RUGBY SUPREMACY

Southland Times, Issue 20499, 30 May 1928, Page 7

RUGBY SUPREMACY

ALL EYES ON AFRICA . TOUR OPENS TO-DAY STRONG ALL BLACK TEAM HAZLETT SELECTED The All Blacks’ tour of South Africa opens at Cape Town to-day with a match against the Combined Western Province County Clubs. New Zealand’s Rugby prestige will stancl or fall by the deeds of the 1928 All Blacks, and the whole of the sporting world is watching with intense interest the coming contests for what might be termed the world’s Rugby supremacy. Win or lose, New Zealand rests assured that its reputation on and off the field will be honourably upheld by its 1928 representatives.

CAPE TOWN’S WELCOME TEAM ENTHUSIASTICALLY GREETED. CHEERING CROWDS AT STATION. (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) Cape Town, May 28. Cape Town’s welcome to the All Blacks was compared by members of the Cabinet with the visit of the Prince of Wales to the Union. A tremendous crowd greeted the team at the station to-day, while along the route from Durban to Cape Town crowds of enthusiasts cheered the visitors. There was an unofficial dinner at Johannesburg, where the team stayed for four hours. A queue of 200 people waited all night to book for the second match. TEAM FOR TO-DAY The following will represent New Zealand in to-day’s match: FULL-BACK. H. Lilburne (11.6) THREE-QUARTERS. B. A. Grenside (13.4), F. W, Lucas (11.3), A. C. Robilliard (12.2) FIVE-EIGHTHS N. P. McGregor (11.6) M. F. Nicholls (11.0) HALF-BACK. W. C. Dailey (11.2) WING-FORWARD. G. Scrimshaw (12.6) FRONT ROW. S. Hadley (13.0) J. P. Swain (13.7) LOCK. I. Harvey (15.12) SIDE SUPPORTS. M. Brownlie (14.7) I. Finlayson (15.7) BACK ROW. R. F. Stewart (15.8) W. Hazlett (14.10) THE CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE “WE WANT TO SUCCEED.” Replying at the farewell to the All Blacks, Maurice Brownlie, the captain, said:— “It would be impolitic on my part to predict or try to predict what we are going to do in South Africa. I would not attempt to say that we are going to do things that will probably not happen. We are going forth with every confidence. We are imbued with determination to succeed if possible. If adversity should take us by the hand on the roadside I am sure the public of New Zealand will say: ‘Well, we cannot expect them to do everything.’ Experience has told me what lies in front on this tour. It is a most difficult thing for any touring side to go through a country undefeated. There is a strain mentally and physically which you do not realize unless you are an active participant. I am sure, though, that the members of this team will do justice to themselves, will justify their selection, and will justify themselves in the eyes of the public in New Zealand. We want to succeed because we are New Zealanders first. We have our own little local communities which look towards their own representatives, but the eyes of New Zealand look upon this tour from a national point of view, and in such a manner we are going forth to try in our best spirit to uphold that football prestige which has been set in the past.” THE FIRST TWO GAMES (By Sekoni.) The first two matches of the South African tour are billed to be played at Cape Town, to-day’s being against Western Province County Clubs. This team will probably be drawn from the larger centres of Stellenbosch, Somerset West, Lady Grey, Paarl, Worcester, Wellington, Ashton and other fairly large towns. The time-honoured rendezvous will be at historic Newlands—eight miles due east of Cape Town—out on the Wynberg road, the latter place being the military camp for the home regiments. This ground has been the scene of many stirring encounters between inter-Colonial and representative teams in both the cricket and football games Those of the tourists who have not visited South Africa before will, doubtless, be charmed with the trip out, whether by road, rail or tram, embracing as it does, some of the most entrancing scenery of the Cape. Passing under the base of the chain of mountains that spread across the peninsula a grand and rugged view i» obtained. The route comprises glimpses of the various picturesque hamlets of Woodstock, Observatory Road, Rondebosch (in which nestles the former home of Cecil John Rhodes—Groote Schuur —but now a Government House with its wild menagerie adjoining) thence to Kenilworth (Cape Town’s racecourse), Claremont and Newlands.

The ground itself—one out of only about three or four grassed areas in South Africa —is beautifully situated. It is surrounded by shady trees of poplar, oak, blue and red gums and having a lofty fence around it, is an ideal spot for a large gate attendance, and given fine weather, and it is generally fine in winter time, the Capetonians will undoubtedly make it a memorable occasion for the opening match of the tour, and a record crowd of enthusiasts. The teams for the second match will be drawn from the Cape Town, Diocesan and Stellenbosch Colleges, some of whose players are generally to be found in rep.-provin-cial teams, and are always a good draw.

