'ALL BLACKS’ WIN RICHLY DESERVED’

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6669, 24 July 1928, Page 9

'ALL BLACKS’ WIN RICHLY DESERVED’

FORWARD SUPERIORITY UNEXPECTED BLOT ON SPBINQBOK SdJTCHEON Special to Press Association. JOHANNESBURG!, July 22. , Commenting on the result of the second Test, Phil Mostert, captain of the Springboks, . said that the All Rlacks deserved their win. , j Their defence had been better than the South Africans’ defence, and ho regarded that as the reason, for the South African defeat. He said that the All Blacks had used the loose head in the scrum, and as a result they had got the ball more frequently.‘ The „..New - :/ Zealand forwards had played much better than they did in the'ilrst Test. M. Brownlie, captain of the New Zealanders, said: “I am glad we have won.- It was a line; match, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.” Mr. A. J. (“Sport”) Piennar, president of the Scuth African Rugby Board, said: .-, - '■ “Out forwards were singularly devoid of life, whereas the New Zealand pack played its best' game of the tour. That in a word is the key to the game. I think the result will do a tremendous amount of-good. The All Blacks deservedly won.” The Johannesburg “Sunday Times” states: , ' //.,; '‘ .

"The South Africans frittered away golden opportunities. The result of the match shattered all anticipations. "Before the match there seemed little chance that the mighty Springbok pack, generally acclaimed the best in the world to-day, would not again maintain its powerful yicc-liko grip on the game,, suffocating the most strenuous efforts of the opposing forwards.

"All those notions of the unapproachable superiority of the home pack came toppling, over the pedestal in yesterday's play. Particularly was it obvious that the New Zealanders were a power to be reckoned with 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 couM not begrudge the New Zealanders the win, which they rightly earned. ’ ’