SPRINGBOK COACH SHOWS HIS HAND? All Blacks Stretched To Beat Western XV

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32349, 15 July 1970, Page 19

SPRINGBOK COACH SHOWS HIS HAND? All Blacks Stretched To Beat Western XV

(From

T. P. McLEAN)

POTCHEFSTROOM.

Many of the harsh thoughts aroused about the kind of Rugby they play in Transvaal disappeared from the All Blacks’ minds during and after their stunningly exciting match with Western Transvaal, which they managed to win with all stops out, 21-17, yesterday.

Only the palest semblance of misbehaviour penetrated the game, and that was only for a moment or two. The rest was stinging stuff—crashing contact among the forwards, desperate tackles among the backs, some highly entertaining bits of cleverness, and a try by B. G. Williams which will stick long in the mind.

Over and above everything, there was a spirit of manly ardour, daring courage and pride of country and province, which made the match the kind of encounter every Rugby man always hopes to see every time he enters the gate. For New Zealand, M. J. Dick, W. L. Davis (2), B. G. Williams and R. A. Urlich scored tries, and W. F. McCormick converted three. K. Coetzer and V. Smith scored tries for Western Transvaal, K. Bekker kicked a conversion and a dropped goal, K. Botha a dropped goal and W. Claasen a penalty. Delayed Attack Western might have won had it turned earlier from the brand of nine-man Rugby that it chose for too long to pursue. Its eight forwards were grand, and three very tall men, 0. Steyn, A. Bates and J. Nel, in the last three places of the line-out, took an uncommon amount of ball from the All Blacks.

Behind these forwards, Western had an exceptionally clever scrum-half in D. De Vos, a man an inch or two taller than Laidlaw and quite

perfectly built for his posi- d tion. Unfortunately, De Vos was obsessed with a kicking o attack and this, though it a greatly embarrassed the All t Blacks, denied his team the v possession it needed to score 1; the tries so desperately h sought. t In the last 20 minutes, by e which time the All Blacks t had obtained some degree of ' mastery. De Vos switched to running plays. Several of these gave the All Black defenders considerable anxiety, and just before Botha scored the final points with a running drop kick, one attack down the left flank was mag- _ nificently well done. Warning Sounded 1 A South African critic of some eminence remarked: * “Now you can see the difference between the coaches— : Avril Malan, of Transvaal, and Johen Claasen, of Western > Transvaal.” This was fair comment. It ’ was also a comment that tended to linger a little uneasily in the New Zealand mind for the good reason that Mr Claasen is the coach of the Springboks. There were other uneasy « aspects of the match for the ( All Blacks. B. D. M. Furlong I began uncertainly and at no I stage was on top form. G. F. Kember improved < with some good passing in | the second half but he, too, I had moments of uncertainty. ' As a consequence of the misfortunes in these two vital places, the All Black threequarters attack was greatly hindered. Took His Chance W. L. Davis was very sharp after an uncertainty or two, and he' displayed acute intelligence in backing up a movement which began 80 yards out. A. J. Wyllie ■ chimed in after the ball had gone through the backs to Williams and when he was tackled, Davis was on the spot for the pass. Williams’s memorable try eight minutes into the second half began with a kick up by Laidlaw from the All Blacks 25. Lister’s knockbn as he stumbled to the rolling ball was not detected and N. W. Tbimbleby, getting possession smartly, chucked out a pass which went from Kember to Davis to Williams, i Davis’s pass had put Wil- ' liams outside his marker i from whom he sped away with : the try-line 30 yards ahead. ! Tired Pack Held ’ V. Bakkes was well poised [ for the tackle, and like all ‘ the best of the Westerners, ’ he was prepared to die for the cause. But Williams, with ' an incredibly quick step in : and step out, threw Bakkes ! off balance for that fraction ' which permitted Williams to ’ charge in at the corner and ’ then round behind the posts. > One saluted this as a ” supremely good effort. And one saluted, too, an All Black pack which, though weary ® from a great deal of trying “ on Saturday and again within

48 hours, held together extremely well. B. J. Lochore will never forgive himself for a pass which gave V. Smit a 40yard run over clear ground for a try, but the New Zealand captain was an heroic worker. Thimbleby was in excellent form, and the appearance of I. A. Kirkpatrick after Wyllie had retired might have been the match winner, so sharply did he run. R. A. Urlich was smartly on the job with three heels against the head, T. N. Lister, though not quite at his best, was remarkably good after his layoff, and W. F. McCormick had a dreadfully hard day but, like his fellows, he endured. There is no limit to his courage.