Well-wishers put pressure on kiwis

Press, 8 October 1988, Page 88

Well-wishers put pressure on kiwis

From JOHN COFFEY in Auckland

Tony Gordon is concerned that the amazing amount of public support for his Kiwis might be undermining their preparation for the World Cup rugby league final against Australia at Eden Park tomorrow. .

Since they assembled in Auckland last Monday the Kiwis have been swamped with invitations and buffeted by hoardes of backslapping, confident supporters. “People expect too much from you before the game, then expect you to produce top stuff on the field. It’s good to be popular but we are here to do a job,” said the Kiwi coach after his team returned from training on the Hibiscus Coast yesterday. “Don’t get me wrong. We appreciate it when everyone waves or honks their car horns when they see the Kiwis’ bus go by. “But the Australians are trying to psych us out by saying we are favourites and it is not helping having New Zealanders popping in and telling the players they are going to bowl the Aussies,” said Mr Gordon. He feels the pressure came to a head on Wednesday when Mr Gordon “blew the forwards to pieces” at training. “On reflection, I think it was only me expecting too much too soon. They didn’t seem to have their minds on what they were doing. Mark (Graham) was calling all the moves, and no-one else would over-call him when it was needed.” Mr Gordon and the team manager, John Bray, contrast the current popularity of the Kiwis with the situation in Brisbane before the 13-6 upset of Australia 15 months ago. “We were ignored by the Australians — when they come to New Zealand everyone falls over themselves to help them,” said Mr Gordon.

Names and numbers

Australia: 1 Garry Jack; 2 Dale Shearer, 3 Andrew Farrar, 4 Mark McGaw, 5 Michael O’Connor; 6 Wally Lewis (captain), 7 Allan Langer; 8 Paul Dunn, 9 Ben Elias, 10 Steve Roach; 11 Paul Sironen, 12 Gavin Miller; 13 Wayne Pearce. Reserves: 14 Terry Lamb; 15 David Gillespie. New Zealand: 1 Gary Mercer; 2 Tony Iro, 3 Kevin Iro, 4 Dean Bell (captain), 5 Mark Elia; 6 Gary Freeman, 7 Clayton Friend; 8 Peter Brown, 9 Wayne Wallace, 10 Adrian Shelford; 11 Mark Graham, 12 Kurt Sorenson; 13 Mark Horo. Reserves: 14 Shane Cooper, 15 Sam Stewart. Referee: Mr Graham Ainui (Papua New Guinea).

“What really helped our motivation over there was the reply they gave to our request to watch a State of Origin game at Lang Park. They told us we could stand at the back behind the goal posts,” said Mr Bray. "Even after we beat them the Aussie players went to the reception in jeans and jandals and scoffed all the food while the Kiwis were putting on their blazers and ties.” But the Kiwi officials are confident that a team meeting on Wednesday evening ironed out the wrinkles. Invitations have been politely declined and training venues were juggled to avoid the army of well-wishers. But it is impossible to escape the rugby league mania in Auckland. “I never expected this reaction. Winning this game before 48,000 spectators at Eden Park would advance rugby league in this country by 10 years. Even losing won’t do it any harm,” said Mr Gordon.

“Maybe I’m no rugby league historian. But if this isn’t the greatest game since the sport came to New Zealand

then it’s certainly the most popular.”

For the last two weeks Mr Gordon has not wavered from his prediction that the Kiwis will carry off the World Cup by five points. “I think I can anticipate what Australia will do. They won’t want us running the ball at them as we did in ’B7. More likely, they will use the kicking game to try and put pressure on us and conserve their fitness.

“I’d expect Allan Langer to use his quickness off the mark, and Wally Lewis to kick for the speed of his wings and to tie up our fullback.” Only the wing, Tony Iro, and prop forward, Peter Brown, of the 13 Kiwis and two reserves, have not previously shared in victories over Australia. Dean Bell, the captain and centre, is the sole survivor of the 1983, 1985 and 1987 successes. Kurt Sorensen played in the first two and Clayton Friend in the latest two triumphs. “That is an asset, not so much because they have done it but because they know how hard it is to beat Australia/’ said Mr Gordon.