BRIGHT FOOTBALL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23048, 27 May 1938, Page 5

BRIGHT FOOTBALL

SPRINGBOKS' ACHIEVEMENT CONVINCING NEW ZEALANDERS In the foreword of the book "South Africa's Greatest Springboks," written by J. E. Sacks, special correspondent ■with the team which toured New Zealand last season, P. J. Nel, captain of the side, says:— "It has been a privilege and an honour to captain such a team, who not only played football in the best traditions of the game, but also proved that bright football was not necessarily losing football. Undoubtedly the greatest feat on the field was to beat New Zealand in the rubber of test, matches —an achievement hitherto unknown. But an equally proud result was our success in convincing New Zealanders —in their own country—that there is no need to tinker with the rules or seek special amendments in order to make the game attractive. "The effects of that tour go much further, for the methods by which the Springboks achieved their very satisfying results should help to restore many of the former glories of the South African Rugby tradition. It is goodbye to dullness and safety-first methods. The results were achieved by the proper application of the fundamentals of the game plus highly developed team work. Honest scrummaging was the basis of our success, and I think the side proved that possession of the ball is still the biggest advantage in the game. Our intensive backing-up methods had their inspiration in the work of the New Zealanders who toured South Africa in 1928."