Canterbury will be ‘fourth test’ on Wallabies tour

Press, 16 July 1986, Page 40

Canterbury will be ‘fourth test’ on Wallabies tour

By

JOHN BROOKS

The hackneyed rugby tour expression of the strongest provincial team being the extra test for the visitors will be given fresh meaning when Canterbury confronts the Wallabies at Lancaster Park on August 16.

Six of the Cavaliers, barred from the first test because of their tour of South Africa, will be eligible for Canterbury selection. That is bad news for the Australians, especially as the game is wedged neatly between the first and second All Black encounters on the tourists’ Itinerary. Canterbury victories over Australian teams are not unknown; neither are red and black wins over the Lions and the Springboks, Fiji, Scotland, Ireland, England and Tonga. The Wallabies, therefore, will tread warily, despite their own impressive record this year, and the confidence of their leaders.

Wayne Smith has opted out of provincial and national football, but

Craig Green, Albert Anderson, Robbie Deans, Jock Hobbs, Victor Simpson and Warwick Taylor will all be in line to answer Alex Wyllle's beckoning finger. Canterbury already has a current All Black, Andy Earl, a former one and present reserve, Murray Davie, and South Island representatives in John Buchan, Chris Earl, Bruce Deans, Don Hayes, Dale Atkins, Wayne Burleigh and Joe Leota. As Auck-

land does not have a game against the tourists, the Canterbury clash will indeed be “the fourth test.” .

The Wallabies will start their 14-match expedition next week, with a string of games in the North Island. If they are not exuding confidence at present, they are pretty close to it, after recent test wins over Argentina (twice), Italy and France. Their record is outstanding over the last two years and a half. In 1984 they accomplished a "grand slam” in Britain, with four straight wins over the home countries, and last year beat Canada twice and Fiji.

But New Zealand has been Australia’s nemesis. After beating the All Blacks, 16-9, in the first test of 1984, the Wallabies have lost three in a row to their Tasman neighbour, twice by only a point. Alan Jones, the coach,

and Andrew Slack, the captain, are obviously keen to complete a global sweep of rugby triumphs on the coming tour. Although they will be without such stalwarts as Roger Gould (full-back), Brendon Moon (wing), Andy Mclntyre and Cameron Lilllcrap (props) and David Codey (flanker), the touring party is still bulging with scoring talent

Great reliance will be placed on the goal-kicking of Michael Lynagh, who has twice gained 23 points in tests this winter, and the sharp attacking qualities of David Campese, the wing-cum-full-back. Simon Poidevln and Steve Tuynman, both loose forwards, Nick FarrJones (half-back), Peter Grigg, an experienced wing, and Glen Ella (fullback) are all outstanding with ball in hand. There are several other likely lads, too, notably the new

test centre, Brett Papworth. The Wallabies will have a top class hooker in Tom Lawton, and “Sky Lab” Steve Cutler to win the ball for them in the lineout. All the locks are 2m tall, or more, and the former Pumas prop, Enrique Rodriguez, will be a tough cornerstone for the scrum.

As with most Australian rugby sides on tour, the 1986 Wallabies include a number of players little

known outside their own district Among them is a loose-head prop, Michael Murray, who is tipped to develop spectacularly.

There is no doubt that the Australians will score in generous dollops; their aggregate since the start of 1984 is 449 points, and that is just from the tests, of which there have been 15.

But a suspicion exists that the Wallabies’ defence might not be in the same class as its attacking, and New Zealand sides will be sure to probe for weaknesses. The Australians have conceded an average of 13 points a game in those last 15 tests, a high figure for a winning side. It suggests that Australian rugby might have loosened up considerably.

The fact that the Pumas twinkled through the Wallabies* defence for three second-half tries in the first test is an indicaton that the Gollath-llke Australians might be susceptible to a well-aimed shot or two.