INTEREST IN THE SPRINGBOKS’ TOUR.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20782, 17 July 1937, Page 8

INTEREST IN THE SPRINGBOKS’ TOUR.

It may be true, as the South African Rugby football authorities declared on the departure of the Springboks on the long and arduous tour of Australia and New Zealand, that' the redoubtable exponents of Rugby football, who have been selected after the most searching trials that South Africa has even witnessed, are not going on tour to win test matches and establish South Africa as the champion Rugby football country within the British Commonwealth of Nations, but it would appear that both the African and New Zealand Rugby football authorities are leaving no stone unturned in the preparations being made for the tour of the Springboks in this country. In New Zealand, the preliminary trial games have been most searching; indeed, it is doubtful if any group of prospective New Zealand representative footballers have ever before been asked to play three strenuous games, by way of trials, in five days. Moreover, all the broadcast talks have discussed the coming meeting of the giants of Rugby football field from the angle of victory or defeat. So far, however, no measuring rod has been made available to determine the true calibre of the New Zealand football representatives in relaton to the standard of play likely to be maintained here by the Springboks. The Australian tour of the Africans has yielded some large scores, but one moment’s consideration will convince the least thoughtful member of the community that it has not been possible, so far, to determine the quality of South African football, or measure the calibre of the footballers from the form displayed by the Springboks on their tour of Australia. To day the eyes of all enthusiastic football supporters will be focussed first on the important match New Zealand v. The Rest being played in Wellington this afternoon, and then on the final test match South Africa v. Australia in Sydney. It can be said without fear of contradiction that no touring football combination, within recent years, has aroused such widespread interest as the coming visit to New Zealand of the redoubtable Springboks. It is anticipated that the matches that will be played by the visitors against the principal provincial teams in New Zealand will provide thrilling games that will be witnessed by large crowds, while the test matches are expected to attract the largest gatherings of football enthusiasts that have ever assembled in New Zealand.