Penalty Goals The Decisive Factor

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29251, 8 July 1960, Page 20

Penalty Goals The Decisive Factor

[From GRAEME JENKINS, N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent} BLOEMFONTEIN, July 7. Penalty goals, which have played a large part in New Zealand Rugby over the last 11 years, were the decisive factor in the All Blacks* defeat by Orange .Free State. Since 1949, when the All Blacks were beaten by penalties in South Africa, New Zealand teams in the intervening years have won a number of matches by favour of the penalty. This time the AB Blacks lost

The third penalty which the Free State full-back, P. Botha, kicked to give his team a 9-8 win was the fifty-third the All Blacks had conceded in three matches. Had Botha not lifted bis head with his fourth, which was the fifty-fourth against the AU Blacks since the first test, the score probably would have been 12-8 against. t

The AU Blacks tossed away numerous scoring opportunities. D. B. Clarke had one of his most unfortunate matches as an AU Black and missed seven shots at

goal from penalties, and J. R. Watt missed one. This was the first loss by the All Blacks on the tour to a provincial combination, their record reading after 16 matches—five of them in Australia—won 13, drawn one, lost two. This was the first win for Orange Free State against a New Zealand side Lack Of Finish The present All Blacks started this match full of beans but the lack of finish to many of their attacking movements in the first half meant they scored only twice when it seemed they must score at least three or four times more. After 16 matches it was distressing to see the amount of mishandling in the back line. The New Zealanders were completely dominant in the first half but then they allowed the initiative to slip away and some panic was obvious after Botha had kicked his side to a one point lead. 1 N. Mac Ewan, who transferred to the front row for the match, was lifted completely out of one scrum, but on the whole the experiment proved worthwhile if not as successful as had been hoped. In other departments he was first class, especially in the line-outs, in which he, P. F. H. Jones and C. E. Meads were dominant. The line-outs went to the All Blacks two to one, thanks mainly to this trio. The All Blacks also held their own in set scrums and had a wide win in loose rucks, most of which were blown up fairly smartly. Had the backs matched the general standard of the forwards the tourists would have won' easily. Period Of Panic After Botha had kicked the home side into the lead midway in the second half, there was a period of panic in the New Zealand ranks which had sorted itself out before the end. but not in time for the New Zealanders to score. With time running out they rallied and went mighty close to scoring several times in the dying moments. Lack of finish and bard tackling thwarted them It is certain that the tourists will have their work cut out against the Junior Springboks on Saturday at Durban.