HARD FIGHT TO SURVIVE Springboks Given Severe Testing

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30821, 5 August 1965, Page 19

HARD FIGHT TO SURVIVE Springboks Given Severe Testing

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) WANGANUI, August 4. A tremendous second half effort by WanganuiKing Country narrowly failed when they went down to the Springboks, 24-19, at Spriggens Park today. The Springboks led, 21-6, at half-time and looked as though they would win easily.

But in the second spell the combined forwards took command, and with C. E. and S. T. Meads dominating the line-outs and Wordley, calling on all his hooking skill in the set scrums, the gap in the scores gradually closed.

In the end South Africa hung on grimly and had the last word with a fine try by the winger, Truter—but it was a close call.

The game was played on a perfect pitch, and apart from a slight shower with about 15 minutes to go, in fine weather. A crowd estimated at 16,000 watched the match. The towering figure of the game was undoubtedly the Wanganui-King Country captain, C. E. Meads. He started slowly, but later dominated proceedings, until in the end he seemed to be everywhere, his shoulders hunched and his baggy pants flapping as he ran. Upset Springboks Meads’s mere presence in the line-out seemed to upset the Springbok forwards, who possibly had memories of the test match encounter last Saturday. In the loose, he ran hard and fast and on more than one occasion threatened the South African line with crashing runs. In the early stages, the Springbok backs seemed to catch the Combined men on the wrong foot and it was mainly the speed of the centres and wings that was responsible for all the tourists’ points. The defence of the home side tightened after the first 20 minutes, however, and in the end most of the Springbok movements were nullified by hard tackling and close marking. The South African forwards

presented a mixture of good and bad play, excellent and indifferent players.

Hopwood Outstanding

On the credit side was the tremendous play of Hopwood, at number eight Playing in only his third game in New Zealand, he gave an almost flawless display of intelligent football. He had a hand in three of his side’s five tries and also saved dangerous situations many times with good covering. The flanker, Ellis, showed he is proving an apt pupil in the arts of backing up and marauding and the spectacular improvement he has shown in the last few games was continued.

In the tight, one could not be as enthusiastic. Goosen, making a come-back after a foot injury, started the game well, but his lack of condition told in the second spell. Du Preez again found it difficult to counter the efforts of the Meads’ brothers in the line-out, but retrieved some measure of his reputation with the way in which he was on hand to take a pass from Gainsford to score South Africa’s fourth try. Malan Mastered The props, Marais and Parker, kept their heads buried, but were not as dynamic as they could have been. Malan, for the first time on the tour possibly, found difficulty winning the hooking duel and in the race for obtaining the most clean ball took second place to Wordley. After making a brilliant start, the Springbok backs floundered somewhat when the Combined team applied the pressure in the second spell. De Villiers, when he received adequate protection, combined well with Barnard, at fly-half, but too often he was forced to hurry his passes or kick over the scrum when opening the game out would have yielded better results.

Barnard on the whole came out of the game with distinction, and in the last 10 minutes when only two points separated the teams, he won many yards of ground with his kicking. The run by Gainsford that brought Du Preez’s try was a magnificent piece of work, starting at half-way and end-

ing about 10 defenders and 50 yards down the field. He and Mans always looked dangerous when they received the ball. On the wings, Truter and Englebrecht both looked good when they were scoring tries, but not so impressive on defence. Mulder, at full-back, did everything he was asked to, but there is a certain plodding quality about his play, that could be leavened with a little more imagination. For the first time on the tour the Springboks came up against a really fiery provincial eight and the rucking especially reached an intensity that was not even duplicated in the first test.

S. T. Meads had a fine game and was given good support by the props, Botica and Paiaka, while Wordley must have forced himself to the forefront for test consideration. The Combined loose men could have been a little speedier, but nevertheless gave De Villiers and Barnard a hard time close to the scrum. Great Drop-Kick Behind the scrum, Cressy, for the most part, made good use of the ball, but some of his tactical kicks could have been higher and shorter. At first five-eighths, Ingham covered himself with distinction with a great drop-kick from very difficult circumstances and it could well have been the critical score that turned the tide. Further out, the Combined side had genuine pace and if the three-quarters, Tahini, L. J. Meads and Tapsell, were not as fast as their opposites, they did make some very incisive runs. Mulder opened the scoring in. the fifth minute with a penalty from just outside the 25-yard mark. Seven minutes later Ellis made a tremendous break on his own down the grandstand line and as he was tackled, Mans came through fast and took the ball over near the posts. Mulder failed with the conversion. Then South Africa spun the bail and Englebrecht crashed down the sideline, veered infield and outsprinted O’Leary and Gaukrodger, to score. Mans converted, to put South Africa 11-0 ahead. Beat 10 Men In the thirtieth minute. Gainsford went straight through from the halfway, and after beating about 10 Combined players, flicked the ball to Du Preez for the big forward to go over near the posts. Mans converted again. Wanganui-King Country scored its first points four minutes later when McDonald kicked a penalty and immediately afterwards Tapsell went in for a try. Right on half-time, Ellis went in for a try after Barnard had made the break down the sideline. Mans kicked the conversion and the half-time score was 21-6. Forward Scuffle Five muntes in the second half, C. E. Meads charged down a clearing kiek by Mulder on the line and Piaka fell on the ball to score. McDonald kicked the conversion. In the twenty-seventh minute there was another forward scuffle on the line and this time Rush was on hand to score. McDonald again converted. Two mintes later it was the Combined side again when Ingham received the ball from the line-out and dropped a neat goal—2l-19. South Africa fought back and won the game in the thirty-third minute when the backs swung the ball across the field and Truter made a fine run down to score in the corner.