AN IDEAL DAY

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 39, 15 August 1921, Page 3

AN IDEAL DAY

AND A BIG, ENTHUSIASTIC

CROWD.

The day vras ideal for the game, and a remarkable change from Friday, which was miserably wet and gloomy. All Otago, Southland, and_ Canterbury, as far as Christchurch, seemed to be present, and many prominent people, including high Government officials, \jvere able to blend pleasure with their business in tht Southern city. The ' Caris- [ brook ground is one of New Zealand's finest arenas of sport, with attractive surroundings, commodious appointments in the shape of stands, and a beautiful turf. Thousands went out on foot, as Sic distance is not much further from the heart of the city than the Basin Reserve is from Lambton-quay. The trams were packed, and motors sped to and fro. plying between city and ground on the broad South-road.' There was no curtainraiser, or. rather, to iiave the turf, it was not played. The vast crowd enjoyed itself in the bright sunshine, -which was quite <warm enough to render overcoats unnecessary. The big *»tand was well filled, and the lawn in front covered with people sitting low on the grass so as not to obstruct the view from the stand. All round, the saucer-shaped oval was packed to the limit. The arrival of the teams on the ground seemed late, and in the interval the band played a rousing march round the field of play and back. The sun was throwing long shadows •when r the teams entered. The New Zealanders came first, and were loudly cheered as they posed for their photographs. Then came the South Africans, booking the stone heavier they were all round in their green jerseys. The party not 'included in the fifteen brought with them theii flag of green and gold and their mascot/the black kitten, tied with ribbon of similar colours. A. good ringing war cry provoked a roar^of cheering. Then Mr. E. M'Kenzie, the giant referee from the Wairarapa, posed between the captains', Aitken and "Boy" Morkel, who seemed schoolboys beside him. . ' SOUTH AFRICA WINS THE TOSS. ■ South Africa had won the t&ss, and played with their backs to tht sun for the first spell. This went largely in their favour, but the best they could do was a try by Van Heerden, converted by Gerhard Morkel. This was their only score j of the game, and, according to New Zealand ruling, its initial stage was, the fruit of an infringement. Townsend apparently picked the ball out of the scrum. Probably Ne\v Zealanders will nover be satisfied with this propensity of the Springboks. It comes from the habit the big pack has of stepping' over the ball instead of heeling it out. This leaves',the ball dead for the half to pick | up from the heels of the last rank of forwards, and he often seems to take it before it is really clear. However, if that part of the try was faulty, the rest was good and valid. The score—South Africa 5, New Zealand o—at half-time and the rather poor dispfay of our men left much anxiety as to the final result. THE FIRST PHASE. The first phase of the game saw iha hea^y Springbok pacs. often pushing the New Zealand forwards to their knees, with the resulting break-up and collapse of the scrum. Observers miBS (he cleanness of the New Zealand scrum work that comes when two of our best packs meet. If South Africa had the better of it in the tight play, New Zealand held its own in the loose and on the line-outs. The game was truly fast foi a time, and the visitors looking 'on from benches on the lawn expressed their pleasure. Steel' early," with fine tackling and splendid kicks, to the line, demonstrated his quality, which stamped him at the finish as the best back J on the ground. Storey, on the other ! wing, was quite off colour, and obviously suffering from the injury to his arm which has handicapped him all this season. South Africa began a series ;of attacks which lasted some time, but the passing out to the wing tactica were

countered by the sure tackling of Steel and Aitken and the sound defence of Kingston, who shared with Gerhai» Morkel high honours for work as full-back.

