STYLES DISCUSSED

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 151, 30 June 1928, Page 9

STYLES DISCUSSED

TRIBUTE TO SPRINGBOKS (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post") DTJNEDIN, This Day. | "New Zealand's best chance of winning -will lie in the first Test match," says Mr. H. D. Tennent, of Dunedin, who was in South Africa for thirteen years, and' who had wide experience there of the Eugby game, both as a player ancl as an administrator. Eugby, ho considers, is played very well in South Africa, and it will be an even chance in the Test games. The typical South African forward was a scrummager, said Mr. Tennent, and did not get among the backs as the New Zealand forwards did. He thought that the New Zealand forward all-round was better than thef South African forward. The New Zealand forwards brolco up more quickly, and if they got , among the South African backs Now Zealand would have a good chance of winning. . As a rulo he thought the South African backs were better ,than the New Zealand backs. The style of play in South Africa led to greater development among the backs. The forwards there did not break up so quickly, and tho backs were left more free to play tlieir game than they were in New Zealand. Tho game in South Africa was more open than here. If the New Zealand backs got the ball they would not be interfered with so much by the forwards as the South African backs would be by New Zealand's forwards.\ On the whole he thought the team work of the South' African side was better, than that of the New Zealand team. "As far as Kugby is concerned my opinion," said Mr. Tennent, "is that the South Africans are the cleanest players in the world." The play in South Africa was probably not so hard as here, for the reason that the grounds were hard, and there was a good deal of the element of self-preservation. If any people had the idea that there would be any racial feelingj introduced in the game they should get it out of their heads at once. Generally speak■ing, the Afrikander was one^of the finest sports in the world. Mr. Tennent did not think long travelling would affect the New Zealand' players so adversely as some people thought, Train travelling in South Africa was very comfortable. A lot of "eye-wash" had also been spoken hero' about hard grounds. ,He did not think they would seriously affect a welltrainod team like the All Blacks. Cli-

matio conditions would not affect the All Blacks as much as some people imagined.