Schoolboy nursery bears fruit for Australians

Press, 24 April 1987, Page 32

Schoolboy nursery bears fruit for Australians

In the first of a series of articles on the teams competing in the World Cup rugby tournament, ROBERT WOODWARD of Sydney looks at the Australian team.

For the past decade an Australian rugby tour has been a guarantee of exhilarating rugby with the whole team displaying dazzling athleticism, ball skill and speed of thought whatever the conditions.

The undefeated 1977-78 and 1981-82 schoolboy tourists to the British Isles spawned the most successful side in Australian rugby history — the 1984 team who destroyed all four British countries. The Australian steamroller continued in New Zealand last year when it won the Bledisloe Cup in an historic series.

But players such as the flanker, Simon Poidevin, the wing, David Campese, and the first five-eighth, Michael Lynagh, gifted as they are, would probably never have tasted such success had it not been for the aggressive tutoring of the coach, Alan Jones. Mr Jones, who took over the national side in 1883, is an eloquent, urbane spokesman for his team with a passionate

interest in politics as well as his own talkshow on radio.

On the training field Mr Jones verges on the tyrannical, driving his players relentlessly as they work towards the high goals set by the former schoolteacher. A glutton for work himself, Mr Jones spends hours evaluating opponents and his attention to detail is legendary. Before the 1984 tour, Mr Jones was concerned about his scrum. On arrival in Britain he heard good reports of a scrum machine developed by a former hooker.

The coach took time out to test one and was so impressed he bought it The machine went with the team around the country and quickly helped turn the Australian eight into a superb technical unit which crushed all before it

Mr Jones believes the team’s run of success justifies the means of achieving it but many of his team, teenagers when first coached by Mr Jones, bridle at their continued treatment as schoolboys when they have developed into national heroes. The retirement of Mark Ella, the Aborigine first five-eighth who

many rate as' the finest player in Australia’s history, was hastened by his increasing distaste with Mr Jones’ methods. Despite Ella’s absence, Australia’s all-round strength looks awesome. The scrum, built round the biggest front five in the world, has seen only one change since the 1984 tour of Britain, with the lock, Bill Campbell, replacing Steve Williams. The front row is formidable, teaming the Ar-gentine-born, Enrique Rodriguez, hooker, Tom Lawton and Andy Mclntyre, while Campbell and Steve Cutler, both over two metres tall, have developed lineout play to a fine art. The halfback, Nick Farr-Jones, is the nearest thing to the Welsh great, Gareth Edwards, with the strength to power over the goal-line from close in and a

snappy, long pass. Ella’s departure would have left a sizeable gap in any side but the switching of Lynagh from centre to first fiveeighth meant disruption was kept to a minimum. Lynagh, who started his career as a first fiveeighth, played superbly in the recent sevens tournament in Sydney and his vision and goal kicking ability make him a potential matchwinner on two fronts.

Early indications for the final on June 20 are that Australia will meet arch rivals New Zealand.

The Wallabies, therefore, could not have received a better morale boost than their 22-10 win against New Zealand in the - international seven-a-side tournament in Sydney on April 5.

The win more than : atoned for the humiliating 32-0 loss to the All Blacks last year, and Australia will be brimming with confidence when it meets England in its opening match in Sydney on May 23.