BY ONE POINT

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 23 July 1928, Page 7

BY ONE POINT

ALL BLACKS WIN SECOND TEST . MATCH A TITANIC STRUGGLE SOUTH AFRICANS BEATEN AT OWN GAME (Special to Press Association.) JOHANNESBURG, July 21. Famous Ellis Park was crammed to capacity to-day by a crowd of 40,000 when New Zealand beat South Africa by 7 (a, penalty goal and a dropped goal) to 6 (a goal from a mark and a penalty goal) after a, desperate battle, in which New Zealand had the better of the game. Everything favoured the players, for the ground was in excellent condition and the day was perfect for Rugby. The New Zealanders deserved their win, for they were /unquestionably the better side on the day. Although there were only flashes of international Rugby, the match was a titanic struggle in which the pace of the New Zealanders gradually wore down the Springboks until, for a long time in the second spell, the All Blacks dominated the play. The most amazing feature of the match was the transformation of the New Zealand scrum. Playing Stewart as loose head did not make any real advantage, for the Springboks got two to one possession from the scrums, but the all-round display of the New Zealand forwards was convincing and encouraging. They played with skill, method, cohesion and design. Their new tactics, practised for the past week, and their determination in scrummaging were eventually too much for the South Africans.

Brownlie won the toss and Bennie Osier kicked off for South Africa 1 , who were .playing with a strong; sun in their eyes. From a serum one of Osier’s deadly line-kicks put the Springboks on the attack. In the corner there was a series of determined scrums in which the All Blacks showed a vast improvement. One of the backs attempted to clear the line with a kick into touch, but Brand cook t'he ball and made a dangerous dash for the corner, where hi: was pushed out on the flag. A penalty against Devine for pickingout of the scrum allowed Lindsay to find touch past the twenty-five line. The Springbok backs then starred a beautiful passing movement from a scrum, at the end of which Brand centred accurately, bu't Van der Westhgen. knocked the ball on when ho wa3 under the posts. South Africa heeled the ball from the following scrum, but. the backs lost control and Uazlett, rushing through, cleared -with a good kick. There was ominous hooting hrnong, the crowd when Tod was laid out temporarily, but detail's of the incident could not be seen from the Press stand. Fierce battling among the forwards followed In mid-field. The .Springboks first points came a minute later, whenMostcrt took a mark near half-way and dropped a great goal. South Africa 3 New Zealand 0 The New Zealand backs started a concerted movement, but Strang dropped his pass, Carleton clearing .just in time. A penalty for lifting in the scrum was awarded the Springboks in the centre of the ground's, and New

Zealand had a narrow escape, for Brand got in a splendid drop-kick. which, luckily for the AH Blacks, hit the posts. New Zealand Cleared their quarters and from then onwards started to show their quality, the forwards at last holding the Springboks in the scrums. The 'South African backs, however, (were .also on their game, breaking clean through the New Zen- 1 land three-quarter line. TERRIFIC FORWARD BATTLE Van der Westhgen made a brilliant run until he wa's solidly grassed' by Lindsay. The backs made things merry with two more runs. In a third, Strang let them through with a weak attempt at a tackle, .and only Linosay ’s safe collaring saved a dangerous position. There was a spell of terrific forward »battling till, from a scrum, Dailey sent his backs away in a sparkling mi.vement that went to Africa’s twentyfive. ‘ Open bu't. dangerous passing by the New Zealanders let rho Springbok forwards clear. [Back went the All Black forwards, and they stormed the Springbok line for a time, but the defence was always sound and cventiially a kick by Van Drnten made ground for them. There was a spell of hard but ragged play which resulted in the Springboks being penalised for lifting in the scrum, and Lindsay landed a great goal from the side line twentyfive yards' out, and made the scores: New Zealand 3 South Africa 3 The opening of the second spell Was characterised by three good line-kicks by Osier, which put the Springboks in a handy position. Devine 'sent the backs away in a good movement, and Brand kicked well down the line. In attempting to clear Lindsay kicked the ball into the arms of Va'n Drnten, who had ample time to take a pot. at goal but failed With the kick, which fell short. The New Zealand forwards then started to play up to something like All .Black standard and the backs got moving in better style. First Strang and then Dailey cut clean through the defence, but their passes went astray •on both occasions. 'Slowly the Springbok forwards worked down the field. A New Zealand forward was p:• .•'.Vised for lying on the ball .at the twenty-five

yards line,, ant Osier kicke l a goal, making the scores: Soulth Africa (J New Zealand »3 In a fierce forward battle that raged on the New Zealand line a minute later Hadley’s shoulder was badly injured, but he kept on after receiving attention. A fine combined movement by the New Zealand forwards and a splendid kick by Johnson put (the •S.pringboAs in a desperate pos : t> >n but'when the New Zealand backs got moving Johnson spoiled it all by a poor short kick which allowed Brand to drive the ball out at half-way. For taking the ball out of the serum, Devine was'penalised and Lindsay made a fine attempt at goal, only just missing. NEW ZEALAND TAKE COMMAND. The, New Zealanders wero having all the better of the play at this stage, tne forwards packing with better effect. Several runs by the New Zealand backs looked dangerous, but the defence held good. Whipping the ball away from the scrum, Dailey started the backs going again. When Strang got possession, he took a snap'.for goal, the bail sailing fairly between the posts. New Zealand 7 South Africa 6 This reverse put the Springboks 'on their mettle and they Started an effort to pull the game out of the fire. Abandoning their tight .scrum theory they began to open up the game, the backs throwing the ball about in All Blacks’ style. Tod, in spite of an injured an-

