Springboks run over lethargic Auckland side

Press, 7 September 1981, Page 19

Springboks run over lethargic Auckland side

From

Kevin McMenamin

in Auckland

There was a riot at Eden Park in c Auckland on Saturday and it had nothing to do with either the Red or the Blue squads. It was the Springboks who ran riot, scoring seven tries to two, in walloping a hapless, or should it be hopeless, Auckland team, 39-12.

The crowd of round 25,000 was treated to a free-running game, and while both teams shared in the running. Auckland. for the most part, ran itself only into difficulties. The Springbok performance was far from perfect either, but it, at least, was equipped to score the tries that were offering. Despite torrential rain on Saturday morning, and another heavy shower just before the game, the pitch was surprisingly firm and the Springboks obviously welcomed the opportunity to, at long last, give their backs a fling. Auckland threw away whatever chance it had in the first 20 minutes, during which time it did most of the attacking. Three handy penalty goals, one from right in front, were missed and two, possibly three tries, were lost simply because the finishing touches could not be applied. Even up to half-time, at which South Africa led 14-0, Auckland was still making a lot of the play. But the “great Auks,” as they were once known, were serving only the interests of the Springboks by trying to attack through their backs. Two of the three tries the Springboks scored in the second spell were totally against the run of play, one of them, scored by Danie Gerber, came after Gerrie Germishuys had kicked the ball, soccer fashion, twothirds the length of the field. For the first time on the tour, the Springboks were beaten for line-out possession. The final count was 1813 in the home team’s favour. Hennie Bekker again gave the impression that Saturday is his day of rest, and 'Andy Haden, who marked Bekker, and Gary Whetton further back made the better takes. The tenor of the game changed appreciably in the second half. Auckland continued to bumble, especially with funny midfield moves that left only the Springboks laughing, but the Springboks appeared to relax and enjoy themselves with a free and easy passing game.

Naas Botha scored a mere 19 points and in the total were two tries that were pure gems. For the first he sold a lovely dummy to slip through under the posts — reminiscent of one or two of the tries Barry John scored in 1971 — and later he sold Colin Farrell a dummy to beat all dummies, no disrespect to Mr Farrell, intended on a try-scoring run of 70m. Botha was magic in the middle stages of the second half, repeatedly giving his outside backs the ball after he had already dragged them into open country. If he had been wearing a hat it would have come as no surprise if he had produced a rabbit from it, such was his wizardry. Auckland salvaged some pride with two good tries. The flanker, Kevin Ramsay, sliced through from a tap penalty for the first and the game ended on a thrilling note — it began rather oddly when a protester, dressed as a referee, dashed on to the field and pinched the ball — with Farrell pulling down an intercept and running 85m to score with just one Springbok, Divan Serfontein, on his tail. This try was just another piece in the peculiar jigsaw that was Farrell’s game. He did some things well, others dreadfully and when he came into the backline, which was often, one could never be sure if he was going to advance the play or turn it the Springboks way. Over all, the Springboks may have got more mileage out of him. With the regulation two replacements having been made. Auckland did have to struggle through the last 20 minutes with an injured back. Bryan Megson, who moved out to the wing. The former Canterbury centre, John Collinson, had a good game on the left wing. He was denied a try through a forward pass and he ran with more pace, and more thrust, than he did in his two seasons for Canterbury. There were few other bright spots in the Auckland backline, although there was nothing wrong with the

passes that the half-back, Tim Bircher, who replaced Richard Dunn after 13 minutes, fired out. It was just that the advantage line was usually beyond reach. Whetton had’ a very good first half and Haden showed improved form. However, the best by far of the Auckland forwards was the No. 8, Glenn Rich. He was the one Aucklander, forward or back, who was able to breach the Springbok lines, and he would have bruised a few on the way through. The final score did make the Springboks look better than they deserved. The captain, Wynand Claasen, had probably his best game of the tour, especially in the way he brought order to broken play. Berger Geldenhuys was never far from the ball. The other forwards did no more than they had to. which was no great strain. Apart from Botha, whose two tries were, perhaps, in the form of compensation for the two conversions he somehow missed, the pick of the Springbok backs was Gerber. His running was bayonet sharp and if he ever gets free rein on really hard ground then heaven help the opposition. On Saturday his menacing look was enough to deter potential tacklers. Germishuys had another useful game and Gysie Pienaar set aside a few defensive lapses with some stylish running. Serfontein was. as always, the complete half-back. However, Belfast, on one its better days, would have taken Auckland to the cleaners on Saturday. The big question though, and one which can only be answered next Saturday, is whether this was the sort of game that will have the Springboks cherry ripe for their second appearance on Eden Park, the third, and rubber-decid-ing, test. For South Africa tries by Naas Botha (2), Berger Geldenhuys, Danie Gerber, Okkie Oosthuizen, Divan Serfontein and Gysie Pienaar. Botha kicked four conversions and a penalty goal. Kevin Ramsay and Colin Farrell scored Auckland's tries, both of which were converted by Richard Fry, who replaced Steve McCulloch at half-time.