Physical toll sevens worry

Press, 1 April 1989, Page 88

Physical toll sevens worry

PA Hong Kong The New Zealand coach, Peter Thorburn, is a little concerned by the physical toll matches against Western Samoa and Fiji could place on his players in this weekend’s Hong Kong rugby sevens.

Mr Thorburn said yesterday he would rather his side had not been drawn to play Fiji in tomorrow’s semi-final. While not being critical of the draw and New Zealand’s second seeding behind the defending champion, Australia, he said if he had a choice “I would not want to play Fiji in the semi-final but you don’t get that choice”. He predicted Western Samoa and Fiji would be fairly physical opponents if New Zealand made it through to the final, The New Zealanders

are expected to have cakewalk victories over Tunisia and Bahrain in their group preliminary round matcnes today. This will put them on target for tomorrow morning’s quarter-final against the unpredictable Western Samoans, whose team includes Auckland-based Lolani Koko.

Mr Thorburn picked the Barbarians as the surprise package for the week-end. The Barbarians will be captained by Finlay Calder who earlier this month was awarded the captaincy for the Lions tour of Australia.

Calder's club side, Stew-art’s-Melville, has enjoyed great success at sevens, and a lot of this credit belongs to the no-non-sense skipper. “I think a few people will be surprised by the British Barbarians team,”

Mr Thorburn said. “They seem, to have a bit of resolve about winning the tournament this year.” Mr Thorburn said New Zealand would obviously not be taking Western Samoa or Fiji lightly. Psychologically the team felt Fiji would be harder to beat than Western Samoa.

In training this week captain Zinzan Brooke’s players had recovered from the tightness they suffered during the Sydney tournament last week. Australia is seeded to meet New Zealand in the final and the coach, Bob Dwyer, has said the inclusion of Michael Lynagh in this week’s competition will improve his team’s performance. ‘Til have to accept what* they say about it,”

Mr Thorburn said. “But I think their problems may run a little bit deeper than that. However, Lynagh will give them another player who will get things going for them and get them organised.”

Preliminary round matches today will be played between:—

-Irish Wolfhounds v. Singapore, Canada v. Sri Lanka, Barbarians v. P.N.G., Fiji v. Thailand, Eagles v. The Netherlands, W. Samoa v. Malaysia, New Zealand v. Bahrain, Japan v. Brunei, South Korea v. Singapore, Taiwan v. Sri Lanka, Spain v. P.N.G., Italy v, Thailand, Hong Kong v. The Netherlands, Tonga v. Malaysia, Tunisia v. Bahrain, Australia v. Japan, Wolfhounds v. South Korea, Canada v. Taiwan, Barbarians v. Spain, Fiji v. Italy, Eagles v. Hong Kong, Western Samoa v. Tonga, New Zealand v. Tunisia.