WILSON EXCELS

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

WILSON EXCELS

Wilson, cool and calm, play-; rd splendidly at full-back, fielding well, kicking neatly and unperturbed by the bombardment of up-and-unders. i

Brynard had his best game of the tour and showed surprising speed on the heavy ground; Mans had little to do except on cover defence where he was very sound. One lovely gliding run by Nomis was the highlight of the back play and he made some sharp outside breaks in the second half. Roux tried some of his dive-bombing tackles, one shaking Tataurangi visibly, and ran well. Oxlee flitted round the field like a debonair and cheeky sparrow: seizing on kicks to return play and link-, ing quickly with his backs and forwards. Confident Oxlee

It was pleasing to see Oxlee with his confidence back, particularly as the Junior loose forwards were out to upset him. But when Williams was penalised for a late tackle

early in the match Oxlee was; left alone.

Smith directed play well,! and started many of the ! short-passing forward rushes.; His passing was a trifle slow; but it was always accurate. The forwards did a great; job. Nel was outstanding in: the first half and at times three men were needed to; haul him down. But a head> injury which required five stitches after the game slowed him down in the second half.| The lock-cum-flanker. Janson, must have enhanced his i test prospects. He propelled his 17st ever the muddy sur-| face with the ease of a hover-! craft and his punishing breaks. in the loose did much to soften the Juniors’ resistance.! Line-out Force Schoeman played extremely veil; tidying up near the

- scrum and linking unobtruJsively—he is a very fine for- ’ ward. Du Preez leapt high in the line-outs where he gained some clean, quick possession iand was a force in the tight- • loose. Naude showed more . determination and skill in the ,• line-outs and scored a good J try by quick following-up. ~ The front row—Marais, Wal,ton and van Zyl—scrummaged , j well. Marais brought some /fervour to his rucking and ,] Walton, an alert loose fori | ward, took two tight heads [•to one. Van Zyl was in the . thick of everything. The Juniors were a beaten but gallant side. The forwards, . after receiving a mauling in ' the first half came back well. , Crawford made some strong bursts from the line-outs; / Williams, Lister and McMillan] toiled hard: but as a whole the pack was just not strong enough. Lister was the best of the .'forwards. One 30-yard rush . ' with him at its head almost . resulted in a try after 20 is minutes. Finn was a rugged ; ]prop who tried to bind his . i side.

Neat Half-Back

Davis was a neat half-back and was tenacious in his tackling. Mehrtens made a pleasing debut in first-class Rugby, handling well and kicking sensibly. although at times he kicked too much, even if it was at his forwards’ request. He took a hard knock in the second half when Nel plunged on to him but still kept playing coolly and thoughtfully. Tataurangi and Milner , were not impressive and their ' defence faltered at times. I Paterson and Osborne were speedy and determined wings, ;Osborne also impressing with his tackling. But the full-back, Flavel. did not have a happy ! ' day. The referee, Mr P. J. i Murphy, awarded South Africa! eight penalties and the Junl-' ors 10. i