RUGBY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 28 August 1926, Page 12

RUGBY

ALE BLACKS’ TACTICS

FIVE-EIGHTHS. THE KEY" PGSITJCOs

Writing in the Sydney Mail of July 23, after the fmal test match between New Zealand iand New South Wale-i, a famous Sydney ’Varsity and All England international; player summarise 4 the results of the tour, and made some, observations on the attacking methods of the visitors. Of the last test lie said :

This match was the twentieth of the New Zealand-New South Wales series since, the war. Of those matches, Nov Zealand has won 15, and New South Wales 5. The -record in points is New Zealand 392, and New South- Wales .199. Thus New Zealand has, won 75 per cent, of the matches, and .scored (53 per cent, of the points, while New South Wales has won 25 per cent, of the matches, and scored- 34 per cent, of the, points, l it each year -since 1920 there have been three..test-si ji.lo.yecl, with the exceptionsof 1921 land 1925. In 1921 only one test- was; played, and. that by a. ton ring team in the Dominion, for New Zealand was -busy that year with the Springboks. 111 1925 lour tests were played, three in Sydney, ia,nd one m Auckland.

The smallest- difference between the points scored by each side in any yearly -series of test matches was 111 192/, when New South Wales won the rubber for the first -time. In that year the blues scored 4.1 points to the blacks, 40. The present series; -shows the next smallest deficiency in the total points scored by each side, the result working out • New Zealand 45 points-, and New South Wales 32 points. Thus, New Zealand in this series of tests have beaten us twice, but have only scored 13 more points in the whole three matches than we have. For the benefit of the curious the following analysis of the last three games- m set- down:

ft will be observed that 24 or New Zealand’s 45 points- came from tries or -slightly more than half, while lo out of New South Wales 32 point® came from tries ,which is -slightly -less than half. The A.IL Blacks scored lo noints from- penalties, land the Blues scored only 12. This -last result us, rather surprising when, one consider.the general trend of the- three matches. More penalties, were given against, the All Blacks than -against the Blues, Jn ■fact the New- Zealanders’ style -ol pW’ courts penalties. Their motto might almost-be: “All for an opening, and -a. penalty well lost.’ On the other hand, this result shows the superioritly o-f the All Blacks as place-kickers. From! a lesser number of penalties they scored a greater number of goals. This, may -surprise some people who- s-aiw in Ross a goiail-kidke-ij of phenomenal capacity. But in the, series just concluded he was nothing like as successful Niciiolls. It is curious to- note that in this tally no field goals -appear. This was not for the want of trying. Botli tßoi&si ictncl Niciiolls irinu others potted iait goal, -but none of the shots came off. It is .possible that Mo-rrissey’s effort in the .second te-st match ought to be exempted from- this statement. It is widely asserted that he- -succeeded in kicking a field goal m the first- half, which, the -referee- was unable to -see.

From the point of view set out it is interesting to watch the New Zealanders. Nearly always their successful attacks come from a piercing of the defence by their first-five eighth. He managed to attract the attention not only of his vas-a-vis-, but also: of what we call the inside centre as well. Oij.ce this has been don© he is iable to fling the hall to the second five-eighth, who dashes for our outside centre, and then transfers to his own centre threequarter, who runs up to. the home wing and passes to his own wing man. The success of these movements depends upon what the New Zealanders call a “jink-in,” which 'Mr. T. A. Fletcher describes as. follows:—■

“When about four. or five yards away fronii his vis-su-vis .the first fiveeighth suddenly changes direction, .and runs .straight at his opponent. This tends to. stop the opponent, and to draw the defence inward. The opponent .stops, and prepares to tackle him ~and has to change his intentions at a moment’s notice. This moment of indecision is essential to the ..success of the plan. If the opponent does not .stop, the first fiveeighth will" necessarily have a clear break through to the full-back. If he stops ,and prepares to tackle, the first five-eighth, now only .about two or three yards .away, changes direction once more, .side-steps, and darts off in. the original direction towards the. second five-eighth or centre. . . . It must be stressed that the sudden turn or ‘jink in’ is not a long run, but a short .swerve for three or four paces.”

If the first five-eighth fails, to carry out this manoeuvre, then it must be tried by the second five-eighth before he passes to', the centre. This, in brief, is the New Zealand theory of attack from the .scrum. It can be met. by tlie defence playing closer to the attack. If the defending line is standing level with the scrum, and: at right angles, it will be exceptionally difficult for any of the attackers to .perform this “jink-in” manoeuvre. This much we saw, at least, in the first test match, when King and Towers .stood right up to their men and prevented the successful adoption of this taotlc. But while the home :li.ne was standing in this successful defence, .formation, it was practically debarred from, any .successful attacking thrusts. The men were too square. They .could not move before transferring the. ball, which frequently flew straight across the ground to the wings. It is a pretty .problem. Either you .stand up to' the. New Zealanders to nip their attack in the bud, and by so doing you forfeit your own chances of successful! attacks, or you stand back in the slant from the serum, so that your own backs! have, room to move, and then, you lay the defence open to he exploited by the manoeuvre which I have described. On tire whole, it looks as if for the present the New South Wales team for the. first tost was coached on sound tactics; yet somehow or other we must develop a more dangerous attacking machine than we have at present without forfeiting the kind of defence, that will make the first test match of 1926 a happy memory for all who .saw it.—G. U. Partus, in Sydney Mail..

N.Z. N.S.1Y Tries 8 o Goals fromi tries 3 1 Goals from 1 penalties -3 4 Goals fronr marks — 3 1