SPRINGBOKS' TOUR

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 69, 18 September 1937, Page 23

SPRINGBOKS' TOUR

THEIR FINE RECORD

Hawke's Bay having been accounted for, interest in the Springboks' tour of New Zealand is now solidly concentrated upon the result of the third Test at Auckland. The South Africans play a combined team at Gisborne today, the Test next Saturday, and the final match of the tour against North Auckland at Whangarei on September 29.

iTo date the Springboks have carried all before them in their games with the provincial sides, the only close call they have had . being with the combined team at Hamilton., This was the second game of the New Zealand section of the tour, and on a Cheavy ground the touring side won by only six points to three. But apart from this match, they have registered an impressive number of points against the other provincial teams they have met. Of the other provincial teams Taranaki was the only one which had provided the visitors with' anything like solid opposition until they met Hawke's Bay this week. Since the Taranaki game, the third of the tour, they have scored over 20 points in each successive match, their biggest score and biggest win of the New Ze»-

to-nine," has forwarded what he considers should be the New Zealand team for the third Test next Saturday. Moreover, he claims that it is a team "that will wipe the Springboks off Eden Park." His selection is as follows:— Taylor; Dick, Mitchell, Sullivan; Hooper; Crossman, Simon; Parkill, McKenzie, King, Keid, Ward, Pearce, Lambourn, Dalton.

"With this team on the field on the afternoon of that vital day for New Zealand Rugby, September 25, the Springboks will be beaten by ten to fifteen clear points," writes the correspondent.

"How Trevathan was ever preferred to Crossman is nothing short of a miracle. Crossman is brilliant on attack, and very solid on defence. Be« sides, he kicks well with either foot. If ever a player got into the New Zealand team on kicking ability alone, it was Trevathan. Taylor will do all the kicking that is required. With bril-j liant players such as Crossman and Mitchell on.either side of him, Hooper should be a real menace to the Boks. This back line is nothing short of brilliant, and should be a wonderful combination. Mitchell should improve the New Zealand back line 100 " per cent, Dick and Sullivan are both highclass backs, and with Mitchell inside them should give Gerry Brand a torrid time. With Ward and Pearce giving the extra weight in the scrum New Zealand will repeat their first Test performance."