SPRINGBOK FORWARDS DRIVE TO VICTORY N.Z. Juniors Crushed In Slogging Match

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30803, 15 July 1965, Page 17

SPRINGBOK FORWARDS DRIVE TO VICTORY N.Z. Juniors Crushed In Slogging Match

(From I. J. D. HALL, Rugby Reporter of “The Press.*’)

South Africa rediscovered its Rugby birthright of tight forward play when it beat a New Zealand Junior team, bv 23 points to three, on a slushy ground at Lancaster Park yesterday. 1 he 36.000 spectators may not have had much to enthuse in the strenuous forward struggle but the South Africans were delighted with their performance. Particularly they were pleased with the play of the forwards who gave a great exhibition of tight, driving play and wedging, short-passing bursts in the first half.

In the second half South Africa relaxed in the forwards and the Juniors came back into the game with some storming foot rushes, but it was obvious the Springboks were too strong and skilful and their defence never faltered.

It was a little unfortunate a game of this nature should have resolved into a slogging forward contest. i The ground did not ' aid back play but i then it certainlv did 1 not nullify it. i But because the Springboks j had to convince themselves ' they could play a tight game! l 1 hat was the way it turned ‘ ‘ but. The Juniors were not , good enough to use their il

backs because of the forward disparity. For South Africa, Brynard (2). Marais, du Preez, and Naude scored tries. Naude kicked two penalties and Oxlee kicked a conversion. Tataurangi replied with a dropped goal. For the first five minutes] this match promised to be thrilling and entertaining ■ when the Springboks launched two swift back attacks. First ’ Nomis glided past Tataurangi, but Mans fumbled the pass. Then Roux burst past Tataurangi. Nomis widened the gap and Brynard scored. But the back play virtually stopped there. The Springiboks knew that this was the

match In which they had to show they could play tight, aggressive Rugby—and so they did. But it was mainly limited to the forwards. These compacted into a solid, mud-covered eight. The line-out play was solid and from the end of the line-outs Naude. du Preez and Nel. a towering figure, crashed and scrunched through the Juniors. Sharp Reprisal When the Juniors evened the score at 3-3 after 20 minutes, Tataurangi kicking a field goal, the Springbok forward machine, which hitherto had been slogging away in a fairly low gear, suddenly began to move faster. Naude ran 15 yards from a line-out. the tank-like Janson strode through two tackles, and Marais finished the movement. Then Nel, Janson and du Preez were like Gullivers in Liliput as they crashed through the defence, du Preez driving the final two yards, carrying tacklers with him, to score under the posts. A conversion by Oxlee gave the Springboks a lead of 14-3 at half-time after their most impressive forward display on the tour. No Silly Mistakes This time the forwards had shown they have absorbed the lessons of Wellington. The rucking was good, the driving fearsome in its strength and determination aud no silly mistakes were made. It was the “55-yard” Rugby developed in South Africa in 1960. Behind the Springbok pack were two experienced campaigners in Smith and Oxlee. They kicked high, they kicked long: but always with the purpose of getting their forwards moving ahead. It was not attractive but it was sucessful. The Juniors, to their credit, came back well in the second half. When South Africa decided to keep the game stable by playing it rather cautiously, the Juniors, sensing that the pressure had been relaxed, made some fine bids. The forwards, led by Finn. Lister and Williams, followed kicks by Mehrtens to bustle the Springboks, but always the defence held. Up-and-unders were marked courageously by Wilson and Oxlee, and finally the Springboks widened the points gap when Naude kicked a penalty and then scored a determined try after Janson had made one of his crashing breaks. A Perfect Try In the last few minutes the Springboks showed their Rugby has come of age when they scored a perfect try. Nomis, after working a scissors, came back in-field and took a tackle. A ruck formed. The forwards piled in and Marais went in low and hard to give the final impetus. Back came the ball and Smith and Oxlee darted away on the blind-side to put Brynard in for his second try. It was Rugby perfection.