SPRINGBOKS A GREAT SIDE

Southland Times, Issue 23308, 18 September 1937, Page 20

SPRINGBOKS A GREAT SIDE

New Zealand Rugby Not What

It Was

[SPECIALLY WRITTEN FOR THE SOUTHLAND TIMES]

By

J. W. STEAD

On their displays in the two games I have seen, the Springboks have shown that in fielding, handling, passing, kicking and scrumming (the fundamentals of Rugby) they are as great as any team which has toured New Zealand. Perfect conditions did not warrant their attempt at dribbing, but they showed masterly strategy in blocking any counter-attacks of that description. One reflects that 80 per cent, of their devastating back attack is made possible by the possession of “speed to burn” in the three-quarter line, which makes possible the bursts of Turner, Lyster and Lawton to thrill the spectators and perplex their opponents. They are a great team in every sense, but their easy passage through the provinces convinces me that our football has deteriorated. They 4 have met nothing like the opposition that faced the British team under F. D. Prentice in 1930.

The problem confronting the present selection committee is similar to that of 1930, when the opening matches revealed the greater all round speed of the British backs. Then, as now, how to prevent the ball getting to the fast flanks was the problem to be mastered. The bottling up of R. Spong at fly-half was the work entrusted to Cliff Porter and paved the way for New Zealand’s success in the Tests.

The Springboks are harder to frustrate, for they out-run, out-weigh and out-reach New Zealand sides, and just as Spong could not have been subdued had not Porter been detached from scrum activities for the one set purpose, I am convinced that no loose forward can offset the Springbok forward tactics and get anywhere near their flyhalf. Our only hope is to find more speed in our five-eighths with the outside five-eighth going straight for the fly-half and the inside developing a scissors defence, which is the only way to crowd the attack and prevent a free passage to Turner and the other threequarters. Have we got five-eighths with the speed? It is surely pitiable if in the whole Dominion we cannot, find some and surely bears out my contention that our game has deteriorated very markedly. LACK OF PHYSIQUE Could any player who has yet faced the visitors displace players of even a decade ago, such as Nepia, Steele, Lucas, Hart, Svenson, Cooke, Mark Nichols, with Kilby, Mill or Dailey at the scrum. Where are the men of the physique of the Brownlies, Ron Stewart and Finlayson or the mobility of Jim Parker and Cliff Porter? We simply have not got them. It would appear, from the names of those chosen for training, that there is not going to be any risky alterations for the third Test. To me it appears that the loose forward must be dropped; we want a forward pack of workers for the full 80 minutes, not to tighten up, but to make the Springboks use all their weight in the scrums and rucks and so prevent Bastard, Strachan and du Toit assisting breakdowns or frustrated attacks of their backs.

In the Otago game Neiper, barely 11 stone, played a heroic game. Although buried in the front rank for long periods, he continually harassed his opponents both in the backs and forwards, but his lack of weight allowed the visitors to give du Toit the role of rover and later on Van Reenen, with an injured wrist, joined him. The logical inference is that we cannot afford to sacrifice weight in the forwards.

I want speed in the five-eighths and enterprise because it is here where they are vulnerable. Three times in Dunedin Trevathan broke through and instead of making full speed straight for Brand, he hesitated, looking for immediate support, and opportunities were missed. He is too slow against players of this class and though I rule him out as first five-eighth I would play him full-back where with any territorial aggression by New Zealand he could still use his “pot.” Bearing in mind my contention that it is necessary to cramp- the flyhalf (and if Craven is dive passing to him his passes won’t be arriving as well as de Villiers’s) I would play Sullivan outside five-eighth with Mitchell alongside at centre. Although the Springboks magnificent machine-like attack has been functioning with wonderful smoothness since the second Test, it is well to remember that only three tries stand to the credit of each side when they face each other for the deciding match.

Whatever the result of the Tests we have to admit that the Springboks play exhilarating Rugby under international rules, which have been so deplored in the north particularly. In a measure I blame the amended rules for our lack of speed in our three-quarters because the inside backs, flat-footed through slow “raking,” find it expedient to use the boot instead of attempting aggressive runs through. The result is that our winrs get very little practice even if their forwards are getting possession.

In 1930 I suggested, and have repeatedly taken opportunities of affirming, that having been forced into a scrum formation which requires the half-back to put the ball in, our fractional positions should be dropped. In effect, that we should start afresh by adopting the traditional British formation and then all Rugby countries would play on the same basis. It is melancholy to reflect that South Africa, which was taught by the visit of two Australian sides properly to assess the potentialities of open football, have brought this very fine side to teach New Zealand something of what it has forgotten. We all remember how in 1928 they “tightened” up to prevent the success of New Zealand’s open tactics, and yet after seeing the Australians in action the Rugby enthusiasts of South Africa demanded a similar type from their Springboks and now the present generation of players has seen a type of play it has never seen or had to frustrate.

Will the New Zealand Union be bold enough to fall into line—discard old traditions and records of the past and admit the educative value of the Springboks’ tour and concentrate cnce more on getting a grip on the fundamental principles of pure, unadulterated Rugby?