VISITORS SUPERIOR

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 33, 8 August 1921, Page 10

VISITORS SUPERIOR

BOTH BACK AND FORWARD.

(it iimitAPH.— sncai 10 th« rout.) INVEKCARGILL, 6th August. The South Africans were superior back and forward, carrying the lineouts by their solid; bunching and frequently forcing their way through their opponents. From the opening whistle the Springboks went into Southland's territory; and within five minutes of opening had registered their first try by i a passing rush, Van Heerden's pace allowing him to get over, wide. The superiority of the Springboks' forwards ' gave their hacks plenty of chances, but ! they often failed to make ground with their rushes, the backs standing deep and allowing the breaking forwards to : smash the rushes. Early, in the loose the Southland forwards were superior, but they failed to use this method of attack to any extent, "■■ and whcn<<&they did get moving hard* kicking; allowed the Springboks to field and find the line. The Springboks' backs tried going down to rushes, but were frequently 1 j penalised for lying on the ball, and afterwards relied on/fielding to stop the rushes.' The kicking of the Southland backs was rotten, and they consistently lost ground by putting the ball into de Villiers's or Strauss's safe hands, those '■ players finding the line well down. In i. line-kicking the last-named two excell- : etl, and never failed to make ground j with their kicks. ] I H. Morkel, three-quarter, played a

.good game for the visitors, and his fielding and kickinjj were the best on his side. Behind the .scrum, Townsend made some good openings, and when pressed by the forwards found the line well with long, low kicks just over the attacking, forwards' heads: ' Michau, working with Townsend, was slow in getting away, and although he gave flashes of good play did not play up to the reputation he secured in the. North. Van Heerden, on the wing, tried some hurdling, but was taken every time he did so. His tries came as a result of his speed, which enabled him to run round the opposition. The Springbok forwards completely overwhelmed the local pack in the tight, their wedge formation, with so much weight behind' it, carrying the line-outs and rucks, and often making yards at a time before tho break came. Besides their usual harfd-to-hand passing, the Springbok forwards at times opened with short passes before finally sending the ball out to the backs. Scholtz and Kruger headed many forward rushes, while Mellish gave them great support. Michau was the pivot of their line-out work, and was continually smashing through the line-outs at thevhead of the wedge. In the second spell Southland counteied the wedge formation by one of.the forwards falling at the feet of the leader, and. a struggling pack of humanity followed, which was ended by the referee's whistle. White made some good efforts in the second spell by coming through with the ball at his toes, and repeatedly made ground, which was ■ lost by faulty work on the part of the Southland backs. Baird and Cockroft were also hard workers, the former doing great work in stopping massed formation attacks of the Springboks. In the open Baird put in some fine solo efforts, but was unsupported. The Southland backs failed to find the line, and lost yards of ground gained by their forwards by punting to the good in the Springbok backs. 1 ' Whenever they'got the. ball.they failed to run straight, and when in an attacking position did riot attempt to pass. They' did not execute one passing movement all day, and the nearest they came to it was two, at the most, handling. Their ground fielding was poor, and often, i when they had opportunities to dribblej tried to field, allowing the opposing forwards to recover the ball and carry on their rush.. At only two periods of the game did Southland look dangerous, although they had several good opportunities at, goal from a handy^positiow, , In the secoW spell the Springboks were penned on their own line for a brief period, but a free kick allowed them to clear. In the scrums Southland failed to get the. ball, and only onco did they secure it, \m the second spell. Although the half sometimes sent the backs away, the rush never got..past tho first five-eighth. \ \ The Springboks were penalised frequently for offside play and for lying on the ball. The opinion has been expressed here by an old New Zealand player that unless the Springboks put more snap into their passing and go down to rushes in approved fashion they will not be able to hold New Zealand next Saturday. . ■