GETTING THE RESULTS New Zealand time is nine and a-half hours ahead of Cape Town. Assuming that the games commence about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, tn*-y vd’ fii.r'i between 4.30 p.m. and 5 o’clock, the clocks in New Zealand then showing about 2 o’clock in the morning. Allowing for unavoidable delays it is likely that results of games will be known here some hours before breakfast time on the morning following the game. A full report of the Saturday games will appear in the morning newspapers on Mondays. There are 14 Saturday games and eight mid-week games. BOOKING FOR MATCHES HIGH PRICES ASKED. An interesting circular in connection with the All Blacks’ tour of South Africa has come into the possession of an Invercargill resident who handed it to the Tinies for publication. It reads as follows: ALL BLACKS’ TOUR. JUNE 23. NEW ZEALAND v. NATAL. AT THE OVAL, MARITZBURG. JUNE 30. NEW ZEALAND v. S. AFRICA. FIRST TEST. AT KINGSMEAD, DURBAN. BOOKING FOR BOTH MATCHES OPENS ON TUESDAY, MAY 1, 1928. PRICES FOR RESERVED SEATS. PROVINCIAL MATCH: Chairs 20/Pavilion 15/- and 10/Stands at sides of Pavilion 10/Applications to Hon. Secretary, Maritzburg Rugby Sub-Union. (Blocks of a limited number of seats in each Stand will be reserved for Durban bookings at Messrs Herby Taylor & Ellis, Ltd., West Street, Durban, from Ist to 10th May). INTERNATIONAL MATCH: Main Stands 20/Seats on Bank opposite Stands . . 10/Deck Chairs on Ground: 25/-; 15/-; and 10/-. Plan at Messrs Herby Taylor & Ellis, Ltd., West Street, Durban. ADMISSION TO GROUND FOR EACH MATCH: Adults 3/-, or by ticket purchased prior to day of match 2/6 Scholars, 2/-, or by ticket purchased through schools prior to day of match, and subject to scholars being under control 1/6 NO PROVISIONAL BOOKING. NO BOOKING BY TELEPHONE. Bookings by Post which enclose correct charges will be kept until date of opening, when seats will be booked in order in which applications are received, simultaneously with personal bookings. D. W. GEDDIE. Secretary, Natal Rugby Union. RECORDS COMPARED SOUTH AFRICA AND NEW ZEALAND. It was in the 1905-06 tour of Great Britain that New Zealand jumped into the limelight of the world’s Rugby stage. In the following year South Africa endeavoured to emulate the startling deeds of the All Blacks, and a comparison of the success achieved is interesting at the present time. The New Zealand team of 1905-06 played thirty-three matches, won thirty-two, lost one, and scored 868 points against 67. The South African team in Great Britain in 1907 played twenty-eight matches, won twenty-five, lost two, drew one, and scored 533 points against 79. While actual figures seem to show that the New Zealand side was the better, it has to be remembered that there was great interest stimulated in the game after the All Blacks’ visit, and that the Springboks probably met stiffer opposition. In the international games New Zealand beat Scotland 12—7, Ireland 15—0, England 15—0, and lost to Wales o—3. The Springboks beat Ireland 15 —12, beat Wales 11 —0; lost to Scotland o—6, and drew with England 3—3. The following table gives the total figures for the international games above mentioned : W. L. D. F. A. New Zealand .. 3 1 0 42 10 South Africa .... 2 1 1 29 21 In 1912 another South African team visited Great Britain. It played twenty-seven games, won twenty-four, and lost three, scoring 441 points against 101. In international games the 1912 Springboks beat Scotland 16—0, Ireland 38—0, Wales 3—o, and England 9—3, scoring 66 points against 3 a good performance. The record of the 1924-25 All Blacks, still fresh in the minds of enthusiasts, shows that they won all of their thirty games, in which they scored 721 points against 112. Scotland did not meet the All Blacks, who beat England by 17 to 11, Ireland by 6 to 0, and Wales by 19 to 0. Then there is the record of the New Zealand Army team in Africa. This combination played fifteen games, won eleven, lost three, and drew one, scoring 176 points against 69. The records of the above New Zealand teams are splendid ones, but it must not be forgotten that the record of the Springboks in New Zealand in 1921 is also one that ranks high. South Africa played nineteen games, won fifteen, lost two, and drew two, scoring 244 points against 81.

Canterbury beat the Springboks by 6—4, and South Africa lost one test by 5 to 13. The scores in the test matches were: First Test:: South Africa 5, New Zealand 13. Second Test: South Africa 9, New Zealand 5. Third Test: South Africa 0, New Zealand 0. Total scores: South Africa 14, New Zealand 18. These records serve to show that each country can claim to be about as good as the other. No wonder then that the Rugby world is looking on with intense interest and awaiting the results of the struggles ahead.