Kilted Kiwi's

North, South champions square up in quarterfinals

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Posted: Friday October 22, 1999 11:02 PM

Cameron Murray, Jamie Mayer (13) and Scotland will try to change their recent luck against the All Blacks Sunday. AP

EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) -- How do you stop the men in black?

Scotland coach Jim Telfer is gambling his side can beat the All Blacks at their own game.

The wily veteran, who has guided the Scottish side for nearly two decades, admits he has not detected any chink in New Zealand's armor and says he would not give away his game plan for Sunday's quarterfinal clash anyway.

But he does not attempt to hide his admiration for the open, flowing style of rugby played in New Zealand and which his side successfully adopted to triumph in the Five Nations championship this year.

"I have centered my coaching philosophy on what they do in New Zealand," Telfer said Friday in an oblique reference to his tactics.

Crucially, he has selected Gregor Townsend at flyhalf and ex-rugby league international Alan Tait at outside center to create a midfield capable of producing colorful attacks from anywhere in the field.

Scrumhalf Gary Armstrong and wingers Kenny Logan and Cammy Murray are the other key ingredients in a dangerous backline and what promises to be an entertaining encounter.

Telfer recognizes he needs to tighten things up down the flanks, where Samoa scored their two tries against Scotland in Wednesday's playoff.

Murray has the unenviable task of marking giant winger Jonah Lomu, and Kenny Logan will be blocking Tana Umaga.

"We realize the All Blacks are very strong out wide. It's very important you close them down out wide, and we've tried to put as much experience in that area as possible," Telfer explained.

British Lions veteran Doddie Weir and Scott Murray retain their partnership in the second row and will be looking to poach possession at the lineouts.

Scotland also has a secret weapon in its contingent of so-called "kilted Kiwis" -- New Zealand-born fullback Glenn Metcalfe and flankers Cameron Mather and Gordon Simpson.

Mather will start on the subs' bench, but Telfer made it clear he intends to use all his 22-man outfit.

Everything points towards a New Zealand victory at Murrayfield stadium.

The All Blacks have hardly broken stride as they apparently power their way towards the World Cup final in single-minded pursuit of what would be a new record -- becoming the first country to win the World Cup trophy twice.

New Zealand, the Southern Hemisphere champion and winner of the inaugural 1987 tournament, has already beaten England. On Sunday, it fields the same lineup, this time against the Northern Hemisphere champion.

But Scotsman Armstrong claims he is not concerned.

"Everybody has written us off," he said. "The pressure is on the All Blacks, they're the favorites. We're the underdogs, and that's the way we like it."

That was also how they won the Five Nations.

New Zealand has emerged victorious in all but two of the last 20 meetings between these two sides. The other two games were ties.

While the All Blacks have cruised through the tournament with three straightforward victories, the Scots so far have been competent rather than flamboyant.

After losing to South Africa and recording an unconvincing win against Uruguay, Scotland underwent a revival of sorts to bulldoze Samoa.

Their gutsy, never-say-die attitude and their heroic tackling won acclaim, but the Scots know they must broaden their game to stretch New Zealand. They also need to avoid fumbles that would let the ruthless All Blacks in.

All the New Zealand matches to date have been played in front of packed houses, and hopes are high for a big turnout on Sunday after controversially low spectator figures so far for games in Scotland.

This could be Telfer's last game in international rugby. Telfer, who is almost 60, is retiring at the end of the tournament after two decades in the job.

Scotland

New Zealand

 

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