SECOND TEST MATCH

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22193, 9 September 1937, Page 9

SECOND TEST MATCH

TO THE EDITOR 0* THE PBISS. Sir,—l have read in "The Press" this morning a very sound criticism by "Thane" of the New Zealand Rugby team of Saturday last. I am pleased to note that he does not say that they were beaten in all departments of the game, but that tViey came very near winning a match which they ultimately deserved to lose. My humble opinion is that had they not administered such a sound hammering to the Springbok forwards in the first half, they would have won. The sound trouncing the Springbok forwards got in the first half compelled them to turn for relief to their backs, and in this they were decidedly successful. The most serious aspect of the matter in my opinion was not who won or lost, but the poor way the match was controlled from a referee's point of view. The way the breaches were passed over, such as ball unfairly in the scrum, shepherding in the line-out and in the open, by an international referee is quite ..beyond my comprehension. The result was a free-for-all in the south-east cornet of the ground in the" second half. When I watched the CanterburyAfrican match and saw the Springboks get away with these fine points, I said it did not require two guesses to pick the referee for the second test. This matter is too serious to my mind to be passed over lightly, and I trust that the New Zealand Rugby

Union will see to. it that a competent man is appointed to control the third and final test; otherwise trouble may occur. Under the conditions of control or lack of it last Saturday, it was not surprising that hard blows were given and taken.—Yours, etc., H. AYERS.

TO THB-KDITOm 0# THB PUBS. Sir,—There being a tendency by New Zealanders to decry the All Black's tactics in the second test, we are nevertheless, of the opinion that the Springboks' methods, too, left much to be desired. Being in a position to have an excellent view of the game we may perhaps have Been more incidents than the majority of spectators. What of the number of occasions of the playing of the ball on the ground by the Africans to stop the onrushing New Zealand forwards from dribbling the ball? What of the rough tactics in the line-outs in which elbow jolts were used freely by the Springboks when jumping for the ball? What happened in the scrum from which Rankin came reeling? For what reason did the referee have the ball put into the scrums again and again? Surely someone, half-back or forward, being at fault, should have had a free kick awarded against him. In our opinion these incidents were the result of weak refereeing, although we must admit the Springboks were the better team on the day, and need not have used these unpleasant methods.—Yours, etc., ABSIT INVIDIA September 8, 1937.