Mighty Foemen of the Veldt TRANSVAALERS A FINE SIDE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6631, 9 June 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

Mighty Foemen of the Veldt TRANSVAALERS A FINE SIDE

(By "PONTY.”)

... Unbeaten iy Last Three BvitishTearns ...Kruger Still a Champion Forward

Although 4hc Capetown clubs—including the ’VarsitieS (Stellenboscn and the "Sacs”—South African College, Capetown,)—practically constitute the renowned Western Province side, Transvaal will be in the initial Currie Cup fifteen to go into action against the 1928 All Blacks. The clash is timed for this afternoon at the Wanderers’ ground, Johanesburg. Up to the series of inter-provincial engagements from which the 1921 Springboks wore evolved, Transvaal’s name was third on the South African Eugby holl of honour, the figures since the institution of the Currie Cup in 1898 reading:

There was a big drop to Eastern Province, with 24 successes in 65 games (36 lost and 5 drawn).

Since the war, however, the Transvaalora have usurped the Griqua’s’ place as runners-up to Westerns.

Transvaal has never won the Currie Cup, though Griqualand’s namo appears twice at- tho head of the championship table (1899 and 1911). Western Province and Transvhal did not compete in 1899 (eve of tho Boer war), but in 1911 Griqualand fairly, and squarely beat Westerns on the latter’s own ground at Newlands. In 1921, in a series from which the Springboks to tour the Antipodes were chosen. Transvaal and Western Province played off at Newlands, tho match being abandoned owing to the atrocious weafher, ton minutes after the interval, neither side having scored. Transvaal, however, had had Western Province in difficulties, and the general opinion is Transvaal would have won had tho game been played out. In the 1927 tourney (which is now an annual one, divided into two divisions owing to the increasing number of teams), Transvaal and Westerns were again finalists, the Cape side proving victorious. Wuu the exceptions quoted Western Province has been the winner of every Currie Cup tourney since its inception in 1889. Hawke’s Bay and Auckland’s Ranfurly Shield glories fudo when compared with such prodigious performances.

If further evidence of the calibre of tho Transvaalers be required it is only necessary to state that such stalwarts as do Villiers (full-back), “Boy” Morkel (skipper), Kruger, Van Kooycn, Ellis, and “Baby” Michau (forwards), of the 1921 Springboks in New Zealand camo from “over the river.” “Boy” Merkel by the way has had the Transvaalers in camp training for three days for this afternoon’s' clash. “Greek Meets Greek.’’ Such was tho double-column caption to the N.Z. Army-Transvaal game play od on August 23, .1919, at Jo’burg. It was the tenth match of tho tour of the King’s Cup victors, Griqualand West being the only side up to that date to lower tho Southern Cross. There had been three previous Army flutters in the province, the New Zealanders having defeated Witwatersrand (6 —0), Mines((23),4 —3), and Pretoria (5 —4). In the course of the trek tho All Blacks encountered mighty antagonists like Douglas Morkel (the mighty goalkick of tho 1906 and 1912 Springboks in Britain); Jan Luyt, Joo Francis, E. E. Louw, and E. H. Shun (all of the 1912 Springboks); G. W. van Kooycn, and L Kruger (1921 Springboks). Although tho last-named and Louw played in tho Test, tho man with the greatest reputation was Transvaal’s skipper, Ernie Kiordan, who had learned a few lessons playing against the Army for the Mines a week earlier, and in the King’s Cup series at Twickenham Jive months previously. That Kiordan proved a master tactician (in arranging his pack so that tho fast followers could break away and do the spoiling, and making good use of the extra back) is revealed by the following brief sketch of tho encounter. Transvaal * pts J...Z. Tactics.

A single try, goaled by that superkickcr Stohr, from far out, was all that the New Zealanders could do to those fine young athletes who represented the Transvaal. But the Army citadel was impregnable. The Transvaal orthodox passing bouts went to pieces against the studied back formation adopted by Now Zealand. And the only replying points were three for a penalty goal. “But the truly remarkable feature of the game, a tribute to the visitors of no mean order, was the fact that Transvaal adopted the New Zealand system. It must have been a great surprise to the All Blacks, as well as to the Band Kugbyitcs, to see Kiordan and Louw making the front line, and the Transvaal scrum going down 2—3—2. The Transvaalers varied this later with the 3—l formation invented by Wales, with Joffio as one of the wingers. All the time Transvaal’s eighth forward— Trubclhoru, of the Pirates —was playing our. of tho scrum, on the lines of the ‘wing-forward’ game, which Snowy Lucas (brother of Freddie with the 1928 All Blacks) demonstrated to such perfection on tho previous Saturday against Mines. So Lucas was marked and for long it was a ding-dong battle for the chances. Tho story of this department of play was that as tho Transvaalcr faded away tho New Zealander came into his own, and Snowy was going great guns when the game was drawing to a close.”

