NARROW VICTORY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 265, 22 August 1949, Page 3

NARROW VICTORY

ALL BLACKS BEAT GRIQXJALAND ' * M. Goddard in Form (From Claude King.—N.Z.P.A. Representative with the All Blacks) I . KIMBERLEY, Aug. 20. Two brilliant tries, in which M. P. Goddard played the dominant part, gave the Ail Blacks a narrow win over Griqualand West to-day by 8 points (a try and a goal from a try) to 6 (two penalty goals). Goddard, who broke a bone in his wrist early in the tour, has played outstanding football since his return to the team last week. On Wednesday he scored a clever opportunist try and to-day he outwitted the defence with his speed off the mark and clever dummies. In the second spell the All Blacks dominated play even when Thornton had to leave the held with a pulled leg muscle. Griqualand West led 6-5 until the last few minutes, but the Goddard .brothers were responsible for a clever move which resulted, in Henderson scoring. The teams were: Pull-back—J. W. Goddard. Three-quarters —W. A. Meates, M. P. Goddard, P. Henderson. Five-eighths—K. E. Gudsell, N. W. Black. Half-back—W. J. N. Conrad. Forwards —R. A. Dalton, N. L. Wilson, K. L. Skinner, L. R. Harvey, M. J. McHugh, P. J. Crowley, P. Johnstone; N. H. Thornton.

Griqualand West Full-back —Van der Schyff. Three-quarters—Roetzee, Duvenage, Humqn, Frylink. Halves —Botha, Van der Heever. Forwards —Front row, Spengler, Louw, H. Hummel; middle row, Evans, T. and G. Nieuwoudt, Jansed; back row, A. Hummel. The first spell was confined mainly to the forwards. Griqualand West had one great opportunity to score when A. Hummel, a hack row forward, made an excellent run from loose play, but missed scoring. The all Blacks also missed two tries, one when Thornton made a nice break and passed forward to Meates, and one when Conrad dashed round a scrum and passed to Johnstone, whose dive for the line missed by inches. Griqualand finished three points up in this spell after an excellent penalty goal by the Springbok full-back, Van der Schyff.

In the second spell the* hall got out to M. P. Goddard more smartly and he put New Zealand ahead with a brilliant run from about half-way. He had Henderson in support and only Van der Schyff to beat. He drew the full-back and then sold him a perfect dummy to race over under the posts. J. W. Goddard converted. Conrad was penalised on his own twenty-five for not putting the hall in properly. Van der Schyff, whose kicking was one of the features of the match, goaled and Griqualand led 6-5. In the last few minutes J. W. Goddard moved up and drew the opposing centre. This gave M. P. Goddard the gap he needed. He bui’st through with thrilling pace, raced to Van der Schyff and passed to Henderson. For a moment it looked as if he had passed too soon, but Van der Schyff erred in not diving. He tried to push Henderson out, hut the winger managed to crash over inches from the corner flag for an unconverted try.

All Blacks One Short

In the last few moments Van tier Sehyff tried to snatch* victory with long drop kicks at goal, but missed. The victory was hard-earned but welldeserved, particularly as the All Blacks had to play one short for the greater part of the second spell. Thornton pulled a leg muscle after, making a desperate effort to haul Van der Sehyff down. 'During this period Dalton was seen at his best as the pack-leader. He drove through in the middle of the pack and showed a real leader’s resource. He received grand support from Skinner, McHugh, Crowley and Johnstone, while Wilson also playe,d a fine .game. The forwards did well to come through so well. They were opposed by a heavy, yet surprisingly mobile pack. Griqualand had a slight edge on the All Blacks in both scrums and line-outs. ' In fact the All Blacks surprised by holding' their opponents in the second spell with only seven men. Conrad showed flashes of his New Zealand form with some quick dashes round the scrum, but his passing was erratic. Black did well under these conditions and Gudsell also acquitted himself soundly. . The whole threequarter line looked dangerous when opportunities came its way. , The outdstanding players for the home side were Van der Sehyff, Duvenage and A. Hummel. Van der Sehyff did some tremendous kicking for touch, but. the All Blacks appear to have found that his tackling, when under pressure, is weak. Duvenage is in his last season of first-class Rugby but is still a fine footballer with deceptive pace. Hummel was included in the list of Springbok possibles announced after the Pretoria trials and is among the best back-row (forwards in South Africa. . A record crowd of 14,000 saw the match. The weather was brilliantly fine,'but a strong breeze cooled an otherwise very hot day.

Early Griqualand Success

The All Blacks had the use of the wind in the first spell. The first incident of note was a dash up the centre of the field by A. Hummel, who sent the ball to the backs.. The position looked ominous for the ah Blacks, but Frylink. was pushed into touch eight yards from the cornet. Black was. responsible for relieving the situation and a good Henderson took play to Hriqualand s twenty-five. For the next 15 minutes plav see-sawed, with both ing hard in the loose Van der. Scl yff opened the scoring when he kicked a fine penalty goal from wide out Griqualand was having the beltei of the scrums and the lme-outs, and when New Zealand won Il ' esethel^ t came back too slowlv. As » iesult both Conrad and Hack came lot, of pressure. Conrad evaded tin. when ho slipped smartly round ie pbovf, side of the scrum and sent .he hall infield to Johnstone, who hurkd himself at the line, but just failed to cross. Griqualand. was penalised, but

T. W. Goddard took so long in taking the kick at goal, because of the difficulty in digging the hole, that the referee disallowed it and Griqualand cleared from the resulting scrum. From a'throw-in M. P. Goddard received the ball , in cluiin-passmg for the first time and went for a gap, but lost the ball just as lie looked clear. Then Thornton made a fine run from a ruck, but his pass to Meates, who had a clear run, was forward. Early in the second spell W ilson made an excellent, break up the line from a line-out and passed to Meates, who was pushed out near Griqualand’s twenty-five. From a throw-in Crowley burst through, supported by L. Thornton. The ball was kicked over the line. Thornton made a desperate effort to reach it, but fell and Van der Sehyff cleared. Thornton had to be carried off the field with a pulled leg muscle.

Excellent Forward Play

This necessitated a reshuffle in the All Blacks’ scrum, Johnstone going to the side row. Conscious of the big task ahead, the All Black forwards made a rousing effort. Skinner, McHugh and Dalton were in the thick of everything. Griqualand won a scrum and screwed it, but lost the ball. Conrad snapped it up and set the backline going. M. P. Goddard saw a gap, flashed through it and then swerved on the inside of Van der Sehyff to score under _the posts, J. W. Goddard converting. In the next few minutes Van der Sehyff had two long drop kicks at goal. Both, however, were good attempts but missed. However, he received a much easier chance when the All Blacks were penalised in a scrum on their own twenty-five, and kicked a good goal. Up to this point the Griqualand backs had rarely looked like penetrating and it seemed that the match would be won with penalties. However, just before time the All Blacks’ second try, in which the Goddard brothers played the leading part, resulted in the All Blacks taking the lead. The game ended shortly afterwards.