ARE FRIENDLY FELLOWS,

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30811, 24 July 1965, Page 11

ARE FRIENDLY FELLOWS,

taken as an example of the Springboks’ play. So far they have been exemplary in their conduct on the field and until now their games have not been tainted by kicking or punching and, it is expected, that future games will not be either unless another team takes the initiative. Perhaps the most surprising feature of the Springboks’ tour so far has been their lack of awareness of the demands that would be made on their forwards when they arrived in New Zealand. The disastrous short tour

of Britain, one felt, would have brought home to the Springboks the need for tight forward play but in Australia and in the first few games in New Zealand the forwards were far too loose. That has been remedied now to some extent; the forwards are tighter but the principles of rucking have not been absorbed fully. Too often rucks are being made into mauls. The stage has been reached where the Springboks can smother the rucks and stop the other team from gaining possession but, as yet, they are not winning clean rucks themselves. And with this improvement in their tight forward play the Springboks have

closed down the operations of their backs. Which is rather unfortunate. For this Springbok back-line, if used in alliance with tight forward play, could provide great pleasure to New Zealand spectators.