kle, ma.de a great dash down the line ■and short-punted over Lindsay’s head, but Carleton chine <ieross and secured the balk The effort* petered out, and the 'Springboks were obviously now a beaten side. Their backs lost their fire and were merely running across, the field, gaining no ground. The final whistle sounded with New Zealand still finely on the attack. NOTES ON THE GAME. In keeping with ctie tension of the crowd the play on both sides alternated from good to effete. S'rang,’s clever dropped goal was actually paradoxical, for he was the weak link in the c'hain ■of backs; yet he won the match and so brought it about that the Springboks were beaten at their own game. New Zealand’s win in the second test should be the turning point in the tour, for with the adoption of solid scrummaging, which is so essential in Soultli Africa, they have found liicy can more than hold their own. Nothing was so arresting as the .pace and ability of tke New Zealand forwards. The ball was never too fast and the prospect never too forlorn for them to pursue. The Springboks were only a shadow of the team they were in the first rest. Once again it was a case of a team playing 'only as well as it was allowed to play. Lindsay played another fine game, saving his side in many serious positions. The back line was erratic, faulty handling and bad passing being too prominent, but there were also some sparkling movements. Da’icy was always sound and at times brilliant. Johnson and Strang were patchy. The three-quarter line, especially Carleton, was splendid in defence, but in attack was always under suspicion. It would be unfair to single out one forward, so hard did the whole el gut work. .'Swain, Hadley, FinTayson and McWilliams wore always in the limelight, and Alley, Hazlett, .Stewart and Brownlie were battlers every inch of the why. Even with the ligaments of his shoulder torn, Hadley still played a fine game. The 'South African backs did their usual amount of kicking, especially Osier, but when they started to open up the game their movements were sur-

prisingly' ineffective, for they simply ran across the field. Tlie newcomers, Brand and Dolyie, showed their capabilities as individualists. Van der West'hgen was easily the best Springbok back. There seemed to be little understanding behind the scrum between Devine and Bennie Os'ler. The forwards were triers all the way, with Mostert. Van Druten, Pretorius and Kruger .as the shining lights. Harvey showed a big improvement to-day, and is quickly recovering from hi s relapse. Kilby came up from a private hospital in Kimberley for the match. Ills ankle is in .plaster and he is walking on crutches. The. break is •mending quickly, but he, will be unable to play for flic re'st of the tour.

DESERVED THEIR WTN. OPINIONS ON SECOND TEST. REASON'S FOR SOUTH AFRICANS’ DEFEAT. ('Special to Press Association.) Received 10.5 a.in. to-day. JOHANNESBURG, July 22. Phil Mosteflt, the Springbok captain, said that the All Blacks deserved their win. Their defence had been better than the ’South African defence., lie regarded that as the reas'on for the South Africans’ defeat. He said that the All Blacks Wad used the loose head in the scrum and as a result had got the ball more frequently. The New' Zealand forwards 'had played much better than they did in the First Test. Maurice Brownlie said: “I am gllad we have won; it was a fine match and we thoroughly enjoyed it.” Mr A. J. Sport Pienaar, president of the South African Rugby Union, said: “'Our forward’s were singularly devoid of life, whereas the New Zealand pack played the best (game of the tour. That, in >a word, is the key to the game. I think the result will do an enormous amount of go’od. T'he All Blacks deservedly won.”

POWER TO BE RECKONED WITH. Thje Johannesburg “'Sunday Times’’ says: ‘ ‘ South African's frittered away golden opportunities and the result shattered all anticipations. Before the match there seemed' to be little chance that the- mighty Springboks’ pack, generally accalimed a's the best in the world to-day, would not once again maintain its powerful vicelike grip on the game, suffocating the most strenuous efforts of the opposing forwards. All these notions of unapproachable superiority of the home pack 'came toppling off the pedestal. From yesterday’s play particularly was i't obvious that the New Zealanders were a power to be reckoned .with. This Wa!s especially noticeable in the first twenty minutes of the second half. Taking, .all the varying fortunes of the game into consideration, even the most ardent South African enthusiasts could not begrudge the New Zealanders of their win, which they Wad rightly earned.” MATCHES PLAYED. v. Combined Western Province; won 'll—3l v. Combined Capetown Clubs; lost 3—7. v. Griqualand West; won 19—10. v. Transvaal; lost o—6. v 'Orange Free State; won 20—0. v. Transvaal; won a —o. v. Western Transvaal; won 19 —S. v. Natal; won 31 —3, v. South AI riot (First Test); lost. o—l 7. v. Northern Districts; drawn, IS all. v. Rhodesia; won 44 —8. v. .South Africa (Second Test); won 7—o. TO BE PLAYED. July 25—v. Pretoria Districts, at Pretoria. July £8 —v. Orange Free 'State, •njt Bloemfontein. August I—v. North-Eastern District's, at Burghetsdorp. August 4 —v. Border, at East London. August S—v. Border, «t KingWillinmstown. August 11—v. Eastern Province, at Port. Elizabeth. August IS —v. South Africa (Third Test), at Port Elizabeth. August 22—v. South-Western Districts, at Oudtslioorn. August 25—v. Western Province, at Capetown. September I—v.1 —v. South Afriea (Fourth Test), at Capetown.