THE SPRINGBOKS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23220, 18 June 1937, Page 9

THE SPRINGBOKS

ARRIVAL IN SYDNEY

FIRST BIG MATCH TO-MORROW THE TEAM ANNOUNCED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) SYDNEY, June 17. (Received June 18, at 0.15 a.m.) The Springboks, who were delighted to reach Sydney to-day, were tendered a reception by various sporting bodies. They paid a call on the governor, Lord Wakehurst. Tonight they were officially welcomed by the New South Wales Rugby Union and the gathering was most convivial. The team was greatly impressed with the Sydney Cricket Ground, where the players indulged in solid training for Saturday's match against New South Wales. A feature of trie training was the brilliant goal kicking of the full-back, Brand, who drop-kicked several goals from halfway. Among the 29 members are a huge iron-jawed man with cauliflower ears and other scars earned in innumerable battles on the Rugby field, and fresh-ffcced youths, wideeyed with interest at visiting a new country. All have an outlook similar to Australians. They • speak Afrikaans among themselves and invariably use it on the field. Ferdie Bergh, known as the " human tank," weighs 17 stone. One of the handsomest in the team, George van Reenen, is the tallest, being 6ft 4£in. Ben du Toit and Harry Martin are about the shyest. Craven and Villiers are strange contrasts for half-backs. Craven weighs 14 stone and Villiers 9 stone.

The skipper, Philip Nel, has a difficult task in getting the-team fit for the first test, as not one of the games already played has been of much assistance and all the games so far have been on wet grounds. A number of the players are suffering from colds contracted last Tuesday, when they visited Jenolan Caves, where the weather was bitterly cold. The Springbok side for Saturday is as follows: —Brand, Turner, Bester, Hofrneyr, Broodrijk, Vyver, Craven, M. Louw, Lotz, S. Louw, P. Nel (captain), du Toit, Vandenberg, Watt and Van Reenan. The New South Wales team will be as follows: —Rankin, Kelaher, Towers, Pauling, O'Brien, Richards, M'Shane; Hodgson, Kelly, Windon, E. Hutchinson, Ramsay, Cerutti, Stone, Malone. The Springboks, manager has chosen Mr E. V. Mayne as referee.