THE ALL BLACKS

Evening Star, Issue 19893, 15 June 1928, Page 4

THE ALL BLACKS

THE SCRUM

BILL DUNCAN’S VIEWS

“WE SHOULD GET A FAIR SHARE " The most interesting contribution to the controversy over the New Zealand scrum formation will probably be that of Bill Duncan, who was a New Zealand hooker against the Springboks m all threo tests in 1921 in New Zealand, hi tho first two tests Duncan was partnered as hooker by the late Ned Hughes, and ho had Fogarty, of Taranaki, as his co-hooker in the third test. Bill Duncan was a member of the New Zealand team that went to Australia in 1920. On that occasion he was hooking with Hassell (a member of tho Now Zealand Army team in Africa in 1919), tho team winning all of its seven games by wide margins. At the outset of a chat with a ’ Star 1 representative, Mr Duncan _ showed that ho was not pessimistic with regard to the chances of the 1928 All Blacks in Africa in the test games. He said tho hookers with the present team had no experience i against a 3-2-3 scrum, but he was satisfied that after the experience in the last few games and in tho games to come, they would do a great deal better and get their fair share of the ball. Duncan played four games against the Springboks of 1921—three times in tost matches and once in the Otago match. Ho admitted that the Springboks got a “ shade more ” of the ball than New Zealand did in the scrummages, but he pointed out that despite that fact, the Springboks did not win more than ono test, against one win by New Zealand and a drawn game. “Tho weight of the men behind the hookers counts a good deal in getting tho ball from the scrums,” ho said, “and if those forwards behind do not put their weight in, then I think tho 3-2-3 pack will get tho ball from the 2-3-2 pack. If the forwards behind tho hookers in South Africa just now use all the weight they have—and they have plenty—l do not seo why they should not get tho ball as much as we got it here. As a matter of fact, they should get it more, because of the weight of the present All Black pack. When Otago played tho Springboks at Carisbrook in J 921 the Springboks -won by 11 to 3, but it was not our forwards that were beaten. Though the Otago pack ivas lighter than tho Africans, it fought every inch of the way for the ball, and succeeded in getting a fair share of it by going ‘ all out.’ Had we had better backs we would have probably won the game.” “As far as I remember, the rule about the ball having to pass the outside man on the front row of each side in the scrummage was not enforced in tho threo tests with the Springboks-in New. Zealand. We were allowed to go for it as soon as it was put in. I am pretty sure the rule was not enforced. If tho rule were enforced I agree that it would be far more difficult for a 2-3-2 pack to get the ball than if it were not enforced.” Mr Duncan did not care to enter into a discussion on the respective merits of the 2-3-2 scrum system as compared with the 3-2-3 system, but ho said: “Whichever is the better formation I am of tho opinion that it is unwise for the New Zealand team to change its scrum formation now, for the reason that our men are accustomed to the 2-3-2 pack. Provided our men use their weight, they should get quite sufficient of the ball.”