Lions Should Test All Blacks Thoroughly

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31080, 8 June 1966, Page 15

Lions Should Test All Blacks Thoroughly

rro score 31 points in a 1 Rugby test is an amazing effort; to score 28 points in one half is amazing. The Lions' crushing defeat of Australia in the second test at Brisbane —almost the same Australian side which had defeated the All Blacks and South Africa in 1964 and 1965—is conclusive proof that the All Blacks will soon be faced with one of the strongest touring teams to have visited New Zealand since the war.

The Lions' great second test win following their hard-fought matches against Australia in the first test and New South Wales, have removed any doubts that appeared after their close matches against New South Wales Country and Victoria as to whether the team would be strong enough to cope with New Zealand provincial sides and the All Blacks.

The appointment of a eoach—Mr J. D. Robins—was the first indication that

the Home Unions were taking the tour of New Zealand with the utmost seriousness. The hard training in Australia, the obvious dedication of the team to winning, attractively if possible, further emphasised that this Lions party will not just be a collection of brilliant players and “good chaps,” but one that will meet the All Blacks in every respect

After its triumphal tour of the British Isles and France in 1963-64 and wins against Australia and South Africa, the All Blacks rightly could be regarded as being on the top of the international Rugby tree.

This Lions team could be their most serious threat in recent years. Obviously the Lions have concentrated on tightening up their forward Play to meet the demands that will be placed on them by packs such as Taranaki, Waikato. Wellington, Southland, and the All Blacks.

But it will not be at the expense of the back play. The glorious try which won the first test, the five tries in the second half of the second test show that the Lions will not neglect their backs

Next Saturday the Lions will start their tour with the match against Southland and will play another 24 before they leave Auckland on September 12. In those three months New Zealand spectators can expect to see some superb Rugby. Always Lions teams are renowned for their back play but on their previous visits to New Zealand they have not always been able to use their backs to the greatest advantage because of lack of parity in the forwards.

That should not happen on this tour. B. E. V. Price, A. Pask, M. J. CampbellLamerton, D. Thomas, D. Williams, W. J. Mcßride are forwards of impressive physique and it must be remembered that most of the forwards in the Lions played against the All Blacks only a few years ago. They know what to expect from New Zealand packs. British Rugby is not taken particularly seriously by many New Zealand spectators. They remember the brilliance of the backs but can point to the lack of success of Lions teams in New Zealand and the fact that in five overseas tours New Zealand has lost to England only once and its only other losses have been in Wales.

That is quite correct but it should be remembered that what was a great tour in 1963-64 could well have been a dismal failure if a point or two had been gained by the other sides in the tests. Wales was beaten 6-0; Ireland 6-5, England 14-0 and the match with Scotland 5

was a scoreless draw. Except for England not a very convincing record and it must be remembered that England has a very small representation in this team.