THE THIRD TEST

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 24 March 1928, Page 13

THE THIRD TEST

HONOURS EASY.

A DIVIDED PREMIERSHIP. If ever a saw applied: “Uneasy rests the head that wears a crown, ’ it had distinct reference to public, players, and governing body of the Rugby centre of the tight little Island Dominion during the interval between the second and third tests. The Springboks trained inland to Waikato and won comfortably by 6 to nil against the South of Auckland provincial team. A long journey to Hawke’s Bay (bad management this) brought them a 14 to 8 victory against a province later to be very well known as the strongest in the country, and to sweep the pride of the Empire City with a cricket score of more than half a century, although the defeated side had been boomed by the most aggressive writers of the two islands. Much against their wish, the South Africans played a native team at Rotorua, and, of course, were victorious, but this time by a margin of only a point, SI —8 being the figures. Evidently their heart was not in the game, although it must be conceded that the North Island Natives play, very good Rugby. The clamant demands of smaller provinces hurried these over-travelled visitors from the south of Auckland to the north of the South Island to face a mixed team composed of men chosen from the provinces of Nelson ad Marlborough. The travelling was certainly excessive and richly merited the strictures placed upon it by the manager of the South Africans. Well, Nelson-Marlborough went under all too easily, 2G points to 8 being the score in the last game but one, the breather that the visitors were granted before the final, the deciding match which was to give New Zealand its 1904.-5 pride of place. One draw at Taranaki, no score; one loss at Christchurch, 4 —6; the provinces had been virtually dominated. But the latter, the Canterbury game, played in miul and water, was to be the lesson that these extremely adaptable players from racing track Helds put into tlieir quick brains for use in emergency.

NEW ZEALAND 0; SOUTH AFRICA'O

Not one in a thousand gave the Springboks a hope of victory on Athletic Park, 'Wellington, when the ground and the weather were at thenvery worst. Clay, water, slushy holes, and more rain to increase the discomfort. The natural embankment-and terraces were crowded, and many and ludicrous were the mishaps ns gentle ladies were smeared from fur toque to silken heels with the muddiest mud in all the Dominion. Viewed from this angle, the gathering cost the people of New Zealand a pretty penny for ruined apparel—forget about the Joss of temper and complacence!. The teams lined out on the water polo ground, the Springboks having the windy rain behind them, and the Ail Blacks went into attack through Mellhsh haying been caught in possession, but Strauss came up in the nick of time and lined at his own 25 Hag. The crowd seemed frenzied as the New Zealand forwards broke through on a long throw-out, and Beilis and Van Heerden dived for the ball. The acts were simultaneous and the hall was taken out for a five yards scrum, which fed Ifwersdn when it broke, and he sent to Roberts. The latter kicked across and forward Ellis forced. About four minutes had elapsed from the first whistle and the play had been all with I flic home men. The twenty-five kick brought New Zealand into attack, but Aucklander lfwerson’s good opening was pulled up by a knock-on, and from the sequent scrum Beilis dribbled to the visitors’ line, the two packs quickly getting into position for a struggle which proved tense to player and spectator. Then the incomparable Gerald P. Morkel lined safely, aiul the home team had lost another opportunity. Two more partial attacks were with the All Blacks, but a doubtful knock hack by the big Poverty Bay forward, McLean, saw Van Heerden bustling Siddells, who opposed tlie Olympic champion on the wing, and just outside of the visitors’ 25 a penalty was placed, the ball being kicked —it was as heavy as lead—lvy l<\letclier to centre Strauss, whose kick was badly returned by the live-eighth Jfwerson, so Gerald Morkel got it and lined at New Zealand’s 25.

NEW ZEALAND HARD PRESSED

A change of scene it was! This was the first time that the greens had put the blacks in a defensive position, or, indeed, crossed the half-way Hag. And on that, side they stayed; for at the end of about thirty minutes they were still plugging away at the black line. Great deeds were done in the mud, the green forwards getting the ball with a consistency which was galling to the home backs and to their sodden and muddled supporters.

GREAT FIGHTERS. Out into "the rain came the gladintons in a brand new set of jerseys, hut alack! and oh dear! they were soon as had as the worst. The solid phalanx of the green forwards went with unchcckahle ardour directly into the twenty-live they had hardly seen during the forty-five minutes of the first spell. The forwards came down upon Kingston, and a clever little mark by wing-tliree Siddells saved a rout. Greens pegged away, and at the end Of one memorable rush all the Springboks’ forwards went over the line together to lose the ball on Kingston’s very narrow force. Du I’lessis was taken on the much desired line, and only by holding him up was a fry prevented. Roberts floured Zeller, whom Meyer had despatched on what had the marks of a sure try, and within a yard of the All Blacks’ line the masses of brawn surged and struggled, Steel getting hold of the ball and lining at liis first flag out from danger.

