Ail Black trialists rise above poor conditions

Press, 23 June 1986, Page 21

Ail Black trialists rise above poor conditions

From

KEVIN McMENAMIN

in Blenheim

All Black trials are seldom great games of rugby, but given the conditions, Saturday’s match at Lansdowne Park was not too bad.

However, considering the team since named it would seem that more players may have played themselves out than in. Only four of the trialists, all forwards, are in the fifteen to play France on Saturday.

It was obvious when rain set in shortly after midday that the game was going to suffer. It also had a big bearing on the gate, fewer than 2000 turning up.

In addition to the rain and a slippery field, more so on one side than the other, the players also had to endure a fastfading light in the second half.

Nevertheless, the rugby, for the most part, was hard and fast and both teams ignored the pitfalls inherent in trying to move the ball through the backs. Their success rate was nothing wonderful, but at least they tried. Afterwards, the convener of the national selection panel, Brian Lochore, said that the trial had served a purpose. He praised the attitude of the players for trying to provide a decent game of football.

“It is always difficult in trials when the players don’t know each other and new combinations are being used. The weather made it even more difficult, but we learnt things from the game.”

Mr Lochore said that the trial was necessary because it was still relatively early in the season, and few representative matches had been played. “All players have a level of achievement and the more often we can see them play the better the idea we have of what each man’s level is. Today’s game reinforced some views, but because we are in the unusual position of having to pick almost a whole new team the selection was never going to be easy.”

From the stand, and even before the gloom thickened, it was hard to learn a lot. Most of the first half was taken up with just trying to put names to faces, such were the number of “new boys” on display. It was apparent from early on, though, that the yellow-jerseyed Possibles were the stronger side, especially in the forwards. The Possibles dominated all but the last 10 minutes of the first half, and at half-time they led 10-4. The Probables got into the game more in the second spell, but they could add no more points, while the Possibles, with their third try and a penalty goal, went on to win 19-4. In the crucial area of locks and loose forwards there was not a lot to be learnt. Gary Braid, a replacement lock for the Probables, looked as if he could be the answer to a prayer by starting off very well in the line-outs. However, he faded in the middle stages, before coming to light again towards the finish. Over all the line-outs were fairly evenly shared, with Braid’s partner, Gordon McPherson, getting his hands to the ball most consistently. The line-outs apart, perhaps the most likely looking forward, in terms of strength and robust play, was Wairarapa-Bush’s Brent Anderson. Not only did he cut a strapping figure, but there was a fair amount of technical excellence about his play. A place in the reserves for Saturday’s test could be a stepping stone to bigger things for Anderson. Another Possibles forward who looked a handy sort was the No. 8, John McDermott. McDermott certainly overshadowed his opposite, Glyn Meads, and he also seemed to get through more work than

Mike Brewer, who played off the side of McDermott’s scrum — and well enough to get the nod for the No. 8 spot against France. In another positional switch, Andy Earl was chosen at lock after being used as a flanker in the Probables side. Oddly enough, Earl was not quite up to his best form, but even when a notch below it Earl is a handy man to have in any side. The only drawback to having him at lock is that he will be one of the main line-out jumpers; he usually does best in this role when used as an alternative at the back. The backs may have won the praise of the crowd for their attempts to open the game up, but with not one of them winning selection none obviously made a big impression in the right quarter. There was no doubt that the outstanding back was the Possibles fullback, Brent McKenzie. The Southland dairy farmer seemed to be right at home in the conditions. He kicked well, fielded the ball safely and his entries into the line provided some of the best attacking moments. The other full-back, Mark Benton, also looked decidedly useful. He was not as agile as McKenzie, although he moved fairly smartly when he took a big gamble on running the ball out from his own posts. It was a gamble which came off, though. McKenzie’s Possibles backline did look the more assured, although it was on the receiving end of a fair amount of quickly-won rucked ball. The first five-eighths, Ron Preston, may have overkicked a shade, but for the most part his kicking was sound and, with one notable exception, he did choose his attacking options well.

The exception was when he botched a four-on-two situation by going alone.

None of the backs played badly, and the tackling was one of the best features of the game. The young WairarapaBush second five-eighths, Marty Berry, was “a line ’em up, knock ’em down” man of the old school, and he was not without attacking worth as well. Berry, at least, made it into the reserves, as did Canterbury’s Joe Leota, who had a couple of good runs, but of the wings the sharpest was Leota’s partner in the Probables, Bernie Smith.

Mr Lochore was probably right when he said that the selectors needed the trial to help them clarify their thinking, but when only four players from the game win selection its value must be reassessed.

One of the reasons why the team was not named by the N.Z.R.U. chairman, Russell Thomas, on Saturday evening was so that all the players could have a pleasant evening, without some being wracked by disappointment. Perhaps Mr Thomas had some advance knowledge that the number of sad faces was going to outnumber the happy ones to a greater extent than most people had expected. Tries for the Possibles were scored by Peter Fatialofa, Brent Anderson and Brent McKenzie. McKenzie kicked three goals, two conversions and a penalty goal, from five attempts. Bernie Smith scored the Probables’ only try, with its kicker, Mark Benton, missing the conversion, his sole kick at goal.