RUGBY.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11539, 16 January 1932, Page 12

RUGBY.

the best yet. PRESENT SPRINGBOKS. BUT BACKS FAILURES. ORTHODOX METHODS. * The South African Rugby learn now demonstrating its prowess on British Holds has made itself one of the most popular Dominion teams ever seen in this country, writes H, B. Kearlland, South African Press correspondent with the South ADican team in the “Daily Mail.” With nearly half their programme completed, and still undefeated, the tourists have shown themselves a side of match winners. But something more than playing success is necessary to win the hearts of Biitisli sportsmen, and the popularity of the Springboks has ..been largely due to the spirit in which they have played their games. They account the method of play more important than the result, and their clean, sportsma'i/Rke tactics have made friends of all who have opposed them on the field. There is a touch of romance in the rise of Soutli African Rugby. Like all British, games, Rugby was introduced to the Cape by a lew British settlers and Civil servants, but tlie popularity of the bundling code dates back only forty years.

In 1891 the. English Rugby Union sent a missionary team to South Africa under the captaincy of W. E. Maclagan, a famous London Scottish forward, and the team carried all before it.

Maclagan had the true missionary spirit. He made his men rub their superiority into their opponents on the field of play, and at the pleasant convivial dinners following the matches lie frankly told them their faults and what they had to learn. Once they had seen tlie game as it should bo played, it made an irresi.stable appeal to the young Afrikaanders. On dirt grounds, as devoid of grass as ail asphalt road, and almost as hard, t-lio handling code obtained its grip on the youth of Hie country, and it is not surprising that South African 'Rugby has produced players noted for their hardiness and speed.- Fifteen years after Maclagan’s team made its missionary tour the first Springboks visited Great Britain, and such had been the progress in the interim that only two games were lost in a programme of 29 matches. NO CAPTAIN. Such were the haphazard methods of those days that when the team had embarked in the ship at the Cape it was found no captain had been appointed. A meeting of players was held, and they elected Paul Boos as leader. In this casual fashion a captain, now recognised as one of tho great international leaders, was produced. "When the team arrived in London, Roos was approached by a “Daily Mail” reporter and asked to give his team a name, such as the All Blacks, by which the New Zealuuders, who had toured tho previous season, were known. “We have a very pretty antelope in South Africa called the springbok,” replied Roos. “I think you had better call us the Springboks. Not Springbucks, mind.” Thus, by a compound English and Afrikaander word the South Africans were known, and the name has since been appilied to every national South African team.

. All but four of the 29 men comprising- the present, touring party are of Afrikaaudcr birtli and speak Dutch in their homes. Almost half the team, are university men, and they embrace a variety of professions. Three of the outstanding players in a recent match at Twickenham, G. AT. Daueel, J. A. J. MacDonald, and D. Craven. are devoted to the Church. . Ordained in the Dutch Reformed Church a few weeks before the team sailed from the Union, George Daneel with his polished play among the forwards has been one of the outstanding players in the side, and he has never lost an opportunity of proclaiming his faith at special sportsmen’s services, at which he has occupied the pulpit in many of the cities in which the team has played. STUDENTS AND FARMERS. MacDonald, who in recent matches lias proved himself a great scoring forward and is one of the hardest men in the team, and David Craven, the 13tst scrum-half, wlio promises to be one of the stalwarts of the team in the internationals, are both divinity students at- the University of Stellenbosch. Bov Louw, the 16st giant, is a bank clerk. He is ranked the best forward in the team, and in one of the. Twickenham matches was seen to sling an opponent out of a maul into the air with a powerful jerk of one arm, and then. when the whistle went a moment later, pick him up and set him on his feet with the other-arm.- His yo.uugor brother, Fame Louw, who-might be taken for Jack Dempsey by bis -physical resemblance, is a grape farmer in the Paarl .district, -whore the Cape wines and brandies are made. Several other members of tho< team. art}'.engaged jin fanning—J . B. Bold is a rancher; .and F. Bergli a Government .agricultural expert. B. 'L.; Osier,- the captain, is :attorney, uiid- G.'B. Gray and. F. Waring, who played; centre together against Oxford University, are also in the legal-profession. The method of the Springboks is based on an appreciation of the rules of the same. • Tlmve is nothing ilainboyaut about their play, which is the essence of soundness.. Strong, hard scrummaging, in ’which limy uso ounce of, their weight is the first article of faith of their forwards.' In-their f recent' matches they liaye 'settled down- iii the first half ■to-paefe their solid" 3-^-3—2 formation against ’the other -side. * Gradually their strong pushing-wears down the opposition,' • and ouee it weakens, the' Springboks change to the quickheeling formation ’ of 3—4—-1, and, getting the ball quickly ‘ • to their •

backs, they soon run up a large score. ;

THE BACK DIVISION. Depending mainly on quick handling from the scrum, their backs niostlv l-ely on orthodox play, but-it uo .secret that few of the* Springbok back division players have y<R developed iheir South African form ■ B. L. Osier is the brains of tliu back division, and has ability.-which amounts almost to genius for observing a weakness in the opposition. He gave a glimpse of "hat may *• expected from him .recently when ho made several splendid openings for an attack which constantly changed direction. * J. C. Vairider AVestlmi- **, too, has a capacity for drawing bis opponents across the field, onjy to elude them with a lightning cutin which either leaves the field open to him or provides the overlap for the robust Springbok wing ■ Ifc is tlie opinion of -South African critics that no better team has-ever lK2 e,i sent overseas than the present Springboks. J-Jitherto, however, matches have been won by the P°«er aiid ability of- tlm forwards,- and largely despite the inability of tin. backs*to produce their best.

Motion picture studios lavish attention on their women actresses, but the men have to" fend for themse’ves to a certain extent. I his is particularly true in matter of beauty and appearance. A man actor * responsible for bis own -screen appealonce Evcrv featured feminine player, however, receives more service than a Broadway star or an oil wUI- . • it i tir/>J actress can t lonaircss. A tired , act,” explains Max Marcin, Rio Broadway playwright, "hose play “Silence.” has just been filmed, "it < Clive Brook, Marjorie Rambequ, amt Peggy Shannon in the featured cast. -March) no-directed “Silence” wrtb Louis Gasnier.

* * * Constance B-miett married me Marquis de'la Falaise de la Coudrae at 4 p.rn. on November 21, Her birthday. The ceremony, a very snap e on.;, was performed at the Hollywood homo of Mr. and Mrs. George MUliiauricc. Miss Bennett s iLemlanU were her sister, Joan, who is «- covering from a hip a,ld Eileen Percy, formerly an actress ; ind now a writer. Henri Dirot, French Consul at Los Angeles. lxist man. The bridegroom was re-t-outlv divorced from Gloria Swanson, who married Michael Farmer, millionaire, when the decree became .rial. Two years.ago the Government imported and released a numb**, ehmabar moths in .an attempt to eradicate ragwort. - • these has appeared on a wnn tn tyveen ' Mhatrwliata and lulukara mea. Waikato, owned by Mr. J * Houghton, and Hie re-ult-ng <-** niParx have set to work m earnest. From Mr. Hounhtou’s observations it would seem that caterpillars not- oulv destroy the flower beiore it has an opportunity of seeding buu also destroy tue whole plant. 1 i dies of the* weed whereon He moths alighted are already dead, and dw subsequent course of the injects n» marked by ragwort in varying stages of decay.