BRIGHT PROSPECTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 172, 23 July 1928, Page 8

BRIGHT PROSPECTS.

The Breakaway Forward.

SPRINGBOK HALF WORRIED,

The win of the All Blacks in the second Test (as reported on page 13 of this issue) has revived interest in their tour, and raised hopes of the team being able to swing the balance in their favour in the contest for supremacy in Rugby. It was the crucial stage of the tour, and loss of the game would have turned the odds definitely against thcT New Zealanders for the last two Tests. As it is, a win in either of the remaining Tests would leave* honours easy,* and the tourists have an even chance of winning both games. To close followers of the game it would appear that the All Blacks have rehabilitated themselves by the expedient adopted by the N.Z.E.F. team in 1919, namely, using the wing-forward as third man in the front row of the scrum, as in the dual capacity of '"loose head." 'and breakaway forward to smother the opposing half when the ball was won by South Africa. Of course, this means that the New Zealand scrum half puts the ball in the scrum, as does the opposing scrum half. In other words, the New Zealanders j.layed the South African.*, at their own game with the least variation possible to the New Zealand style of tcrum. With the third Test four weeks away, and half a dozen matches in between, this system will have opportunity for a good try-out. Against that there is a possibility of injuries affecting the third Test prospects, which at present arc much brighter than they were. It is clear, from the fact that Devine, the South African scrum half, was penalised for prematurely taking the ball from the scrum, that he was worried by the close attentions of the New Zealand bieakaway forward on one side and the New Zealand half on the other side of the scrum. j

Having been beaten once at their own game, the South Africans may make an effort to try the open style of Rusrbv, in which event the play' will be" more interesting, and probably to the advantage of the All Blacks.