ALL BLACKS BEATEN

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 4 June 1928, Page 5

ALL BLACKS BEATEN

COMBINED TOWN TEAMS WIN BY 7 TO 3 AFTER GAME FULL OF THRILLS A GRUELLING CONTEST (Special to Press Association.) CAPETOWN, June 2. New Zealand met one of the strongest sides they have to face outside the tests when they played the Western Province combined town team, and after a game full of thrills the All Blacks lost by 7 points to 3. Each side scored a try and the Africans also potted a goal. The keynote to the African side’s success was that they beat the New Zealand forwards for possession in the scrum by three to one. Theo Pineaar, who was captain of the Springboks team which toured New Zealand in'l92l, made an excellent referee.

The match 'took place on the Niewlands grouncl, which was in good condition, ami the attendance numbered 25,n0n. Losing the toss, tire vi'sihohs toad to play against;,the wind in,;the first half and were kept on the defence most of the time. Their backs showed much better form than on Wednesday, and the forward's put more vim into their play and more system into their work, but still there was something misJs'img. They were faT from exhibiting the forceful and smashing play that characterised the trial matches in Now Zealand'. On the other hand the side produced far better stopping power .than iin, those games, the big feature of the game being the rock-like defence against the great disadvantage, of the wind.

The province omen's strategy was to continually attack by a succession of clever and ..deadly accurate line kick's which, trader the rules as played in Africa, continually forced the defenders back, but would not be nearly so effective under the New Zealand system. In this sort of work Bennie Osier, whose

iKwrre must have ‘bworac well known in Now Zealand iby the frequent references to his- capabilities, and who may be ealic'd South Africa's Cooke, stood out ipromi'neu'tly. Notwithstanding the gruelling they were subjected to, the first score- ratal e to the. All Blacks. About three minutes before 'the end of the first half they started a- desperate sortie, the backs and forwards carving their way through the defence and completely smashing their opponents. From a tangled knot of plunging men Stewart, shot the .ball to Johnson, who cut in brilliantly and passed on t : o Scrimshaw. The wing-forward crossed the line, tout failed to touch clown and lost the toall. Nicholls, however, bad followed up closely and in a headlong race got there first, and secured the toall just at the corner. His kick at goal was not successful. All Blacks 3 Combined Clubs 0 Immediately afterwards what should have toeen a certain trv was lost

through Carleton dropping the final pass after a brilliant movement by the backs had made an opening. The first spell, then ended.

Straightway upon resuming the province .dnis'tufuhed a strong attack and forced their way close to the line. There Ward made the unpardonable blunder of allowing a penalty by offside play almost under the goal post's, but most' fortunately for New Zealand Osier’s' kick hit the upright. This did not matter much for a scrum followed five yards out and, in the attempt to clear the ball was kicked into Rousseau’s hands and 'he dropped a goal amid the wild enthusiasm of the (spectator s.» Combined Clubs 4 All Blacks 3 Prom a line-out Dailey sent his .backs away in their 'best movement of the day, Which ended in Grensidc being pushed out nea'r the corner after a sparkling run. By the time, however, that the spell was half through the All Blacks appeared to be done, the result

either of their severe •experience- in the first, spell or of the peculiar qualities of the air, which have a strong effect on strangers to it and are -stated to he much worse on the high land of the- interior.

Once again the province forced the pa'ce and, obtaining possession from the scrums, the backs were set a;t liberty to indulge- in a. series' of 'brilliant rushes, though only one succeeded. Westh.uizen, the centre .three-quartet, cut in cleverly and passed to Pineaar. The latter stated off on a shattering run, mowing down cv-cry tackier and landing over the line at the corner. No goal Wa s kicked. Combined Clubs .. i 7 All Blacks 3 Li-liburne, the New Zealand full-back, was laid out in trying to stop Pineaar, but recovered after attention. There was no further score by the time the whistle went and the game -ended— Combined Clubs 7 All Blacks ... . . 3