the first "test,” even if it is at Wayne Smith’s expense. It must have surprised New Zealanders, not least of all Cantabrians, that Fox got the nod ahead of Robbie Deans to take the shots at goal, but the slick Auckland first five-eighths had been sweetly banging over dozens of shots at goal in training, and the practice obviously paid off. The team’s manager, lan Kirkpatrick, said that goal-kicking was one of the problems of the 1976 All Black touring side which was forced to use the inexperienced Bryan Williams in the role on

important occasions. “I guess Fox’s kicking was the difference between this side and 1976 when we couldn’t get them over,” he said. “We didn’t expect to win by this much, our guys are absolutely exhausted.” Green’s aggressive running was another pyschological boost for the Cavaliers. All his tries were at the embarrassing expense of a local star, Jaco Reinach, the South African 400 metre sprint record-holder who is tipped to win a test cap. Green fended off Reinach for try No. 1, beat him with genuine speed in the race for the corner for No. 2, and left him behind on a weaving run for brilliant try No. 3. Fox and Green won the biggest plaudits but there were 13 other heroes in the triumph. The locks, Murray Pierce and Albert Anderson, made great line-out strides in the second half, and Murray Mexted and Mark Shaw each turned in storming games. The astonishing forward drives knocked the sails out of the Free State forwards, Mr Kirkpatrick saying afterwards that the Cavaliers had run themselves into the ground. “It was a tremendously hard game. We took a long time to get control and even then we got some lucky breaks and scored,” he said. “We had to work in the line-outs. They had a tall guy in the middle and a big guy (Eban Jansen) at the back marking Murray Mexted. We’re going to have to work on line-outs. “All the teams we play against have got three big jumpers. They are good athletes and it makes it tough for us every time.” Mr Kirkpatrick said he and the selectors were no closer to naming a “test” team, but at least three players advanced strong claims. Green and Fox will be difficult to leave out and Simpson appeared to end any doubts about who will play at centre. The crashing Cantabrian constantly burst through half-gaps to set the Cavaliers on the rampage. It was the forwards, however, who laid a rigid foundation for the convincing win.