NEW ZEALAND v. SOUTH AFRICA

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 145, 21 June 1919, Page 12

NEW ZEALAND v. SOUTH AFRICA

A GREAT MATCH

(PROM OUR OTTN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, Ist April.

In tho Inter-Servjecs Tournament New Zealand has won its . third victory—this time against South Africa, at Twickenham—and has j»hus qualified to meet ,tho Mother Country, at Itiverlcith. in a low days. From first to last the 10.000 spectators, on Saturday, siw a brilliant Rugby match, and all through South Africa stuck to its game. When all was lost they played hard to ,"no side." But tho New Zealand side, with it 3 pace and compactness — tho men broke quickly and were always on tho ball—always looked top dog in that second half.

Tho result was a goal and threo trios to .a goal: 14 points to 5, and tho winning team consisted of J. O'Brien, J. EV<I, J. Stohr, P. Storey, W. Fea, J. Ryan, C. Brown, R, Sollars, A. Wilson, E. Hnssell, E. Bellis, J. Kissiok, E. I'ogarty, L. Cockroft, A. Singe. Tho South Africans were: P. Windell, Capt. S. \V. Harris, Liout. D. V. Seally, Capt. H. A. Mills, Liout. W. J. Mills, Bdr. V. St. I^gcv, Cpl, W. Towixsenrt, Lieut, P,, Duncan, Cpl, JF, A. Benaette,

Lieut. F. Mollish, Capt. A. 0. Brownlee, Cadet Wolfe, Pte. J. J. Schwartz, Gnr. E. Riordan, Capt. W. H. Morkel

THE PLAY.

It was a keen forward fight in the loose, characterised by intense tackling, but the New Zealanders always seemed to have tho whip hand whon it came to punting for the follow-up. In the first half the South Africans had the better of tho game; their passing was beautifully neat, and every mm was always in the right position. But fifteen minutes from the start New Zealand took the lead, P. Storey registering a rather lucky try. . It seems that a misunderstanding between F. Windell and a three-quarter, as to the taking of a curly punt let through tho New Zealand forwards in midfield. They kicked hard and followed up, and in a general scramble for tho ball near the corner flag Storey go there first*. Very soon, however, South Africa retaliated with tho prettiest try of the match. Save for one brief period, the game until the ond of the first half was in New Zealand territory, but in this period New Zealand scored' through J. Ford, and at halftime led by 6 to 5.

