FLUID PLAY CAN BEAT ’BOKS Canterbury On Brink Of Great Record

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30811, 24 July 1965, Page 13

FLUID PLAY CAN BEAT ’BOKS Canterbury On Brink Of Great Record

(From I. J. D. HALL. Ruflbs/ Reporter of "The Press.") The Canterbury Rugby team will stand on the threshhold of a great Rugby record against international teams when it takes the field at Lancaster Park today to play South Africa. Apart from test teams, Canterbury, London Counties and New South Wales arc the only sides to have beaten the Springboks twice.

But it is felt that South Africa will win this game. It is developing into a good side and will probably have too much strength and experience in the forwards for Canterbury.

The proximity of the first test next Saturday must further strengthen the resolve of the Springboks to achieve their first really decisive win in a Saturday match since the tour started.

The weather fore-cast-heavy rain last night and further rain today—will not help Canterbury’s prospects. The Springboks have shown that although they do not really like mud and slush, it does suit the remorseless pressure their gigantic pack can exert in the scrums and the lineouts.

But if the ground remains fairly firm Canterbury must have a good chance of winning. Its forwards will be giving away only a few pounds a man and the backs should be the most sprightly the Springboks have met on tour. Furthermore, it is the avowed intention of Canterbury to use its backs. If this can be achieved it could be a great match. The Springboks are quick to respond to a challenge, as Taranaki found out in a different sphere last Saturday.

The withdrawal of R. C. Moreton is a grievous blow to Canterbury"s intention of running the ball in the backs. His replacement, Cottrell, handles and runs well but he has not Moreton’s sophistication and could be set defensive problems by Gainsford and Roux. However, the Canterbury back-line may still function strongly and if it can feed Birtwistle and Steel quickly some confusion might

develop in the Springbok defence. The South Africans have shown hesitancy on defence in the face of continual back thrusts. But like most games, this one will be decided in the

forwards. If the Springboks can put their imprimatur on the tight play, then the Canterbury backs may be starved of possession. Canterbury has no-one to match du Preez in the line-outs and in the scrums Canterbury will face tremendous pressure from van Zyl and MacDonald. MacDonald, by purely legal means, split both the Taranaki and Southland front rows with his great strength. Hopkinson, a lock turned prop, may find these expert scrummagers hard to contain. To avoid the strength of the Springboks in the tight. Canterbury must try and turn the game into a fluid one where the forwards have the chance to get to the rucks first; drive, short-pass and then gain quick posses- ’ sion to allow their backs op- ’ portunities. I It can be done but it will need a disciplined pack to , do it. And it is problematical ’ whether Canterbury has the I power up front to dictate the trend of play. Anonymous Backs In their recent matches the Springbok backs have been rather anonymous. Playing safety first Rugby, they have not passed in their own half —and, it must be admitted, f not very often in their , opponents’ half, either. i But given a chance their ; backs—Barnard, Gainsford, i Roux, Engelbrecht and Brynard—can play delightful , attacking Rugby. One can i only hope that Canterbury, . alone of the provinces they • have met so far, has faith in old-fashioned Rugby and i will run and pass the ball. i If Canterbury is still uni decided whether to make the game tight it could well - ponder on the fact that in the ? last eight matches the ; Springboks have had only , three tries scored against - them. They are certainly not - wanting on defence in a . purely orthodox, tight game. 1 It is when the ball is run, , switches of play made quickly, that the Springbok

defence can be bothered and bewildered. Otago and Taranaki showed this but both these teams left their back play until the last few minutes. There is a Rugby moral there for the learning.