THE SPRINGBOKS

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 36, 11 August 1921, Page 4

THE SPRINGBOKS

ANOTHER VICTORY

OTAGO BEATEN BY 11 TO 3

(IT TIHSKAM.—-TRIM ASSOCIATION.)

DUNEDIN, 10th August.

Although the weather early vi the week was very wintry and was marked by frequent showers of rain, to say nothing of a fall of snow, it clewed last night, and the overhead conditions today for the. bis match with the Springboks were beautifully fine. The ground was in splendid order, and, attracted by the almost summer-like conditions, there was an enormous attendance, which numbered close on 20,000 persons. The visitors' vanguard had a distinct advantage in the matter of weight, their forwards averaging 14st 61b, as compared with 13st lib on the part of Otago. During the greater.., portion of the game the Otago forwards held their own, especially in the loose, the result being that play was very fast, travelling up and down the ground at a great rate. In the first spell the local team had actually the better of the exchanges, and the Springboks could not get their rearguard effectively into action. In the second spell, however, and. more pai'tieularly towards the end of the game, the visitors .showed superior staying power, and the battle which the Otago pack had waged against the bone and muscle of their opponents told its tale, with the result that the speedy South African three-quarter line was more frequently seen in motion, and three tries scored at short intervals placed the iseue beyond all doubt. On the ,wholo, the visitors' heavy forwards/did not give a particularly impressive display, but Hie backs frequently showed clever tactics, and in the passing rushes got the ball out with remarkable rapidity to the wing, notably on Zoller's side, this player scoring the. three tries. Sendin and Zeller also played sound games, and Van Heerden, in one or two brilliant dashes, showed that he is a dangerous wing throequarter. ' The teams were as follow: — SPRINGBOKS. Full-back: G. P. Morkel. Three-quarters : A. Van Heorden, W. Sendin, J. Weepener, and W. C. Zeller. Halves: W. Townsend and J. Tinda.ll. Forwards: Roy Morkel (captain), M. , Ellis, J. W. Van Rooyen,, N. Da Pleseis, R. Walker, Royle Morkel, P. J. Mostert, J. Olivier. OTAGO. Full-back: Watson. Three-quarters: Stewart, Bell, Ward. Five-eighths :■ Owler and Pony; Half-back: M'Naughton. Forwards: Duncan (captain), Bain, Patterson, Richardson, Sontag, Harty, Boreham, Cabot (wing). Otago won the toss and kicked off with the wind in their favour. Bell returned a kick to inside half-wayy and a rash by the visiting forwards followed, Zeller finding the line near the corner. A free kick for holding the ball brought relief to Otago, and from a scrum Owles. settled an incipient passing rush by the Africans by a dashing tackle. From a couple of scrums the visitors got the ball away, but had no room to work, and the ball was kicked out. A freo kick to Otago was made good use of by Harty, and fast following up by Cabot saw Otago invade the Springboks' territory, where Townsend returned to half-way with a line kick. Ward, the Otago wing, next kicked through to G. P. Morkel and ■tackled him before he could kick, but the South Africans cleared and attacked in turn until they were penalised. Afte.r some tight forward .work, Patterson broke through nicely and gained a long stretch of ground with a well-judged line kick. .Ward centred, and Sendin marked, and from a free kick Bell had an unsuccessful shot at goal. The Otago backs tried their hand at passing, but tho visitors were standing close and tackling well', and the ball went straight across the ground. The pace was very fast, and the Otago forwards were break? ing away with irresistible loose rushes. From a line-out a freo kick by Bell transferred play to the visitors' line, where South Africa, after being hard pressed, found relief, in a force down. A centring kick by Perry again placed Otago in an attacking position, and they were awarded a free kick well within striking distance, from which Bell landed a fine goal amidst a scene of tremendous enthusiasm. Otago „ 5 Springboks -...j... 0 The Otago forwards, aided by Owles, again took play to the South Africans' quarters in a fast loose rush, but anothei 1 force-down, resulted. A free-kick to the visitors, which was taken by Van Heerden; was marked by Perry, who returned nearly to half-way. Ellif broke away strongly from a line-out, but was solidly tackled by Patterson and" temporarily laid out. At this stage tight forward play was the order of the day until Perry brightened up matters by breaking through. Weepener relieved with a good saving kick. The visitors again tried their hand. at passing, but Van Heerden was jammed on the line. Sontag next headed the Otago forwards in a looes Tush, but Semdih sent them back with a good line kick. Patterson marked and had a shot at goal, which Morkel did not touch down, preferring to kick to the line. From half-way Townsend had the ball sent^back to him by a forward, but the succeeding passing rush went straight across the ground and elided in neutral territory. Play was central .when the spell ended, with the score : Otago, 3; Springboks, nil. Tile second spell opened with a short period of even play in mid-field. Sendin J placed his side in an attacking position, and a few minutes 'later he received a pass in front of the goal,.from which he had a good but unsuccessful pot at goal, although several of his backs were j ..awaiting a pass. The South Africans continued to attack, and their backs got going in a likely-looking rush, but Zeller was pushed out. Like a flash trie visitors' backs were again in, action in one of the best'"pieces of passing of the day, the ..ball being handled by Townsend, Sendin, and Zeller. The last-named made a fine'run, and, beating Watson, scored in a good position. ' G; Morkel converted. , . Springboks 5 \ Otago 3 Bain and Patterson next made a fine opening and passed to Cabot, who was tackled, but the Otago forwards, showing great dash, kept up the pressure until Townsend got the ball from a scrum and found, the line past the twenty-five flag. A good opportunity was lost from » scrum, in, Otago territory. Townsend .shot out a pass to Tin- I dall, but this player failed to hold the ball. G. Morkel had a shot, at goal, but failed, and badly-judged kicking by the visitors' backs enabled Otago to force twice in succeseion, and the Otago forwards again commenced to assert themselves, and the scene of operations was shifted to the South Africans' quarters, where Stewart came through nicely and passed to Bain, but Sendin found the line. At this stage Patterson retired temporarily through an injury, but speedily returned to the field. The vOtago forwards broke away with an- ] other rush, but Van Heerden turned j them back with a good kick. The Spring- | boks' backs again showed up in another j fine concerted effort, and- Van Heerden I was streaking for the line in great style when he was brought down by Watson with a beautiful tackle, .With ten minutes to go, the OJago forwards

showed signs of tiring, and the speedy South African backs were constantly dangerous, especially as the sun was troubling the Otago backs to some exteijt. From a scrum, in Otago's twentyfive, the ball was handled in a fine passing rush by Townsend, Tjndall, Weepener, Sendin, and Zeller, tffe last-named racing round the Otago backs and soaring behind the posts. G: Morkel's kick failed, and the score read : Sringboks ' 8 Ofcago .' ' 3 The visitors were now having rather j bhe better of matters, and. Teturned to I the attack. A short kick by Van Heerden went over the Otago line, and^a race for the ball ensued, in which Stewart just beat Van Heerden and forced' down. Weepener next obtained possession and transferred to Sendin, who sent out a long pass to Zeller. This player outpaced Stewart and Watson, and scored a pretty bry, which G. Morkel failed to convert-, and the game ended almost immediately afterwards with the ■score : Springboks 11 Otago 3 Mr. D. Stalker (Invercargill) was referee.