RUGBY GOOD ATTACKING PLAY

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29269, 29 July 1960, Page 7

RUGBY GOOD ATTACKING PLAY

All Blacks Beat Central Universities [From T. P. McLEAN, “HZ. Herald** Correspondent, by Arrangement with the NJZJ>-A.) EAST LONDON, July 27. The good old Rugby truism that attack is the best method of defence was never more comprehensively confirmed than when the All Blacks beat Central Universities by 21 points to 12 at East London on Wednesday.

It was a hot day, the ground was like concrete, and within the early minutes when the All Blacks launched several attacks every man in the touring team was gasping for breath and perspiring profusely.

Mistakes became increasingly evident and some excellent defensive play by the Universities captain, C. De Nysschen, who toured New Zealand with the 1956 Springboks, was effective in reducing the line-out power of the All Black forwards and in precipitating the kind of blunders which had so often reduced the thrust and efficiency of the touring team.

As late as the-opening minutes of the second half a grade A mistake, by the best touring standards, had an injurious effect

upon the AU Blacks' prospects. Then, all of a sudden, the team began to develop its own attack and until just before the end splendid movements not only produced splendid tries but aptly illustrated the virtues of the tourists. W. A. Davies as an attacker did things so well that there might have been profit in a switch of him and S. G. Bremner, while J. R. Watt’s glorious try in which

he cut in and cut out in classic style almost entirely washed out the memory of an unfortunate moment in the first half when he viciously kicked at a man who had tackled him unnecessarily hard after the whistle had sounded. E. A. R. Pickering, too, became a fine attacking agent, so much so that he ought now to be given every encouragement, while R. J. Conway, for the umpteenth time, toiled as busily as ever. Return to Form M. W. Irwin, too; showed a return to form while P. F. H. Jones, though still a long way below his form of the early stages of the tour, a few times pulled out tremenodus dash. Some of the tries, most notably R. W. Caulton’s first, Watt’s and T. R. Lineen’s were excellent for the passing which produced them was quick and accurate, and best of all the backing-up was quite outstanding. Even taking into account the many exasperating mistakes it was a lively and entertaining game and it could have a most heartening effect upon the whole attitude of the All Blacks to the attacking game. This was particularly true because Central Universities, in spite of its lowly reputation, was swift oh the tackle, hard in the loose and beautifully enterprising. The key to the All Blacks’ chances of greatness now seems to lie at half-back and five-eighths. The rest is there.