OPINION OF SPRINGBOKS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1931, Page 5

OPINION OF SPRINGBOKS

NEW ZEALANDER’S IMPRESSIONS.

LONDON CROWD DISAPPOINTED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. While he was in London, Mr. C. S. Thomas, Christchurch, who returned from a tour of Great Britain and France by the Ulimaroa to-day, attended the Rugby match between the Springboks and London. From their display in that match Mr. Thomas said the South Africans were far from a great international side.

Although they would be hard to beat there was no brilliance in their play, and it seemed to him that they would have to rely mostly on their splendid forwards for success. The Springboks had defeated London heavily, but the opposition had been very weak. Their main strength had seemed to lie in the wonderful physique of the players, particularly the forwards." Their tactics, in this match at any rate, were confined to trusting to forwards to get the ball and give it to the backs, who immediately kicked for the line. The result, of course, was that the game proved extremely monotonous, much to the disappointment of the spectators. Bennie Osler played in this match, Mr. Thomas said, but his game all the way through had been of the most stereotyped kind. That comment applied to practically all the backs. Unless the side’s tactics and general standaard of back play improved considerably it would stand a good chance of defeat when the international matches., were played.