Never has the battle of styles raged so fiercely as in the period following the 1905 All Blacks’ visit to Britain, the New Zealand Armies ’ tour of South Africa in 1919, and the 1921 Springboks trek to the Antipodes. What a lovely position if Transvaal still apes the Now Zealand formation to-day and the All Blacks plays (as they did at Kimberley on Wednesday last) four and threes and a trio in the front row of the scrum. New Zealand Concedes One Back There was a somewhat similar happening in this match as in the New Zealand Waterloo'at Kimberley a fortnight earlier. In the Griqualand flutter the Army full-back, Henry, was injured so badly half-way through the spell that he had to leave the field, Army thenceforth carrying on with forteon men Griqualand, however scored an unconverted try in the first three minutes’ play. A converted try followed after Henry’s retirement. Now Zealand’s only score was a penalty goal by Hazell in the second spell and the inter-service champions were vanquished, B—3. In the Transvaal engagement a gruelling first half ended minus a scorn The All Blacks rang on five points early next spell (try by Beilis, converted by Stohr), then "Moke” was so badly injured that he had to be carried off and did not play again until the Western Province debacle, a fortnight later. After Beilis left the field, Clark (Pretoria), rang on a penalty goal, and the game ended: New Zealand Army 5 Transvaal 3 "Straining at the Leash.”

The sting in the reviewer’s summary was this paragraph:—“Tho initiative of the Transvaal backs was not to be compared with that of the visitors. De Wet (wing threo-quarter), never had a chance with our straight passing, and such efforts were child's play against a team of old soldiers (unquotedl). On tho other hand the versatility of the visitors’ system enabled one try to be scored and another went begging when a final pass went astray when tho defence had been drawn. It is now up to tho Transvaal to lead South Africa in adopting tho New Zealand style and developing its many possibilities, because we have the young bloods who can use it to advantage. The extra man out of tho scrum should become an institution.

Tho referee was none other than Lieut. A. F. Marsburg, the 1906 Springbok custodian, given the palm by ail Great Britain’s critics as the gamcst full-back ever to don a jersey. Tho 1928 All Blacks will meet many compatriots on the Band. Better known among them are Major H. P. Tuckey (South Africon Constubalary), Messrs. Bert Avery (New Zealand Government tourist agent at Johannesburg), and Jack Stohr, returned to Africa subsequent to coming home to Taranaki with his comrades-in-arms. He is now a noted golfer. Last, but not least, perhaps the most interesting personality at tho Wanderers to-day will be Kruger, wih whom the All Blacks are likely enough to rub shoulders again in the South African Test matches. Britishers Thrice Bite Dust. Maclagan’s 1891 pioneer international touring aido did not meet thei full strength of Transvaal; but, as that British team won its nineteen games by 222 points to 3 (a goal in tho opening match at Capetown), it is not likely that Transvaalers could have turned the tide of its success. Besides country and town (Pretoria and Johannesburg), were soundly trounced in separate matches. To those New Zealanders who: (1) Consistently ignore the lessons of the 1921 Springbok tour of this Dominion: (2) measure the standard of international Rugby by such games as the last North v South match in which —by tho irony of fate (as All Blacks were being chosen on its strength)—6l points (South 31, North 30), were scored; and (3) can find no antidote for the bug of “unbeaten records,’’ there is further food for reflection in the appended figures, demonstrating, as they do, that a province (only) that has not suifored defeat in any of its five encounters, since 1896, with British fifteens, is worthy steel for even New Zealand internationals: —•

Transvaal Jest to 1896 Britishers, 3—16 and 5—16; beat 1903 Britishers, 12—3 and 14 —4- beat 1910 Bn tillers, 27—S, and 13—6- drew lOtJi 1924 Britishers, 12—12. As on the 1903 and 1910 British tours Transvaal meets the visitors twice, the All Blacks playing Kruger and Co. again on Saturday next on the same field. Other potential 1928 Test Springboks in the Transvaal arc: J. Prinsloo (wing three-quarter); B. SiefE (flyhalf); J. Devine (scrum-half), Dr. J. van Druten (foward). After Transvaals record against Britis As a second defeat so early in the tour will be disastrous we can only hope that, tho result will be tho same as that of the corresponding game (fourth) on the programme of the 1921 Springboks—a defeat for tho side that was a “moral” to beat the tourists.

P. W. L. JJ. Western Province 70 65 3 3 Griqualand West 70 49 18 6 Transvaal 69 43 20 6