Changes inevitable says Mr Lochore

Press, 30 July 1986, Page 76

Changes inevitable says Mr Lochore

NZPA staff correspondent Masterton Big changes to an established Al! Black team were inevitable even before the Cavaliers tour of South Africa made senior players unavailable, the coach, Brian Lochore, said yesterday. Mr Lochore said players who had been the core of All Black sides for several seasons would have passed out of the game naturally before and after the 1987 World Cup, forcing the recruitment of a new international guard. The banning of the Cavaliers forced the selectors’ hand but change was natural and unavoidable, and made less destructive by the performance of new players against France. “I think it would basically have happened naturally without the sort of disruption that we’ve had this year,” he said.

“I don’t say that with any disrespect to the senior All Blacks, quite frankly. But we were at a stage when we had to change and It was just that we were forced into doing It before we had to make that decision.

“I’ve given passing thought to the situation after the first test when the Cavaliers are available again but very little. “If I do get distracted by thinking ’I wish I had that guy, I wish I could pick him or him,’ I’m not doing my best for the guys I have. “It just strikes me that I haven’t had a straight go since I’ve had the All Blacks. There has always been some problem.”