Hard' To Equal Phil Nel's Winning S.A. Rugby Side

Northern Advocate, 5 June 1947, Page 4

Hard' To Equal Phil Nel's Winning S.A. Rugby Side

“IT is not yet known what steps the South African Board is going to take to make 1947 a real year of preparation, but they will presumably not leave the matter to ‘friendlies’ arranged in a hit-or-miss method,” states a South African sports writer, David Marquard, in an article in which he chooses the next Springbok side. “New Zealanders are probably going through an exactly similar process to the one we are experiencing. That is one comfort; but we know how thorough they are there, so don’t let them catch us bending.”

Marquard heads his article. “This is the team I would, pick to meet the All Blacks,” and his selections, which may be interesting in the light of future events, are:—

there has never since been a centre like Japie Krige, a winger like- Bob Loubser, or a fullback like Marsburg. “It is no good quoting to him names like Albertyn or Lochner in centre. Jock van Niekerk or Zeller on the wing or Gerhard Morkel or Gerry Brand at fullback —he will just laugh at you.” To illustrate his argument that South African Rugby is going through a particularly lean period, Marquard takes two positions—fullback and scrum-half—and' compares the possible candidates with the men who occupied those positions on the last New Zealand tour.

Fullback, G. Smith (Eastern Province) or Dahms (Transvaal). Wings: Anderson (Griquas) and van Niekerk (Western Province). Centres: De Villiers (Northerns) and Duvenage (Griquas). Fly-half: Harvey (E.P.) Scrum-half: F. du Toit (Northerns). Forwards: Scrooby (Transvaal), Lotz (Transvaal, captain), Wilken (Griquas), Fry (W.P.), Bredell (Boland), Alberts Transvaal), H. Morkel (W.P.), or Spengler (Northerns), Muller tW.P.). ARMCHAIR CRITICS Armchair critics are legion in every sport, and when a representative team has to be chosen there are plenty of people who rate their knowledge of the game and the players above that of the appointed selectors. It will be the same in New Zealand and South Africa when the time comes to consider the selection of players for the 1948 Rugby international clashes.

In New Zealand Gerry Brand was an automatic first choice for the fullback position with Fred Turner as a reserve, writes Marquard, who reviews the form of the three best men available on the form shown during the recent season. BRAND AT HIS BEST “But can any of them compare with Gerry Brand at his best?” he asks. “Danie Craven, who astounded the New Zealanders with his dive pass; and Pierre de Villiers that will-o’-the-wisp of a scrum-half —have we anybody as good offering? “My point is not that these men I have mentioned are unworthy of the green jersey or that our next national fifteen is going to consist of mediocrities; but I do maintain that there are few ready-made, or heaven-sent, players who will walk into their places and fill them as adequately as Gerry Brand, Danie Craven, Tony Harris, or Louis Babrow did.” Discussing the composition of the pack, Marquard points out that four of South Africa’s touring captains— Paul Roos, Billy Millar, Theo Pienaar, and Philip Nel, were forwards, and only one Bennie Osier a threequarter.

Whatever the choice of the selectors there will be murmurings and countersuggestions from a thousand knowledgeable persons who know better. Scores of them will rush into print, though without any hope that their selections will cause anything but discussions among their fellow experts. “Team-picking is always interesting, especially from an armchair, when your side is never to be seen in action,” writes Marquard. Commenting on the winter’s series of inter-provincial Currie Cup games as'bn indication of what talent will be available to meet the All Blacks. Marquard thinks that South Africa has a long row to hoe before it can field a team which will measure up to Philip Nel’s side which gained the decision over our formidable opponents in Ne.w Zealand. THE OliD DAYS “I know, of course, that there is always a tendency -to think that the players in any form of sport are not what they were 10 or 20 years ago. “Talk to anyone who saw the 1906 Springboks—the first Rugby side to leave our shores —and he will, say that