AFRICA MAKES PLAT. An opener game was now being staged by the visitors, who did as they liked with the tight work. Gerald Morkel brought down the embankment and the stands when he side-stepped Steel and lined about, mid-field. Van Eooven fed a break through the black line, and later Mellish and Ellis went right to the desired crease, Fea running hack to force. Gerald Morkei was caught by Richardson, Fletcher, and McLean, and a line out came outside the green 25. Offside play gave a penalty which Nioholls could not lift in the air, so very had was the surface of the quagmuv. Individual blacks wore now appearing with the progress of the opener play, though no safe attempt could he made to set the blacks in motion. New Zealand’s winger was penalised and full-back Morkel sent the hail to Kingston, who lined in the visitors’ twenty-five, Moffitt and then Steel improving to the greens’ corner. The. spectators had now found their voices indeed, and the cheering was not checked until du Plessis took Feu’s pass to Steel and slopped through the water to line at half-way

VAN HEERDEN. Van Heerden excelled himself m jamming in his opponents, his pace, snappy line kicks, and anticipation of tlm ball leaking out from the mighty packs being of a very high order; and always was Gerald R. there to drive hack a defensive pant to the twentyfive, where the, forward West, later to go on the “Invincible” tour, collared like a man possessed; Richardson dash on to the hacks in nevertiring effort to bring play to midfield, and Roberts lined neatly and quickly to stem attacks that looked like the charges of wild elephants from the Afrikanders’ own hinterland forests. In the 25 remained these laurel crown hunters, and anxious were the moments. Half Miehau was held up just on the line. Mpstert opened a movement which came right to full-hack

Kingston. Van Heerden grub-kicked a ball to within, a yard of the New Zealand corner flag. And the line struggling that followed was immense! There never will be such a clash again; it was titanic: it was stupendous.

AFRICANS HANDLE WELL. Passing, too, in that slushy sea. aiichnu, Meyer, and Strauss handled right up to the goal mouth, and the kick that saved was returned by G. Morkel back to the 2-3 line. Later this full back had a shot at goal, but the effort resulted in the blacks getting hack to midfield after a half-hour’s agony of strain and suspense. It was cle Kock that sent the All Blacks scurrying back to defend their last stretch of ground, and nearly ten more dreadful minutes were to be spent in defending, by the sorely tried home forwards, who were packing as tightly as were the visitors, but who lacked the weight and, here and there, the mighty muscularity of the biggest lot of men that ever donned a Rugby jersey. Steel brought hope when lie got Teller and rooted over the half-way. But the blacks could not keep the game there. Just keep in mind that the green forwards had a monopoly ill the hall, and without the ball you • cannot initiate play. On went the attack, Kingston on one occasion marking a short but deadly punt after du Pies sis and Van Heerden had come into the open in front of the home goals'.

WHAT A DAY! And all tliis time not a break in the rain, which began not to abate but to increase its swirling sheets. Handling was almost miraculous, but men on each side were doing the seemingly impossible. With just about live minutes to go “Boy” Morkel brought the spectators’ hearts into their mouths, for he struggled over the New Zealand line witn the ball, but only to fall on to his back and lose his almost achieved try. Roberts snapped the ball away from, the helpless young giant and the All Blacks took a, 25 drop-out. During the- long, long sped—to some the longest in history—Gerald Morkel had been impenetrable, the ball coming to him with persistence to be lined well hack' to black ground. The line out (this was iu about the last seconds of spell one) led half Mioluiu and Meyer limited on receipt and forced New Zealand again. Tins punting was the greatest compliment that could have been paid to the deadly home backs. The last act of the first forty-five was Ifwerspn’s brilliant save when full-back Morkel had driven back the blacks to defence. No score.

THE SECOND SPELL. There surely can never come again such an interval between contests as the one between the spells in the cesspool of Athletic Park. Thousands were drenched to the skill, hundreds were mud from hat to shoe, and all were shocked, disappointed, dispirited, the only good tiling to the hulk of the crowd being the unbreakable defence against these ever-threatening green forwards, now, alas! almost undistinguished from the mud in which they wallowed in their closely knit scrum, line and ruck formations. The blacks looked blacker than ever, and only the driving rain that washed their faces made them distinguishable in feature; hoots, strides, jerseys, were caked with what seemed to be the mud of ages. A weary lot each pack appeared, but appearances are often deceptive, for the two sets of forwards played such a second spell as is seldom read of and is seldomer seen. But what was going to happen ; j

UNDER THE ROLLER

' And then occurred an incident which one man, the referee, Mr. A. E'. Neilson, of Wellington, will always remember. He got behind the New Zealand pack to spot handling in the scrum, and the two clumps of giants trod him down into the mud of the Park. The plucky gentleman recommenced after a breather, but the mud he carried with him was a sight. The Springboks continued to send, out forwards from the thick, and this time it was Van Rooyen whom Fea had to down. The blacks’ forwards took a hand, Strauss objecting and returning play to a throw-out near the New Zealand 25 flag. Van Heerden supported full Morkel, but the black forwards kept play in the visitors’ 25. This was after about thirty-five minutes’ play in the second spell. The Springboks were constantly on defence, but on defence of the kick and follow order, for the black pack could not mass drive the green eight. Gerald Morkel and Mich.uu .bath went for a catch and the bump they gave each other let the ball out at tlieir corner, but Van Heerden cleared to up-field, Kingston finding the line at half-way. Roberts got the ball from the line, and then M. Nieholls centred to the forwards, who rushed the ball over the Springboks’ line for G. Morkel to force.

AFRICA DEFENDS. Play was now continually within the visitors’ territory, the wind being with the home men. No effort, could break down the indomitable defence of the South Africans, and, although Van Heerden failed to hold the greasy ball just before full time, Meyer was on the spot and lined about half-way. The great match was over. Neither side could score, the defence being superb. The astonishment of the big crowd was great when the Springboks played right up to the very best wet ground traditions of New Zealand. And thus ended a match which has been mOre discussed than even the 1904-5 solitary 3 to nil defeat by Wales., h-v-Iv 1-4,., ,