THE FOOTBALL WORLD

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 19, 17 August 1928, Page 7

THE FOOTBALL WORLD

' BENNY OSLER’S GAME. defeat of all blacks, THE FIRST TEST. Those who expected m great forward struggle, says the Johannesburg “Sunday Times'd discussing the first test match between the All ,I'slacks and South Africa, were not disappointed. hut the game was not without its spectacular movements, and 1 thrills there were galore. Territorially, South Africa had by far the best of matters, (and only on one occasion—within a couple of moments of the commencement —did) New Zealand even look like scoring. W'itliJ this single exception, when the Smith African defence received its severest test and emerged triumphant, the New Zealanders had to battle as they have never battled before to keep the South Africans off their line. In fairness to the visitors it must ho said that only the most superb defence could have kept the determined Springboks, heartened by Bennie Osier’s great kicking and obviously playing with their “tails up,” out. lint Bays fine work. It was a magnificent struggle, and as movement alter movement wa s initiated by the Springboks in the All Blacks’ “25”, one almost involuntarily rose from one’s seat expecting to see the South Africans" dash over the line, but time and again Lindsay wa s there with an effective tackle to suppress the movement on the brink; of success. It was a great day for the New Zealanders’ full-back, and he deserves great praise for bi s gruelling work, it was Bennie Osier’s match. Of that there can bo no doubt. Kicking with um uncanny accuracy, Which must have been .alike most heartening for his side and disheartening for Hie New Zealanders, South 1 Africa’s versatile fly-half * kept his opponents thinking, as, with his inimitable übiquity, ho bobbed up hero and there and everywhere to initiate some great dash by South Africa’s backs, or to send the ball flying into touch. And ho wlis most dangerous when within'striking distance of the enemy’s line, as lie never hesitated to pepper their goal with dropkicks. While showing greatest resourcefulness in attack, he played a large share in keeping the New Zealanders pinned down to their own territory by reason of his great touch kicking. Time ami again he senti thorn scuttling hack, whenever they emerged from their own ground. His place kicking for penlilties was just as accurate as his drop kicking, and ■ the fourteen points'which he scored 1 himself serve as a great personal tribute to one of the finest fly-halved in the history of Rugby, He demonstrated to-day tha;t |he Is -still at the top of his form. FORWARD TACTICS. It would he invidious to make any comparisons between South Africa’s) forwards. It wfis expected that they would do great things, and they, did not’ disappoint even the most exacting of their supporters. From the first to the last they kept a firmi grip on the game and completely outplayed the New Zealand pack in every department of the game. The hand of the master tactician wag discernible early in the first half, when it was, noticed that tlicj South Africans when in their own territory were parking 3-4-1, the object, of course, being to enable the ball to come put quickly and give Beniuo Osier an opportunity of relieving tins pressure with his hue kicking, as well as to protect De Villers. When, they had Torced their opponents back into their own half, tiie South Africans reverted) to their well-known 3—3—2 formation, ang wlieeied the scrum repeatedly ,to enable their men! to mime good headivjiy by loose forward rushes witlx the ball at their feet. It was a policy that was fully justified. In the second half, when 1 J retori us was taken out of the pack to replace Duffy at centre-three-quar-ter, the seven South African foi--wards, packing 3—3-1, more thai} held their own. South Africa wen 35 decisive tight scrums to the New Zealanders 13, and with such obvious advantage it was not surprising that Bhil Alas tort electee! to take scrums jn preference to Hue-outs, Although even in the latter department New] Zealand did not have any marked

superiorly, wiily winning 17 outs 10 Soutli Africa’s 1-1. The game was to a Un-go' extent mar ml by the large number of penalty kicks, which had a «lo wing-down effect <;ji the play. Hie South Africans wore the worst offenders when it came to scrum infringements, which wore mainly responsible for sixteen penalty kicks awarded against South Africa. MAC?: lEI CENT DEFENCE. On the whole, the New Zealanders were disappoint ing; but this feeling no doubt is due to the fact- that they were completely overshadowed. As hasTieen said, their defence was magnificent, and in this respect they got through an* enormous amount of work; but being deprived of all but a few opportunities of attacking they did not shine. The reason for ibis, of course, was the obvious infer ority of their forwards in "the serums, from which they were unable to get the ball sufficiently S?ten to keep their - r

back's on the offensive.. Consequently throughout the match their wings, Hubilliard and (Ironside, <lid not have a single opportunity of gett.ng away, and tiu* hall never went out to them. What the New Zealanders lacked in attack, however. they more than made up in defence. glut- defence! without penetrating powers will not win Test matches..