ALL BLACKS' PROSPECTS

NZ Truth, Issue 1152, 29 December 1927, Page 12

ALL BLACKS' PROSPECTS

South African Players Who Will Oppose The Tourists

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special South African Correspondent)

TN the series of articles written to date for "N.Z. Truth" on the All Blacks' visit to South Africa, the general aspects of the tour have been dealt with. The time has nov/ arrived to tell you something of the playing 1 prospects of the games.

NO previous Rugfoy tour has so stirred the imagination of the robust

young manhood of the two countries or so intrigued the minds of veteran followers of the game.

And well it migrht, for the coming series of matches may be regarded as not -only a test of playing 1 merit, but also a test of methods.

While New Zealand Rugby stands for most of the. modern innovations in the game, South Africa has remained staunch to the orthodox and the leaders of the game in both countries are convinced that their methods are the best. New Zealanders, with their overseas experience in mind, pin their confidence in the wedge formation of seven forwards, which gives them an extra man in the back division, while 'South Africa adopts the 3-3-2 formation as distinct from the British 3-2-3 method. When the last Springbok team toured New Zealand the side was fearful of the All Blacks' scrummaging methods and adopted various means of try-

against the All Blacks and moreover is one of the clearest-thinking of footballers, has definitely expressed the opinion that the 3-3-2 formation is preferable to the 3-2-3 and the 2-3-2 formation.

He states that its solidarity and the wedge-like application of the shove cannot be gainsaid, while for wheeling and breaking it has distinct advantages, inasmuch as the flank men are nearer to the opposition and 'better able to break up quickly.

■■ Also it is wider in the centre, where the greatest width is needed, and, moreover, there is only one man not applying his shove 'with both shoulders, whereas, in the 3-2-3 formation, there are two men thus situated. Perhaps it will be best to agree • to differ about the scrummaging methods of the tvyo countries, The personnel of the New Zealand team, containing a backbone of the players who were members of the allconquering side of 1924 and who have preserved their form, inspires justifiable pride and confidence, but the [South African side will mainly con-