POPULAR SPRINGBOKS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 198, 22 July 1937, Page 6

POPULAR SPRINGBOKS

KEEN TO SEE COUNTRY. INCIDENTS ON CROSSING. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, July 21. ’ Tlie majority of the Springboks are looking forward to seeing something of New Zealand life other than that to be glimpsed on footbtll fields and at official receptions. Several of • them whose interests are in farming and the marketing of agricultural products are keen to see country districts and, although a rigid “colour line” is drawn in South Africa, practically all players are eager to meet the Maoris, both on and off the football field.

Til meeting tlie Springboks the first thing one notices is not their physique, but their speech. Many of them are obviously more at home in their gutteral Afrikaans than they are in English, and several of the players of Dutch extraction speak with a marked accent. This accent is even slightly noticeable in the pleasing and cultured speech of tlie captain, Philip Nel. On board the ship the Springboks were universally popular, and they mixed and chatted freely with the passengers. They were fortunate in having a perfectly calm trip across the Tasman, but they did not indulge in any training on board, preferring to have three days of rest after their arduous travelling in Australia. However, the voyage to New Zealand was not without its incidents. When the team left South Africa, two of its tnenthers, G. L. Van Reonen and W. E. Bastard, sported moustaches. The other players protested against this facial adornment, and Van Roenen, apparently realising that discretion was the bettor part of valour, removed his moustache when tlie team was on its way to Australia. His companion, however, refused to bo intimidated, but on Tuesday night before the ship reached Auckland, a group of laughing Springboks gathered round the Natal forward in his cabin and, with the aid of a specially-prepared razor, removed half his moustache. There was nothing left for the victim but to complete the job. and now the Springboks arc all cleanshaven)

Another point of interest concerned the gastronomic prowess of A. D. Lawton, champion ’ enter in a team of hearty trenchermen. To the surprise of his team mates, Lawton did not appear for dinner on board the ship on Tuesday evening. He did not complain of sea sickness and the opinion was hazarded that he was training to surprise the hotel staff on the occasion of his first New Zealand meal. Among those who welcomed the Springboks to day were F. W. Lucas, a former All Black, and Iris elder brother, A. A. Lucas, a member of the New Zealand Army team which toured South Africa. They were talking football with “Gerry” Brand, tlie famous Springbok full-back, and “Snowy” Lucas recalled an incident in a game which the Army team played at Newlauds in 1919. Brand’s eyes lit up; “I was playing in the schoolboys’ curtainraiser to your game,” he saidi Brand is one of the stars of the team and a player who enjoys his football. He was taken to task in Brisbane for continued line kicking, but he states definitely that he does not play to close the game up. He kicks for the line to save his heavy forwards from aimless chasing up and down the field. WARM WELCOME GIVEN. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND. July 21. A crowded audience greeted the Springboks at the Town Hall. A warm welcome was expressed by the deputyMavor, Hon. W. Lee Martin and Mr W. T. Anderton, M.P. (representing tlie Government); Mr T. McNab. M,avor of Mt. Eden, representing local bodies; Mr T. M. Meredith, president of tlie New Zealand' Rugbv Union, and Mr Harry Frost, president of the Auckland Union. .. Replying, the manager of the Springboks (Mr D. Day) expressed thanks for the great welcome.