Hughes and Donald ware conspicuously off-side on several occasions, and twice Gerhard Morkel had unsuccessful penalty kicks at 'goal. The South African backs, though their forwards were making the chances, were iaulty, Michau especially being weak. As fly-foalf, he played out of hie place, and not till the last quarter of an hour did he show anything like the form that made his name against Wellington. It was some minutes after the start before New Zealand passed the half-way, and the opening, when it came, was through the agency of H. E. Nicholla, who neatly worked the blind side of the scrum. The effort did not result in anything, as C. Badeley and M. Nicholls were not yet working well together. . Nicholle had a penalty kick at goal, but the ball dropped just below the bar. FAST AND HARD. The game up to this stage had been fast and hard and good to watch, if not strikingly brilliant. The graceful, finished play of Gerhard Morkel at full-back delighted the spectators the most. Th» veteran's kicking and fielding were perfect, with an art reminiscent of earlier days. Time was passing, and still no score. The South African winge were not carrying out their allotted part in the game very well. Henry Morkel was clever, but slow, while/ Van Heerden j never seemed to finish, his runs, but al- j ways got rid of the ball too soon. Both sides felt the heat, and temporary pauses for the relief of an injured player were made the opportunity for the quenching' of thirst on both sides. The first bril-! liant bit of work on the South Africans' part was a passing run in front of goal, started by Towhsend and running out to Henry Morkel, who, with a bit more dash, might have got over. The coveted score, however, came a little later. Still battling in front of the goal, the South | African pack released the ball to Townsend,'who passed to Meyer, who gave'it to Van Heerden, enabling the fleet hurdler to drop over. Geriiard Morkel converted with a kick from the touch-line, which swerved in its flight in between the posts. Half-time immediately afterwards, and South Africa 5 points ahead. ALL BLACKS' FIRST, SCORE. j Things looked dark for New Zealand, ' for it had been a gruelling game in the heat, and the game was to the side who could last the longest. This proved to be New Zealand. The heavy South Africans were panting half through the second spell, and at, the conclusion were done to a turn. Steel was the hero of the second spell. His kicking-to the line was immense, his tackling deadly, and his try (a solo effort) .superb. Badeley also began to strike true form, and his well-judged centres brought New Zealand two tries. Altogether, the All Blacks commenced to justify their reputation. So far, New Zealand's nearest attempts at scores had been J Mark Nicholls's penalty kicks, but Badeley, seizing the fact /that the Springboks had now the bright sun in their eyes, centred high, the ball falling near the posts. The Black pack were hot in pursuit, and when Gerhard Morkel for once failed to field, overrunning, and Meyer tried to force rather, inadequately, but still in the eyes of some judges fairly, Bellis came thundering down, and made no mistake with the ball. Mr. M'Kenzie awarded a try amidst frantic cheers from the crowd, and Mark Nicholls,\ after "no charge" had been declared, kicked a goal. Score even— 5 all. STEEL'S GREAT SOLO TRY. The All Black machine was now work- I ing, 'better, and a fine effort reached Steel, who was ; weld tackled by Van. Heerden. South Africa attacked in turn, but the failure of the Green forwards \ in the loose delayed the'attack too long. Play swung back to half-way, and here Badeley sent a mighty cross kick in the ■direction of Steel's wing. The West Coaster justified the opinion ' of the Springboks that he is the best back they have met by gathering up the ball on the bounce and speed as he moved, running with tremendous vigour, outpacing. Henry Morkel and Meyer, and scoring nearly behind the posts. It was a genuine great solo try. The crowd rose all round the ground, sticks went up, and hats shot in the air. A thunder of cheering greeted the turning point in the game. Tho kick at goal provoked the only awkward incident in the game. J. M. Michau, conspicuous on both sides for his stature, came charging down the ball, assuming it to be grounded, when the referee ruled "no charge." Michau expostulated, and the crowd, more prone to offence, perhaps, than our Wellington public, hooted vigorously. Nicholls kicked the goal. New Zealand, 10; South. Africa, 5. VISITORS' BATTERING ATTACK. Try as they would, with battering attacks all along the line, South Africa could not 'score, and they wore themselves out in the vain, effort. Henry ■Morkel had a, possible chance, and Van Heerden and Clarkeon another,, but they w«re unequal to the task. The attack lasted about five minutes, and then faded.. After that, New Zealand never looked back. Badeley in these last few minutes shone brilliantly k the attack, and, after being hauled up just on th« line, was instrumental largely in the final try, in which H. E. Nicholls and Aitken were also sure links in a chain of/ passes which enabled Storey to score at tlte corner. Tho kick failed, and time went a minute after, with the crowd cheering wildly for the New Zealand ■victory—l 3-5. The victors were chaired 'off the field, and the last scenes were of ■wild excitement. . JUSTLY-EARNED VICTORY. A justly-earned victory, for which the winners will give great credit indeed to 'their manager, Mr. Donald Stuart, and their coaches, Messrs. J. W Stead and Alex M'Donald. The team has the most enthusiastic praise for these gentlemen, to whom the football public of New Zealand also owes a debt of thanks. COMMENT ON THE PLAYERS. One can hear, an hour or bo after the match, comment, but briefly, on the players. Steel was undoubtedly our greatest back—a sure tackier, a great ticker for ,th© line, and one of those runTiers who are very hard to stop. He has effectively answered all his Canterbury critics by his performances in thJ6 match, i Aitken was quite worthy of his place, kicking, tackling, and passing •well, and carrying out effectively his duties as captain. Kingston is a great full-back, and made but one mistake in the game. His coolness and sure line finding were only excelled by his vis a vis, Gerhard Morkel, with his international experience behind him. Storey ■was a failure, but must be excused on the ground of his past -injuries. - Mark Nicholls made a few mistakes, but played a far better game than he did at# Wellington. His passing was not always clean, but once or twice in the cut-out pass to the wing ho was brilliant. Badeley began poorly, tut finished with a great performance, whiah places him in th« ranks of players past. "Ginger" Nicholls played up to the top of his possibilities. He is not a football geinius at half-back, but ho is sound and quick, and plucky to the last. Of the forwards, Donald was in and out, and off-sido very, frequently. Moffit worked like a trojan in tho scrums under . considerable difficulties imposed by the African formation. Bellis started well, but was kicked in tho knee early in the game 1, and did not show up much, oxoept for hia try, He is a great

forward. Richardson, of. Otago, and Fogarty, of Taranaki, were excellent in the loose.. White (Southland) would'be a good third. Hughes was not up to the mark, and one saw .little of Duncan. The South Africans, in the opinion of their critics, made mistakes by including J. M. Michau in the forwards on such a day, and Henry Morkel in place of Zeller on the wing. Michau also played oat of place, and was not the Michau. we saw at" Wellington. \ The outstanding back on the ground for beauty or style in football was the finished artist of a full-back, Gerhard Morkel. Ho is regarded as past his prime now, but what a great player he must have beeri. His cool, easy, graceful kicking was a model. Neither Olaricson t nor Meyer justified themselves, and, on the whole, the display of the Springboks disappointed their own party, as well as the public. All hope they will show us their best before they leave New Zealand. Unless they do we shall regretfully remain unconvinced that their game is any better than ours. As it was, New Zealand showed hardly any of its old style —side-stepping, cutting, and in-play The two tries of Steel and Storey were quite orthodox wing work. The footballing public of New Zealand may Test assured that our men will give \m a good account of themselves Si the remaining Teste.