Concern About Three Points

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31097, 28 June 1966, Page 19

Concern About Three Points

The first strictures on interpretations were raised by the Lions’ manager (Mr D. J. O’Brien) at an impromptu press conference yesterday morning.

Mr O’Brien raised three points which are causing concern. That the 10-yard rule for tap penalties is not being observed as referees are watching New Zealand forwards retreat 10 yards, but not looking behind them to see backs standing about five yards away. There are too many occasions when Lions players are taken out of a movement by being obstructed or grabbed by an opponent There was too much bunching in the line-outs so that many of them resulted in nothing happening. Mr O’Brien said he hesitated to raise these matters

because it might sound like he was “squealing” after defeats, but he thought the point should be made. Asked if the Lions objected to being made a target for up-and-unders, Mr O’Brien said that there was no objection, but he felt that the kick was over-done.

Mr O’Brien, when asked about the relative standard of Otago and Wellington, said that he did not feel that either team was as strong as they expected. “We lost those matches because we made too many fundamental errors,” he said.