The Potchefstroom Game

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 200, 7 August 1928, Page 3

The Potchefstroom Game

All Blacks Beat W. Transvaal Many Chances Go Astray Curious Mistake About a “Try” “As in their last two games—against Orange Free State and Transvaal (the second match) —the All Blacks were not confronted in the match against Western Transvaal with a really difficult task. During the whole of the first half they were never made to scrummage in dead earnest, and they were thus allowed to develop the game on the lines which suit them best.” So wrote Mr. F. M. Howard in his account of the Western Transvaal v All Blacks match at Potchefstroom on June 20. The All Blacks won by 19 points to eight.

“The visitors wen 17 scrums to Western Transvaal’s eight in the first spell, and as their advantages at the line-out also was 20—7, the ball was very often among the New Zealand backs,” continues Mr Howard. “Nicholls, moreover, playing first five-eighths, was in quite his best form all the time and clearly the outstanding back on the field, while Kilby was very little troubled by the attentions of his opposite member on the Transvaal side. That in such eminently favourable circumstances the All Blacks onlv scored three times up to half-time does not indicate really great combined attacking powers. “Indeed, taking the game as a whole, I cannot help feeling that a really good and fast British or South African back division attacking on more orthodox lines would have run up a total of 30 points under similarly favourable circumstances. We saw a very great deal of juggling with the ball with, more often than not, very little accomplished at the end of it. The truth is that the handling of some of the All Blacks was far from accurate, and that too many of them hardlv seemed to put their heart and soul into the game, nor to keen the goal of their efforts sufficiently in view. About the Refereeing, “It is only fair to both sides to state that the tackling and marking of the home team, except their work round the scrums, were really good and most determined. Added to this. Mr.' Du Plessis (one of the 1921

Springboks) did not miss the smallest forward pass, were it only a case ot inches That, of course, is as it should be, and I merely mention the matter because the referee in this match was more eagle-eyed in this direction than any who have so far taken charge of the various All Black matches. The main point is that there were, far too many mulled passes on the part of the All Blacks, sometimes because badly given, more often because the taker was at fault. Strang, playing in an accustomed place at second five-eighths, and behind a partner strange to him in Nicholls, was particularly at fault in this respect, especially during the first half. “Sheen, at centre, also was a little, if less, uncertain in his handling. But his great fault, again mainly before the interval, was in holding on far too long, with the wind ready to take his pass and almost invariably getting himself smothered for his pains. I counted seven occasions during this half on which a really promising movement, with quite a possible try at the end of, was brought to a standstill in this fashion. “Rushbrook was the sufferer m practically every instance, and as he was running with fine determination, when he did get the ball, it seemed doubly a pity that he should so often be denied a chance of showing his pace. Strang and Sheen were by no means the only culprits in this stultifying so many of the numerous All Black attacking movements. The general impression that they created

was that there was far too much fiddling about and not enough netting on with it.

Try Disallowed. ‘ ‘They will probably havo felt somewhat hardly treated by fate in that they did not get another goal. A fine 50-yard breakaway some fifteen minutes after half-time by Snow, Finlayson and Stewart, which the Western Transvaal defence did their level best to stop, ended in a try scored under the. posts by Stewart. The referee indicated a try in the usual manner by standing on the scoring spot and pointing infield. But then he discovered that the Western Transvaal touch judge was signalling a touch just about where the successful breakaway had originated, and so the try was called off and a line-out ordered near halfway. The fairness of the decision is, of course, not in question, but it must have been a somewhat galling experience for the All Blacks. Details of Play.

“The scoring of the first try, following a long spell of New Zealand offensive, came after 22 minutes’ play. A beautiful break and turn-in by Nicholls, from whom Strang dropped a pass, led up to a scrum 15 yards from the home side. The visitors heeled and the ball was whipped out very quickly from hand to hand to Lucas, who ran in easily for the try. Strang narrowly missed the kick at goal. “Eleven minutes later, with the All Blacks still firmly camped in their opponents’ half. Kilby broke from a scrum. Nicholls and Sheen also handled, then the ball went to a crowd of New Zealand forwards, Hore being the one to obtain the try. Nicholls failed with the kick. “A great breakaway by Kilby led up to the third All Black try. From the ensuing scrum, close to the line, Kilbv and Morrie Brownlie went away on the blind side, the latter getting over in the corner. Strang’s kick failed a couple of minutes before the interval. “The ball later went loose and Lucas seized it. then, throwing a long pass infield from which first Morrie Brownlie and then Alley gained ground, the latter finished ur with a try under the posts. Nicholls kicked the easy goal. “There was no further scoring until the twenty-ninth minute. Then, with the New Zealand scrum penalised 40. yards out, de Wet landed a great goal. A few minutes later he very nearly repeated the performance with a penalty kick given against Morrie Brownlie. The ball hit the cross-bar but rebounded into play. “The All Blacks returned to the attack, and from a pick-up in the loose near the right touch-line, Morrie Brownlie started a fine movement, Cyril Brownlie, Strang, and Sheen carried it on, and finally gave Lucas a clear run in with the defence well beaten. Lucas finished up behind the posts, and again Nicholls failed to get the major points. “Just on time a Transvaal forward rush took play into the New Zealand half. Then the home side started a quick passing movement to the right. Rostma and de Wet, who came up in support, cut into the centre, and Hesse was just enabled to score in the corner. With a magnificent kick de Wet converted the try and the final whistle wept immediately after.