RUGBY LAURELS

Southland Times, Issue 20523, 27 June 1928, Page 7

RUGBY LAURELS

First Test Match INTENSIVE TRAINING BY BOTH SIDES PROBABLE SPRINGBOK TEAM GREAT PACK OF FORWARDS (United Press Assn. —By Telegraph—Copyright.) (Rec. 12 a.m.) Durban, June 26. The All Black and Springbok sides are now assembled at Durban undergoing intensive training in preparation for next Saturday’s test battle. Eighteen New Zealand players have been chosen to go through an elaborate training schedule. They are:

D. Lindsay, B. A. Grenside, S. R. Carleton, A. C. Robilliard, A. Strang, N. P. McGregor, L. Johnson, W. Dailey, F. Kilby. FORWARDS. G. Scrimshaw, J. P. Swain, S. Hadley, Maurice Brownlie, G. T. Alley, I. Finlayson, R. Stewart, W. Hazlett and R. McWilliams. The South African selectors chose 21 players. From their performances to date it appears that the following will be Satur day’s side: BACKS. Tindall, Slater, Stanley Osler, Duffy, Prinsloo, Bennie Osler, Devine. FORWARDS. Mostert, Kruger, Van Druten, Dan eel, Van Wyk, Pretorious, Oliver. The remaining six in training are: Brand, Van Derwesthingen, De Villiers, Louw, Osler and Potgieter. There is a powerful array of talent in the side. Several players have not fully recovered from injuries received in -the trials, but they are expected to be available. The team will take the field sound on Saturday. Phil Mostert, an experienced international, who visited New Zealand with the Springbok side in 1921, has been elected captain. The South African pack will be a fine one.

Critics all over the Union agree that better forwards could not be found in the country. Critics, public and selectors are all inclined to agree that it is doubtful whether the backs can hold the New Zealanders, but like all big Rugby it will be a forward battle.

South Africa has got the greatest confidence in its pack. It is doubtful whether there will be very much alteration in the New Zealand team. At the present stage it appears that the Kilby-Johnson combination will not be altered, but McGregor is fit again and may play. If McGregor plays and Dailey is fully recovered from influenza, the Canterbury inside combination is unlikely tt> be altered, with Johnson outside five-eighths. McWilliams, on the form shown in previous matches and his brilliant play on Saturday, must be given a place, but the question is: who will be dropped for him? There are whisperings in the New Zealand camp that there is a suggestion to play Stewart wing-forward, McWilliams in the back of the scrum and Finlayson in his usual place. Saturday’s fifteen will be finally picked to-morrow night. All the eighteen are fit and on Saturday the team should be as sound as any team fielded so far on the tour.

Harvey’s luck is still against him. When almost recovered and ready to train he went down with influenza on Saturday. Lucas is also down with influenza. The pair stayed at Maritzberg and are expected here to-morrow. VENUE OF THE MATCH. MANY ATTRACTIONS IN DURBAN. (By “Sekoni.”) Durban, which derives its name from Sir Benjamin D’Urban, one of the earliest Cape Governor-Generals, will be the scene of the first test match to be played by the All Blacks against the Springboks. After a week’s rest they should enter the arena (a grass one) fresh from their victory over Natal at Maritzburg in good trim for the fray. The tourists will have had much to amuse them since their arrival, as Durban owns many attractions not to be encountered in any other part of South Africa. Its Oriental appearance resembles more closely India than Africa, owing to its large Hindu populace, with their mosques and native bazaara. Certainly they are more or less segregated in a district at the far end of tho principal thoroughfare of West street which extends from the Town Hall to the foot of the Berea Hills. The town itself, with a population composed of 31,000 whites, 15,600 Asiatics, 19,000 natives, mostly Zulus, and 2000 mixed races, shows many fine studies in architecture. The Town Hall alone is pronounced one of the grandest specimens of its kind either north or south of the Line and cost £300,000 to built. Its dome features that of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. Picture galleries, museums, Victoria Park and the Botanical Gardens are places of much interest to visitors..

An efficient tram service supplies the residents with easy access to the many pretty suburbs, including the residential quarter of the nabobs and city magnates who favour the Berea 600 feet above sea-level. The port is a mile or so from the town and has been improved out of all knowledge during the past 25 years. Formerly all oversea steamers had to land their passengers and cargoes by means of baskets and lighters in the roadstead outside, whereas now they can enter the harbour and comfortably tie up at the very fine wharves and jetties. It vies very closely with Cape Town in the gross tonnage handled annually—if it does not exceed it. The one enchanting feature of Durban, however, is that her marine parade and beaches at all seasons of the year are scenes of great animation. Bathing facilities are now rendered safe from the shark menace, booms or piles having been placed in line with the shore and securely netted so that all danger is eliminated. Promenades, band rotundas, children’s playgrounds and other details for the pleasure and pastimes of the people are adequate, while several palatial hotels grace the seafront. Full advantages of its benefits are eagerly partaken of by Rand, and up-country visitors. It will be a distinct change from the bracing air of the high veldt and more enervating and balmy, and although the place has been thoroughly tested as a health resort the old bugbear of East Coast fever is sometimes in evidence now. Our tourists will have to be wary. A very large gate may be expected on Saturday, and in view of the improved form shown last Saturday the All Blacks should win, albeit the Springboks are fielding a pretty strong side drawn from most of the other provinces, the Natalians not showing to much advantage last week