Incentives for teams

Press, 20 July 1988, Page 60

Incentives for teams

NZPA Gosford Players in both sides will have the incentive of seeking higher honours when the All Blacks meet New South Wales B in the tenth match of their Australian rugby tour today. For the All Blacks — 12 of whom did not play in the drawn second test last Saturday — there is the challenge to show they are worthy of consideration in a test team which produced a below-par performance against the Wallabies. For the New South

Wales B players the prospect of a place in the Australian team to tour England, Scotland and Italy at the end of the year is beckoning. They will also realise Queensland B — their chief rivals for tour places — did not impress against the tourists at Townsville last week and they will know this is not the strongest of All Black sides fielded on tour.

The All Black coach, Alex Wyllie, pointed out that there is room for change in the side for the

third and final Bledisloe Cup test, if those on the outside produce compelling form in positions where the encumbent is playing below scratch.

“The chances are there for them. Although individually I thought none of the second test side played badly, collectively the motivation was not there from the start. If there is a good performance by any of the nontest players then certainly they’ve got to be looked at,” Mr Wyllie said.