On resumption, the game* took a turn' strongly in favour of tho New Zealanders., They had tho wind, and their backs knew' how to use it. The South African forwards, tboutrh always playing hard, wcro overweighted. As surely as they dribbled free of their twenty-five, so surely was tho bal1 punted out by O'Brien or y Stohr to tho neighbourhood of a corner flag. These clever tactics bore fruit. The South African forwards wcro unable to aid their backs in repelling tho attacks of the New Zealand three-quarters, but they manfully defended their back lines. Though they kept out the New Zealand backs they could not keep out tho forwards, "Most of tho "New Zealand forwards," remarks The Times, "are not only men of weight but pace, and some of them, especially tho Pacific Islander Wilson, and Singe, the wing forward, handle the ball, liko backs. Their dribbling is not good, but they are very clever in picking up and barging through in the loose. Those hurricane methods are especially' useful near the line and gavo the New Zcalanders two tries, one apparently- by Hassell, and another by Bellis, Stohr converting the second." SOME COMMENTS. The Times: "Now Zealand has one of the finest sides ever seen in. this country, physically perhaps tho finest, oven with tho i-emembrance of the north-country forwards, of the English sides of more than 30 years ago. O'Brien is a classic player." The Athletic News.: "Victory' in the end had gone to the cleverer, the more adaptable and tho better side. They had got to fight for part of the first half, but they did not allow it to affect their nerves for long. Ono of tho best sc*ummagers of the day' was Bellis. Hc i is very fast on his foot, as also is tho wing man, Singe; while Bellis, Bazell, and Sollars pleased mo greatly. Wilson is an astute leader and handy. Foa's collection of the ball was wonderful; f aSt rolling balls, half volleys, and full catches all came alike to this fine player. All three-quarters were spry^an'd blovor. The dandy of the back division was O'Brien, a full-back quite out of the common, a grand fielder and fine kicker, and a beautiful tackier." ', . The Sporting Life: "The game was a hard, clean fight from beginning' to end, and afforded an oxcollont afternoon's sport to a.large and enthusiastic crowd." . The Morning Post: "In the second half it did not take or.o long to make that tho -All Blacks wcro going to win. Thoir forwards were better together, and were playing with that extra 'go' (hat always smacks of victory. As quick fol-lowors-up they aro unsurpassed, and in their splendid opportunism they continually looked like scorers." The Daily Telegraph: "It was Rugby with blood and iron in it. I havo witnessed no game since tho war -in which i fitter, better-conditioned, more determined men have taken part. It laughed at fear. But there wore moments 'when tho desire and determination to, win shut out cohesion and sharply defined method; when, indeed, it was Rugby that came near an uncompromising helter-skelter, and yet it was a gamo always good ■to watch. It often thrilled, not only by its brilliance or movements telling of subtlety, but by the high ratu at which tho playors lived, their tackling and stouthearted defence. The tatikling was extraordinary; its effect was instantaneous;1 the man collared had to yield at once. The Now Zealanders won we 11.,,. They squeezed most out of every opportunity that came their way, and until 'no-side' every man was on his toes. As a. team the New Zealanders were better balanced than the South Africans. Their forwards are a great eight, but the backs, in this game, except for theifsde'fenco, did "notwin much distinction. Every one was a capital kick," each fielded tho ball with certainty, but they 'did not suggest a typical New Zealand combination. O'Brien was. a great little man. He made no mistake." Tho Daily Mail: "A most strenuously fought game, contested in the bsst of spirits, undoubtedly won by the better side, though the New Zealand men would bo tho first to admit that they had most of the luck, and on the day's play were scarcely superior by so wide a margin," , A MATCH AT CARDIFF. No scores at all resulted in a match at Cardiff, but despite this tho game was always interesting. Tho New Zealanders on the run of play wore somewhat unlucky in not securing a win, especially as the Cardiff forwards did vary badly in the first half. It is remarked that had the Colonial backs only shown a glimmer of tho accurate handling and timing of passes which has marked the work of former New Zealand teams in Wales, Cardiff would have had to face a substantial adverse acore. The "-passing of the New . Zealand side was too mechanical, and on two oc| cisions there were inexcusable knock-ons which means the loss of two trios. TWO SIDES FROM SUTTON COLDFIELD. At Sutton, the New Zealenders at the Command Depot beat Old Edwardians by one dropped goal and eight tries (28 points) to 0. The Old Boys wore quito a young and inexperienced lot, the war having played havoo with their resources. The military players were much heavier and also fleeter, and the understanding tho whole side had was altogether too much for tho Old Boys. Another New "Zoalend fifteen from Sutton had no difficulty in smashing up the • New Zealanders from Brocton, tho. form-, er winning by'two goals and four tries (22 points) to nil. In tho opening half 4 Gray, o'Ko.ne, Russell, .and Kirwan scored, none of tho tries boing converted. Later Pinkham and Russell scored and Gray converted both, SOUTHERN COMMAND RUGBY: In the final of the Southern Command Rugby Championship, North Island team N.Z. Command Depot (Codford), beat Otago Detachment 'N.Z.E.F. (Sling) by 8 points to nothing. The match was played before a fair crowd at Salisbury^ and considering tho snow-coverod ground a keen game resulted, the Otago forwards playing a fine game, but the combination of the Dopot team prevailed in the end. At the conclusion Lieut.-Gon. Sir H. Sclajfcer, X.C.8., G.0.C., Southern Command, presented the cup and medals. . '