Springboks Decisively Beal All Blacks: Well-Merited Victory

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23024, 15 August 1949, Page 8

Springboks Decisively Beal All Blacks: Well-Merited Victory

(From Claude Kins, Frees. Assn. Rep. with the All Blacks.)

(10 a.m.) JOHANNESBURG, Aug, 14. South African Rugby came right into its own on Saturday. Before an all-time record crowd for tests against New Zealand of 70,000, the Springboks beat the All Blacks by 12 points to six, and thus ensured the Rugby premiership between the two countries stays in this country.

The victory was due to a remarkable improvement both in the forwards and backs by the home side compared with the first test, and to the speed with which the inside backs took advantage of an ample supply of the ball. Dominated Scrums and Linc-ouis Whereas the Springboks were beaten in the scrums and linc-outs in the first test, on Saturday they dominated both of these. The Northern Transvaal half combination of Du.Toit and Brewis teamed up admirably to give their backline a flying start. In fact, with the exception of the full-back position, where the polished Bob Scott was again the chief stalwart of his side, the All Blacks were outplayed in all departments. Only in the dying stages when facing a deficit of nine points to three, did the tourists really rise to the occasion. In this brief period they showed flashes of brilliant Rugby but this effort came too late and could not be sustained. At the final whistle there was not the slightest doubt that the much better side gained a well-merited win. "One of Finest and Cleanest Games” The match will go down on record not only as a win for the Springboks but as one of the finest and cleanest in the history of contests between the two countries and one which will do a great deal for the prestige of Rugby. At a dinner to the teams and old Springboks after the game, Bennie Osier, a famous Springbok of past years, said: “To my dying days, I will remember this match as an example of how international football should be played. It was a beautiful game and I admired nothing more than the grand manner in which Fred Allen and his boys accepted their defeat.” The type of football and the spirit in which it was played made the recent controversy on rough play seem just ludicrous. Brewis Man of the Match

The man of the match was undoubtedly Hannes Brewis, the Springbok flyhalf. He scored a grand try when lie surprised the defence by suddenly altering his obvious intention to pot a goal and race round the short side of 1 lie scrum to catch the All Blacks on the wrong foot and fly through a gap to score.

Right on time he potted an excellent field goal. In addition to this he was in the movement in which Lategan scored the Springboks' second try. The Springboks shattered two hitherto strong points against the possibility of their succeeding.

The first was that, previously, the home side had not won a second test. The second was that the calibre of the back play in South Africa and the New Zealanders’ strong defence suggested that the All Blacks’ line would not be crossed. Both now are just memories. The likelihood of the All Blacks tasting defeat became evident early. They had the advantage of a strong diagonal wind but there was no concerted drive in their football and it was largely due to powerful linekicking by Scott and Kearnev that they hdd some territorial advantage. Scott opened the scoring with a fine penalty goal from 45 yards out, but GcfTiin equalised shortly afterwards. Springboks More Dangerous. It was the Springboks who appeared more dangerous. The reason for this was greater possession from the scrums and line-outs and speedy movements by the backs, who were also able to move unhampered by the opposing loose forwards. McNab was a great trier but Grant was lifeless. Further, the All Blacks

seemed to make the mistake by using Johnstone as a defensive No. 8 for ward, whereas the Springbok No. 8 forward. Muller, was always in an attacking position and gave Kearney little latitude Johnstone's function was to double round his own backs, tactics which did not seem well suited on hard grounds here. It \yas thus a match in which one set of backs always had plenty of room in which to move, while the opposition rarely found the way easy. Constant Menace to Tourists.

Muller and Durand were a constant menace to the All Blacks. The Spring boks also had much better service The ball came out much swifter and Du Toit gave longer passes than Savage. The All Black half is a particularly plucky footballer and excels in defence and short runs, but ho lacks ton class when it comes to setting his back-line going. This has been one of the biggest problems of this tour and many a time Fred Allen has been known to observe what a big difference it would oe if Vince Bevin were behind the scrum.

