’Boks trounce World

Press, 29 August 1977, Page 30

’Boks trounce World

NZPA - Reuter Pretoria The Springboks trounced an invitation World XV by 45 points to 24 on Saturday with a display of superior co-ordination and match fitness. The World XV, made up of players from six countries, battled hard at the Loftus Versfeld stadium, Pretoria, but they lacked the experience as a team to beat the strong Springbok side. The French left-wing, Jean-Luc Averous, scored two fine tries, one in each half. The Australian fiveeighths, Paul McLean and New Zealand’s Andy Haden, at lock, providing one try each. McLean showed great individual flair and converted all four tries. The South Africans, backed by the fine kicking of the new cap, Robbie Blair, who kicked five penalties and three conversions, were a more co-ordinated team. Both Blair and McLean missed chances to put the ball_through the world’s tal-

a lest goalposts at rhe brand new stadium d Fluid and attacking ground y i play from both teams, resulting in 10 tries, kept the capacity crowd of 66,000 r enthralled. h Theuns Stofberg scored; two of those for the Spring-■ boks with Hermanus Potgie-; ter, Gertie Germishuis, ■ j Barry Wolmarans and Dawie Snyman producing the ’ others. , Snyman’s Jinking run at I the end of a silk-smooth i han d-to-hand movement j from the 'Boks fooled the ? Welsh full-back, J. P. R. “'Williams, who had seemed j, to have him covered al) the j iway. y Under such attacks it was; another Welshman, Gareth! t Edwards, who saved many a< . tense moment, and he made a great opening for McLean’s try by tapping a! g penalty to himself and then; e swinging the ball to the . well-positioned Australian. j >. Bill Bush's toughness in I d the scrum helped to counter; ;the hefty South African! i pack, although the 'Boks had I e.a slight edge in the end. - The South Africans also 1

'won a steady superiority in -1.0 line-outs, but in the iloose, the honours went to the visitors through the hard work of Jean-Pierre Rives (France) and Alan Sutherland (New Zealand). The World XV captain, Willie-John Mcßride, who seemed slower than in the days wnen he led the British Lions and Ireland, now has time to work with British coach Syd Millar for the two remaining matches against Western Province and Northern Transvaal in the next fortnight. The Springbok selector, Nelie Smith, commented: "These overseas chaps proved they have not come here for a holiday — they were deadly serious about their rugby.”