RUGBY SUPREMACY

Southland Times, Issue 20527, 2 July 1928, Page 7

RUGBY SUPREMACY

The First Test Springboks Defeat All Blacks 17 POINTS TO NEL New Zealanders Overwhelmed (Special to Press Association.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Durban, June 30. Twenty thousand people watched South Africa overwhelm New Zealand on the Kingsmead ground to-day by two potted goals, two penalty goals and one try, 17 points to nil. New Zealand was literally never in the hunt, and only magnificent defence saved a bigger score. Territorially the Springboks had 80 per cent, of the game. Fourteen of the points were scored by Bennie Osler, the crack fly-half, who is now regarded as a national hero. He potted both goals and kicked two penalties.

The teams were as follows: NEW ZEALAND. FULLBACK. D. Lindsay (Otago, 13.6 1 THREE QUARTERS. B. A. Grenside (Hawkes Bay. 13.4) S. R. Carleton (Canterbury. 11.4' A. C. Roblliard (Canterbury, 12.2) FIVE-EIGHTHS. A. Strang (South Canterbury. 11.4) L. Johnson (Wellington, 12.3» HALFBACK. W. C. Dailey (Canterbury. 11.2) FORWARDS. G. Scrimshaw (Canterbury, 12.6) J. P. Swain (Hawkes Bar 13.7) S. Hadley (Auckland, 13.0> G. T. Alley (Canterbury. 16.0* M. Brownlie Hawkes ikiy. 14.7) I. Finlayson (North Auckland, 15.7) R. Stewart (South Canterbury, 15.8) 14 10 SOUTH AFRICA. BACKS. J. C. Tindall, J. Prinsloo, Duffy, S. Oslei Slater, B. Oder, De Villiers. FORWARDS. P. J. Mostert. T. L. Kruger, Dr. J. Vai Druten. G. Daneel, Van M yk, G. Pretorius Nel, Porgieter.

ROBILLIARD HURT. In a blind side run, Robilliard was hurt and became practically useless all through the rest of the game. Away went the South African backs in full cry again. Stanley OsL-r with a clever short punt then gave a chance to Slater who was played in preference to Brand. The winger collected the ball going at top speed and bolted hard for the corner. Lindsay came across just as fast, made one dive at the flying Springbok and brought him down brilliantly. With run after run African backs kept the New Zealanders guessing and only rock like defence saved them. THE FIRST POT. Another scrum was formed forty yards from the New Zealand line. From this, De Villiers sent the ball to Bennie Osler who beat Scrimshaw and manoeuvred for a drop ar goal. lie let drive and the ball soared high between the goal posts, a magnificent kick which roused the spectators to a frenzy that only simmered down when the New Zealand forwards set about the task of recovery*. South Africa 4 New Zealand 0 The New Zealand forwards could achieve very little. Only once, close on half-time, did they look at all like scoring. From a line-out Robilliard sent the ball to Swain who gave a reverse pass to Robilliard again. He raced for the corner but was held up on the line and South Africa cleared with a penalty kick. Half-time came with the Springboks four points up. SECOND HALF. When play restarted, Duffy, one of the African centres, did not turn out owing to an injury. A change was also made in the New Zealand team. Scrimshaw went from rover to extra centre. Hardly two minutes of the second spell had gone when the ball again came out from a scrum to Bennie Osler and like a flash of lightning he potted another goal. South Africa 8 New Zealand 0 A fierce forward battle went on near half, way with South Africa getting all the best of it and ending in Brownlie being penalized for offside. A PENALTY GOAL. From this Bennie Osler kicked an easy goal. South Africa f 11 New Zealand 0 The Springboks, although a man short, were now playing better than ever. The backs developed a series of impressive thrusts. From one run Prinsloo was almost over, but was pushed out at the corner by Grenside. Three free kicks to' New Zealand gave them a chance to work up to half-way, where Potgieter had an unsuccessful attempt at goal from a penalty. Pretorius opened up play well and short punting found the All Black defence at sixes and sevens, but again Lindsay saved magnificently, racing across to take the ball on the full and find the line. The New Zealand forwards got away in a combined movement, but the Springbok battlers soon swept back. LATE CHARGE COSTS THREE POINTS. The ball came from a scrum to Bennie Osler, who short punted, but after he had got in his kick Johnson bowled him over and a penalty was awarded the Springboks for obstruction, which Bennie Osler turned into a goal. South Africa 14 New Zealand 0 South Africa were winning fore and aft now. Being given plenty of ball by their forwards, the backs started to throw the ball about spectacularly. Lindsay had a shot at goal from a penalty at half-way 7 and only just missed. Again the South African backs got going at top speed and Prinsloo lost the ball when actually over the line. Next moment it came along the line of backs from a scrum to Stanley Osler, who threw away a certain try by holding on too long. A GREAT TRY. A few minutes before time when the Springboks had been attacking continuously, De Villiers worked the blind side brilliantly. The hall went to Bennie Osler and then to Slater, who cut clean through the defence to score a great try. Bennie Osler just missed goaling. South Africa 17 New Zealand 0 The New Zealand run of the whole day came a minute later when Stran cut in after receiving from a scrum.