In the dying stages the All Blacks staged a tremendous effort. McNab. Johnstone and Skinner were at the head of loose rushes and two passing rushes revealed what the All Blacks could do if riven scope. One of these rushes began in their 25. Kearnev had to send on a pass standing still, but for once Van Schoor was not tin on Allen, who made the most of this opportunity to create an opening iust outside the 25 for Elvidge and the big centre went crashing ahead past halfway and then sent to Meates. who beat the full-back and was careering for the line when the referee, who was right tm with play, ruled that he nut a foot into touch just inside the Springboks’ 25. Scott’s Bid to Break Through. Hardly had the spectators recovered from this exciting piece of-play than Scott came un into another rush and flit through but delayed his pass a fraction too long and was bustled and Elvidge could not hold a low pass. Another rush saw Henderson run around Marais, but Brewis came across fast to push the flying New Zealand winger into touch just when he looked lik" breaking e’ean a wav.

These were the only movements in which the All Blacks had much room to move and revealed real thrust, but they came too late. Kearnev reduced the deficit to nine six when he potted a beautiful field goal from wide out. but a few moments later Brewis rephed in kind and the Springboks left the field with a wellearned six-point margin. Brilliant Clearances

Scott had one of his busiest days of the tour and again came through with honours. Occasionally he failed to find the line but he might be excused for this in view of the tremendous amount of work he carried out. Some of his clearances in face of several forwards were brilliant. He had four shots at goal, converting one while the second looked like going over but swung at the last minute and struck an upright. In addition, he came up into passing rushes. The New Zealand threequarter line had limited chances but Henderson and Meates both showed fine dash when the ball came their way.

Elvidge's one big break revealed how dangerous he can be when given the ball and some room. Allen and Kearney were solid but were closely marked. Kearney .suffered from slow service from the serums or line-outs but aopenred to add to his difficulties ■by standing too shallow. However, this hackline can bo effective if given chances similar to those their opponents had. but the forwards were not capable of mastering their lively opponents. Won Scrums and Line-outs

Statistics of the match showed that the Springboks won 22 scrums to 18 and 27 line-outs to 15. Grant and Harvey often took the ball well but the New Zealand packing in the line-outs was not as tight as in the first test. Conditions were ideal except for a fairly strong breeze when South Africa kicked off.

Scott and Geffin each kicked penalty goals before the match settled down to one of the best of the tour. Du Toil electrified the crowd when he moved quickly through a gap on the short side of the scrum and sent Lategan away at great speed. He kicked over Scott’s head but. the New Zealand full-back wheeled smartly, gathered the ball and with a couple of Springboks’ trying to pounce, on him kicked over his head into touch while he was running toward his own goal-line. He received a big ovation for this brilliant piece of football. A peculiar incident followed. Brewis punted across the field, the ball going over Henderson's head to Scott who dodged one attacker but the referee ruled that Henderson had shielded Scott. Geffin missed a comparatively easy kick. Then Sqott missed a kick at goal from 45 yards out. Scott was unlucky with the next penalty, the ball swerving at the last minute to hit an unright.' Brewis’ Sparkling Try

Attempts by the All Blacks to get moving were halted early through Kearney and Allen being bustled. From a scrum Du Toil passed to Brewis who appeared to set himself for a pot. When he saw Kearney moving up on him, he shot round the short side of the scrum, went through a gap and scored as Scott dived at him. Geffin failed to goal. Half-time came with South Africa leading (i —3.

After 10 minutes in the second spell Muller came into a passing rush and Lategan went through a gap and scored. Brewis missed the kick. A great rally by the All Blacks followed. From a line-out Savage sent his backs away. Scott came up and ran to Van do SchyfT but just as lie passed a defender bustled him and his pass was knocked on. The All Blacks, however, continued to attack and Kearney ran infield and potted a grand goal. _ With only a few minutes to go Du Toil sent the ball to Brewis who potted a field goal to put the result beyond doubt.