BRIGHTER PROSPECTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27134, 16 July 1949, Page 8

BRIGHTER PROSPECTS

FIRST TEST IN SOUTH AFRICA TO-DAY

All Black Combination Improved FORWARDS STRIKE FORM By the Sports Editor Confidence in the All Blacks has been restored aft6r the convincing form shown by the New Zealand team in defeating Western Province by 6 points to 3 last Saturda\ r . This was the first time a Cape side had been defeated by an overseas team for 25 years, and the writer believes that, in spite of the vicissitudes through which the touring team has passed, New Zealand may yet prove equal to the task of winning the First Test at Newlands to-day. The All Black forwards appear to have struck form and should be able to match the Springbok pack in most phases of the game, especially in view of the combination developed in the past few weeks. There is also likely to be more edge to the attack of the All Black back line. The result of to-day’s game will certainly be looked forward to with more confidence than would have been the case a few weeks ago.

It is assumed, from the reports received, that the All Blacks have now attained the degree of fitness and cohesion that was lacking in the earlier games, and, that being so, players of the Thornton, McNab, Willocks, Harvey, Skinner and Grant type should be. capable of driving through in concerted rushes as they were wont to do in New Zealand. Thornton’s pace in the open, too, is a big asset. Catley, of course, ,was unfortunate in the injury which he met with before the tour began, but he appears to have struck form, and much will depend on his ability to win the ball from the scrums. .Attacking Ability “The All Black backs should have greater thrust and ability to penetrate in the centre than the opposition and already both F. R. Allen and R. R. Elvidge have shown more than glimpses of match-winning form. It will be surprising if they do not exploit one or two of their characteristic moves in this game if the ball is coming to them with reasonable speed and frequency. Few tries have been scored by the wingers to date, but P. Henderson and E. G. Boggs have shown their potentialities if given reasonable room in which to work. Boggs particularly is a rugged wing > three-quarter whose method of givinp' an opponent the hip is not relished by some South Africans. If R. W. H. Scott should at last find his New Zealand form as a place kick, it will be a big thing for the All i Blacks. His play at full-back has been highly praised in South Africa, and South African critics have, stated not only that he has enhanced his New Ze’aland reputation, but that he rates With the best full-backs who have visited that country. ' , It is of interest to note that the pack to be fielded by the All Blacks is probably the heaviest that has ever represented New Zealand. The New - Zealand forwards will average just on 15 stone a man, and that places it on - terms with the Springboks. There is more to it than that, however, for on paper at least the All Blacks will have the better balanced pack so far as weight goes, there being three forwards over 15 stone, while all are 14£ stone or heavier. The All Blacks, too, should have the advantage of having played together more often, and there have been encouraging reports of the development of the concerted work that was lacking earlier in the tour. On the other hand, the South Africans have two forwards tipping the, scale at over 16 stone but with two who weigh only 13st Hb the scrum may not be so well balanced as the Ail Blacks’. If the New Zealanders have mastered some of the earlier difficulties which confronted them—and there is reason to believe that they have—they should be equal to the task of winning at least a reasonable supply of the ball from a pack which has had only a few days together. To support this view, there is the comment made by H. B. Keartlaiid. the South African authority, after the games against Orange Free State, and Eastern Transvaal. He indicated’that the All Black selectors, in sorting out their test fifteen, would concentrate on balance rather than individuals. As evidence of unproved form in scrummaging, he added in a despatch to the Daily Times:— / “The Free State game marked a distinct improvement in the All Blacks’ scrummaging, which was more than confirmed when in the next match they got the better of Eastern Transvaal, one of the most experienced and best scrummaging provincial packs in the country. This was distinctly the most promising display by the forwards to date and was the first real indication that the New Zealand forwards, picked as serummagers, will justify their selectors.” The Springboks should be more than matched on the line outs. The All Blacks will have the advantage tn height. Five of them are over 6 feet and the other three are 6 feet in height. Only one South African for-

ward is ever 6 feet in height, one is sft lOin and the others are 6 feet.

The heavier members of the Springbok pack have shown considerable mobility in the past, but in the matches played by the All Blacks so far, there has apparently been little attempt made to penetrate with their forwards. * When the South African sides were winning a preponderance of the ball from the scrums, and their backs were not scoring tries, it might have been thought the home teams would have endeavoured to penetrate with their forwards. The fact remains, however, that in 11 matches the South African sides have scored only three tries, and this does not lend itself to the suggestion that the forwards have shown ability to penetrate. Solidity the Keynote It is apparent that The South African selectors have concentrated on a backline with solidity as the keynote rather than attacking brilliance. The Springboks evidently have a wholesome respect for the ability of the New Zealand backline as an attacking unit. The fact that some of the best attacking backs In South Africa who were named among the first 32 “ possibles ” have been passed by in. favour of those noted more for their solid defence than anything else suggests that the Springbok backs may pursue the tactics of other days by using the line persistently to win position and then perhaps relying on Brewis, their fly-half, to bring off a snap drop at goal. It will be the task of the New Zealand flankers to see that the South African inside men are not given any latitude in this direction, and the All Black forwards will also have realised by now the threat to their chances should they give away many penalties. South African writers describe the backline to be fielded by the Springboks \as having an ‘’experimental look ” ‘ about it, and this should increase the New Zealanders’ advantage F. P. Duvenage, the Griqualand West centre three-quarter, has been classed as one of the most thrustful backs seen in South African Rugby for some years, but he is apparently an in-and-out player, and was not among the first list of " possibles.” If the line is used persistently by the Springbok inside backs, then his chances on attack are likely to be limited, and in any case he may And the All Black defence a brick wall. J All indications, however, are that the South Africans will not endeavour to match the All Blacks in attacking back play. That being so, a reasonable supply of ball, coming to the backs without delay, may well assure New Zealand of victory in tbe first test.