South African Trials Add to Problems of Springbok Selectors

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27081, 16 May 1949, Page 5

South African Trials Add to Problems of Springbok Selectors

New Zealand Press Association—Copyright

Rec. 9.36 p.m. PRETORIA, May 15. After a week of strenuous Rugby the Springbok trials appear to have added to rather than solved the difficulties of the South African selectors. This is the general opinion in Pretoria where Rugby fever is at great height, and the common observation is that more candidates have played themselves out than in.

The standard of football was high among the forwards and there is little doubt that a powerful, mobile pack will be fielded, though possibly not so gigantic as New Zealanders have been led to believe. The form of the backs was inconsistent, however. The weather was brilliantly fine for the whole week, the temperatures ranging about 80deg, The picturesque Pretoria ground, which accommodated 8000 when the All Blacks played there in 1928, to-day held 26,000 people. Big improvements having been made to the arena and surroundings. The football was vastly superior to-day to that witnessed by the New Zealanders on Thursday, but some indication of the general inconsistency in the standard can be gained by the fact that in the main game the B side defeated the A side, which is generally regarded as likely for Springbok selection, by 21 points to*l6. Trials so early in the season are not expected to produce Rugby of high quality but the pattern of South African Rugby as revealed in all the matches was a big remove from that produced by the 1937 side in New Zealand. In fact it compared more with the Australian style of Rugby, being fast and enterprising but also full of reckless abandon. Whether the South Africans would reproduce this type of football in the tests is very much open to question, and any criticism of the trials would have to be tempered by the fact that the South Africans are good enough footballers and tacticians to be able to mould their Rugby to their requirements. About eight leading players who are still likely to qualify for the South African side were not able to take oart in the final trials because of injuries. So far as the forwards are concerned, it is likely that the Springboks will outweigh the All Blacks, though not nearly to the extent expected. In fact, on the weights of the packs in to-day’s main games the difference may be small. iThe A side, which, is considered the possible test pack, aggregated 119st and the B side 117st. In the third test at Auckland in 1937 the Springbok pack aggregated 129st The reason for this decline is that the flank and back-row forwards in Africa to-day are not such big men as in 1937. . Lotz. the 1937 hooker, who is tipped as the possible Test leader this year, was not chosen for the main match to-day, and it is generally expected that his successor will be either W. Louw or R. P. Jordaan, both of whom are 13st 81b. Lotz indicated that he is still one of the best hookers, but advancing years is shown in the rest of his play. An interesting feature of the scrummaging was the practice of the side-row player in packing on an angle and swinging the outside foot to assist in hooking the ball. When the ball was hooked this player provided a perfect shield for the halfback. In New Zealand this would be ruled as obstruction and the matter is one likelv to be discussed with the South African Board and referees. While there was otherwise much to admire in the form of the forwards in the trials the play of the backs was too erratic to inspire confidence. At the moment there is nothing in sight comparable with the Craven-Karris combination of 1937 nor a sound defensive back such as White.

Among the centres there were several meri of pace, but none showed outstanding skill in making play for their wings. In fact, one of the quiet tips for the Springbok side, J. K. Ochse, who is particularly quick off the mark, ruined two or three grand movements by hanging on when the wing was unmarked. This disappointed the crowd as several excellent wings were seen in action. B. Butler, M. E. Gillmer and O. van Niekerk were the most impressive. All were fast and good handlers and showed resource. If South Africa finds the right inside hacks the side should be potentially dangerous as these wings are up to a very good standard. None are big men, but all are full of. resource when in stride. Injury kept the best full-back out of to-day’s games. He is A. R. Louw. Of the others, S. C. Newman has played for England. He is a seasoned campaigner. Another likely test fullback is Van der Schyff, who is a very powerful kick. He is only 20 years of age, but is six foot £jnd weighs 14st and is a fine goal kick. None of the full-backs, however, is in the class of Gerry Brand. One of' the disappointments of today’s trial was Denis Fry, the standoff half. He has been tipped as a likely test player, but his form today was only average, jHe was outside J. J. Wahl, who is considered the best half, but on the day this pair were outplayed by G. Muller and H. Joffe. Muller is similar in build to Savage, one of the All Black halves, but despite lack of stature he is very versatile and also a grand tackier. Wahl is a tall half, being just under six feet and weighs 13Jst. He is the ideal type and also sends out crisp, long passes. To-day was his poorest game of the week.