Teachers And Pupils

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

Teachers And Pupils

<Ru .4 C PARKER. South African Argus Group Represcn-

There was a touch of parental chastisement about the beating administered by the Springboks to New Zealand's under. 23 team jesterday. There was never much doubt, in spite of the mud. about the identity of the teachers and the pupils.

At last, for the first time on this tour, we saw a Springbok pack worthy of the name. Eight forwards who made it their business to get to the point of breakdown in sufficient numbers and who went hard and low as a unit into the rucks instead of leaning on them like so many giraffes, as in some of the earlier games.

’ I also saw something which made me rub my eyes, for it has been missing from South African forward play for too long It was forwards who drove from the back of the line-out and who rolled like advancing tanks from the tight-loose, slipping short passes to one another and then, when the impetus was c lecked. letting the half-back Smith, have it to operate behind a protective screen. One of the Springbok forwards made a significant remark after the match: “We’ve tot used to the New Zealand style of play." It is a fact that the tight Kiwi technique, like the mud of Carisbrook

and Lancaster Park, is beginning to rub off on to the Springboks. One liked, too. the way the South African fonvards todayconsolidated at the line-out. Du Preez was again a dominating figure here, outplaying the bulky Crawford. But it was the tidying-up that impressed, Naude in particular grabbing the deflected ball to pull in the breakaways, of whom Lister was again in good form. But Williams not nearly as effective as he had been for Wellington. Naude gained a new stature, and so did Janson. It was Janson who had a hand in two of the three tries scored by the forwards, using the 'end most effectively to make ;the initial breach. Here, in passing, it must be said that much of the tackling of the. Juniors at close quarters lacked vigour and resolution. One cannot imagine a senior ; All Black pack allowing the Springbok forwards to make so much valuable ground. Be that as it may, Schoeman, Marais, Nel and van Zyl all share in the general metamorphosis up front and Walton shaded Grant in a stern hooking duel. The new Springbok policy of economical Rugby and sparing use of the threequarters to eliminate mistakes I is paying off. It was perhaps carried to extremes yesterday, for the way Nomis ran through Tataurangi’s feeble tackle in the opening minute and Roux’s penetration which set up the first of Brynard’s two tries suggested a weakness in midfield defence that was' not sufficiently exploited. Yet Smith deserves a lot

of credit for the way he nursed his five-eighths. Oxlee, and mounted telling blindside thrusts, one of which produced a copy-book try for the improved Brynard. As for Ox-lee, he kicked effectively for position, covered extremely well when the Juniors —to their great credit—won a pronounced territorial advantage for a considerable spell in the second half. Wilson, at fullback, turned in his most confident display of the tour—brave under the barrage of up-and-unders directed by Mehrtens (whose lack of big match experience was evident in giving away useful possession), immaculate in his catching and fielding and sure in his linekicking.

One must commend the referee, Mr J. P. Murphy, for his promptness and watchfulness in awarding the “fair catch.” He more than maintained the high standard of competence we have experienced in New Zealand. The Juniors’ defeat would not have been so decisive had Flavell taken advantage of three kickable penalties—the Springbok goal-kicking, for that matter, was also off target Finn, MacMillan and Lister played valiantly in the home pack and Davis, the half-back, had a useful game, achieving a few un-New Zea-land-like sleight of hand passes.

From the Springboks’ viewpoint this was a performance which, above all, will qualify the team for respect in this country which none of the previous wins could command. I .may say that it impressed Mr Neil McPhail, the All Black “Grey Eminence.”