It was a perfect football day when the teams took the field. There was no wind and the sun was hidden by dark grey clouds. There was a hush among the crowd while the teaftis gave their hakas then M. Brownlie kicked off and for the first few minutes it appeared that New Zealand would get across. It was a whirlwind start that raised the hopes of the New Zealand supporters but fortune’s wheel turned several pointe against the New Zealanders. In a trice Strang was collared while at. tempting to pot under the posts. Mostert cleared and away went the African forwards in a shattering run with the ball at their feet. The forwards heeled out from a loose scrum and the Springbok backs had the New Zealand defence in a tangle. Mostert kicked through and smothered Lindsay but only a force down resulted. A FAST GAME. Play was fast and open at this stage with most of the game in the New Zealand twenty-five. The sun broke through the grey clouds and shining in their eyes put the South Africans to some disadvantage. Scrum followed scrum but Bennie Osler would not feed his backs until in the New Zealand twenty-five and always persisted in kicking into touch. Carleton saved a desperate position a minute later by smashing a Springbok back 1 attack. He kicked through to half-way but De Villiers shot the ball away from the scrum and Stanley Osler short punted. LINDSAY IN FORM. Lindsay racing up took the ball in his stride and cleared brilliantly. Hadley, Stewart and Swain dashed out from the ruck with the ball at their feet only to be sent back by Tindall’s (African full-back) never-failing line kicks. From a penalty at the half-way Lindsay made an attempt to score but his kick fell just short.

The position looked quite hopeful, but Scrimshaw dropped his pass and the opportunity was lost. The final whistle went with South Africa still on the attack.

The crowd at once surged on to the field cheering and congratulating their men. THREE-QUARTER LINE CROCKED.

While fates were fiendish in committing the New Zealanders to a dreadful chain of errors, the latter were certainly the less worthy of the two teams. Everything was tragic for the All Blacks. They could do nothing right. The game went to the better balanced side and a superior set of tacticians. At the-same time it must be stated that for the bigger part of the match New Zealand played with a three-quarter line of crocks. Grenside’s knee, injured in the last match, failed him early. Robilliard, when downed hard by Slater, rose limping badly and could hardly run for the rest of the day. Carleton, in the first few minutes, had a thigh muscle badly damaged. Even as sore as they were, they played a magnificent defensive game, smashing the Springbok attack time and time again. HOME BACKS SHINE. With a pack that was obtaining easily the larger share of the scrums, South Africa’s dominance radiated to the fast and elusive threequarter line, where the two Oslers combined with fine precision, cleverly drawing their men or varying their play with a short punt or line kick. De Villiers was a very clever half, getting the ball away to his men without hesitation. Taken altogether, the New Zealand backs except for stubborn defence, were disappointing. The forwards were overwhelmed in the scrumfe, but held the upper hand in the line-outs.

