Springboks are favourites

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32661, 17 July 1971, Page 42

Springboks are favourites

(N.Z. Press Associ

lotion— Copyright)

The Springbok half-way stage o: Rugby tour unbeatc stay that way.

SYDNEY, s have reached the : their Australian ;n—and are likely to

They go into the first test against Australia today as odds-on favourites after a most convincing win over New South Wales last Saturday. Only the 1968 All Blacks have shown such superiority over the Waratahs in recent years. Rugby men of long experience are speaking of this , Springbok team in terms of the 1937 South Africans, the 1959 Lions, and B. J. Lochore’s All Blacks. One writer said: “There seems almost general agreement that Sydney has probably never seen an effort quiet like that of last Saturday ... so freakish was their performance in fact that questions must be raised of whether it could possibly be done again.” The Australian coach and former All Black half-back, D. Connor, who was in South Africa with the 1969 Wallabies, is convinced the Springboks can be beaten. “New South Wales were their own worst enemies last Saturday because they did not tackle,” he said today. “The Springboks were able to stand up and move the mauls.” Connor had the WaUabies taking crash tackles at one another in a punishing twohour training session yesterday. His recipe for success against the Springboks is fighting spirit. SPIRIT NECESSARY “Only- teams like New South Wales Country that have played with spirit have made any impression on the Springboks,” he . said. Connor has devised some new line-out tactics for the Springboks in place of the short line-out tricks he used against the 1968 All Blacks. He invited the test referee Mr C. Ferguson, to watch yesterday’s practice, and to give his opinion of the way he proposes to use two new Wallabies—R. McLean and P. Sullivan—at the end of the line-outs. Connor said Mr Ferguson : told him the tactics were within the laws of the game. Mr Ferguson has also had

discussions with the Springbok coach, J. Claassen about some of the South Africans line-out tactics.

The Springboks, who are relying on the same team that beat New South Wales, have two superb line-out jumpers in F. du Preez and J. Williams, a 6ft 7in newcomer to test football. RUNNING ATTACK In replacing the New South Wales five-eighths, R. Rosenblum, with the young Queenslander, G. Richardson, the Australian selectors have shown a preference for a running rather than a kicking attack.

They have also strengthened their mid-field attack with the inclusion of the big Manly centre, S. Knight. But the Wallaby backs will have to be in peak form to stand a chance against a devastating Springbok threequarter line.