The most brilliant exhibition of full-back play seen on the tour was given by Lindsay to-day. He had a tremendous amount of work, but never failed, being sound in every department. Dailey was wayward and uncertain and failed to get the New Zealand back machine on the move. Johnson suffered as a result, but at the same time he, too. was not impressive. Strang was good in patches. The forwards battled hard and hopelessly with Hadley, Stewart, Swain and Brownlie the most prominent workers. The South African forward front row. Mostert, Kruger and Van Druten, formed a splendid trio, who played a great game. Pretorius was another fine forward, who played centre threequarter when Duffey was injured. There may have been more brilliant and scintillating exhibitions of the code in international matches, but it is doubtful whether there has ever been a match more strenuously fought. There is only one epitaph to record—New Zealand was beaten by a better team.

BEFORE THE GAME. CROWDS ‘ BREATHE RUGBY.” Durban, June 29. On the eve of the First Test the newspapers turn out in big headlines hoping that the game will be hard, clean and fair. The atmosphere is electrical and only one topic is being talked about—the result of to-mor-row’s great struggle. England’s railway tragedy and the South Africans’ success or failure at Wimbledon are quite forgotten and the whole atmosphere breathes Rugby. Huge crowds have flocked from all over the country to witness the match. South Africans are full of confidence. The New Zealanders recognize that the match will be a desperate struggle, but they are certain that they will manage to win the day. The average weights an>:— New Zealand—Backs, 11.10; forwards, 14.2. Springboks —Backs, 11.1; forwards, 14.1. The referee will be Mr V. H. Nesser, the ex-Oxford Double Blue.—Australian Press Association. NEW ZEALAND’S GOOD WISHES. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, June 30. The New Zealand Rugby Union sent a cable wishing the team the best of luck in the first test and received the following reply from Mr Hornig: “Message appreciated. Team quietly confident. All well except Harvey, recovering from influenza. CONGRATULATIONS, SPRINGBOKS! (By “Onlooker.”) While surprise and disappointment will be felt by the vast majority of Rugby enthusiasts in this country at the severe defeat suffered by the All Blacks at the hands of the Springboks, let us hope we are all good enough sportsmen to be able in all sincerity to congratulate South Africa on the wonderful success of its chosen fifteen. The All Blacks fielded a side which was truly representative of the Dominion’s finest Rugby talent—a side in which almost all followers of the game here had every confidence. The team itself, its supporters travelling with it in Africa, the “heads” in New Zealand, including the captain and vice-captain of the 1924 All Blacks—all these were confident of victory. Well we have been rudely awakened. The standard of New Zealand football is not as high as it has been generally thought, or, if you prefer this way, the standard of play in Africa is much higher than we in New Zealand thought. New Zealand put its best side in the field. So did South Africa. The Springboks showed themselves undoubtedly superior. The object of the test was to find out which team was the better. Now we know. There

is no need to knock the breast or tear the hair. There is no need to attempt to rake up feeble excuses. The Springboks have gloriously won the first test. Congratulations Springboks! •REMAINING FIXTURES. Following are the remaining fixtures of the All Blacks’ tour: — July 7.—Northern Districts (Transvaal, Free State and others), at Kimberley. July 14.—Rhodesian fifteen, at Bulawayo. July 21.—SOUTH AFRICA (second Test), at Johannesburg. July 25.—Pretoria districts, at Pretoria. July 28.—Orange Free State, at Bloemfontein. August I.—North-eastern Districts, at Burghsdorp. August 4. —Border, at East London. August 8. —Border, at Kingwilliamstown. August 11.—Eastern Province, at Port Elizabeth. August 18.—SOUTH AFRICA (third Test), at Port Elizabeth. August 22.—South-western Districts, at Oudtshoorn. August 25. —Western Province, at Cape Town. September I.—SOUTH AFRICA (fourth Test), at Cape Town. GAMES PLAYED TO DATE. The following table shows how the All Blacks have fared against the teams they have so far met on their tour:— Points:

Teams Played. Result. For. Agst. Country Clubs .. .. Won 11 3 Cape Town Clubs .. Lost 3 7 Griqualand .. .. .. Won 19 10 Transvaal .. .. .. Lost 0 6 Free State .. .. .. Won 20 0 Transvaal .. .. .. Won 5 0 Western Transval . Won 19 8 Natal . . Won 31 3 South Africa .. Points for 108; ; .. Lost against 54. 0 17