SPRINGBOKS WIN THIRD THIRD TEST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18545, 20 August 1928, Page 13

SPRINGBOKS WIN THIRD THIRD TEST.

Twenty Thousand People Witness Brilliant Exhibition.

ALL BLACK FORWARDS AGAIN SHOWED GOOD FORM, BUT WERE BEATEN IN THE MAJORITY OF SCRUMS AND LINE-OUTS. THREE TESTS have now been played by the 1928 All Blacks, resulting as follows: First—Won by South Africa, 17 to 0. Second—Won by New Zealand, 7 to 6. Third—Won by South Africa, 11 to 0. Saturday's game was a thrilling and brilliant exhibition. When it concluded ten thousand people swarmed on to the Held and carried Mostert shoulder high to the dressing-room. They cheered and shouted, and sang “ For They Are Jolly Good Fellows.” Mostert was forced to make a short speech outside the pavilion. It was an amazing demonstration of enthusiasm. The fourth and concluding test will be played at Cape Town on Saturday, September 1.

(Special to the Tress Association). PORT ELIZABETH. August IS. Tn a thrilling and brilliant exhibition of Rugby South Africa beat New Zealand by 11 points (three tries, one con■verted), to 6 points (two tries), to-day. It was a great win for the former, being the first time that a Springbok

side has ever won a test at Port Elizabeth. The ground was in fine condition and the day was perfect for Rugby. There was a deafening roar from the crowd of twenty thousand when the tfams took the field and gave their war cries. The New Zealand team was:— Full-back—D. F. Lindsay. Three-quarters—A. C. Robilliard, S. R. Carleton, B. Grenside. Five-eighths—L. Johnson, 11. Lilbume. Half-back—W. Dailey. Wing-lorward—R. Stewart. ' Forwards—H. J. Swain, S. Hadley, M. Brownlie, G. T. Alley, I. Finlayson, W. E. Hazlett, R. M’WilHams. The South African team was:— Full-back—J. C. Tindall. Three-quarters -De Jough. Rousseau, Van der Westhuizen, Brand. Halves—Bennie Osier, de Villiers. Forwards—P. J. Mostert. Daneel, P. J. Nel, “Boy’’ Louw. Dr J. van Druten, Oliver, Pretorius, Dutoit, THE PLAY. Brownlie lost the toss and kicked off. The Springbok forwards at once made a hot attack. They swept to the New 7 j Zealand line, where Carleton in at- j tempting to clear, threw the ball back j to Lindsay who missed it. Nel dived : cn the ball and scored a try which] * Osier converted. | New Zealand 0 South Africa o With five points up in four minutes the Springboks made things merry. Van der Westhuizen effected a fine break, but determined tackling by Lindsay and Robilliard smashed the attack. < rood work by Swaia. M’Williams, Hadley and Hazlett, and a clever line-kick hy Johnson, put New Zealand right on the South African line. In the throw in, Finlayson got possession and passed to Stewart who .made a determined dive and scored with three Springboks hanging on to him. Lindsay’s kick hit the upright and bounced in-field. New Zealand 3 South Africa o

Back went New Zealand to the attack. Dailey sent his backs away and the ball travelled beautifully out to < irenside who dashed hard down the line to be soundly downed by Tindall. A great forward rush by the Springboks in which M os tart, Pretorius, van Druten and Daneel were at the head, ended when Lindsay snapped the ball (from their feet and found touch past half-way. There was some electric football in the next few minutes. First New Zealand’s and then the Springboks’ backs opened out in beautiful passing movements. Another fine burst by the local forwards took play to the New Zealand line. Van Druten shot out from the ruck and passed to Osier. The ball went to Rousseau, van der Westhuizen and finally De Jo ugh handled the ball. The last-named raced hard for the corner and scored amid tumultuous cheers. Osier missed the kick. New Zealand 3 South Africa 8 There were some fireworks among the backs in the next few minutes. Johnson made a great cut-in, and opened up a movement which went half the length of the field. Working with cohesion and design, the New Zealand forwards led by Brownlie, Finlayson, M’Williams and Hazlett swept down the field in a brilliant rally. There was a scrum near the Springbok line. Dailey made a brilliant break rounu the serum and passed to Grenside, who forced his way over. Lindsay's kick missed, by inches. New Zealand 6 South Africa S Half-time came a minute later. The half-time score was:— NEW ZEALAND G SOUTH AFRICA 8 With a whirlwind forward rush. New Zealand started the second spell b> pressing hard on the Springbok line. The All Blacks continued to storm the African citadel, but they were up against, a rock-.ike defence. Then came a great dribbling rush by the Springbok forwards, in which Mostert and van Druten shone. Slowly they worked the play to the New Zealand line, where Kousseau made a dash which looked dangerous, but Lilburnc and Johnson with solid tackles saved. A scrum was put down five yards from the line, from which the Springboks secured pos- : ession. 1 hey heeled the ball and Daneel dived over the line. Osier's kick went wide. New Zealand 6 South Africa 11 New Zealand immediately started a fine offensive. Johnson, Carleton and Grenside went away in a brilliant passing movement. A minute later Grcn side intercepted and cut clean away with a great swerve. He beat Tindal. and a try looked certain, but Rous seau, with an amazing burst of speed tackled him from behind. The Spring rtoks rent back to the attack, and it look New Zealand’s Lest defence to keep them out. I»: the last minute r.f the game Lilbume made a brilliant break through the scrum. He passed to Hazlett, thence to Swain, who sen; the ball in-field to Grenside. With sparkling dash the Hawke’s Bay winge: went hard for the line. He dived at the comer flag, but Brand, who had come flying across from the other wing and Tindall threw him out. The final fcore was:— NEW ZEALAND 0 SOUTH AFRICA II

There was a great demonstration by the huge crowd when the final whistle

sounded. They swarmed on to the field and carried Mostert shoulder high to the dressing-room. They 7 cheered and shouted and sang “For They Are Jolly Good Fellows.” Mostert was forced to make a short speech outside the pavilion, where fully ten thousand people collected. It was an amazing demonstration of enthusiasm.

Right up till the call of time it was anybody’s game. It was surprisingly good football for a test match. Both sides made the game as open as possible, with the result that the backs were frequently carrying out spectacular and thrilling movements. The tackling of both sides was as sound as it could possibly be. The New Zealand forwards played a great game, scrummaging effectively. The Springboks relied on their traditional scrummaging to counter Stewart as loose head. New Zealand won seventeen scrums and South Africa twenty-eight A surprising feature was the fact that the New Zealanders were beaten in the department of the game for which they are noted. The Springboks won thirty-one line-outs and New Zealand twenty-one.

Seven penalties were given to the All Blacks and ten to the Springboks. Lindsay played his usual cool, reliable game, kicking with length and | accuracy. The three-quarter line, Grenside. Carleton and Robilliard, were in good form. They 7 attacked with fine determination, and their defence was always solid. Johnson and I ibume went well together at five-eighths. Johnson varied his play nicely, but was inclined to short punt too often. Dailey played a fine all-round game, at times rising to brilliant heights. M’Williams was New Zealand’s outstanding forward. Hazlett, Brownlie, Swain and Hadley were always in the picture, and Alley and Finlayson shone with occasional bursts from line-outs. Stewart harassed de Villiers and Osier all the afternoon.

Tindall played soundly enough, but he apparently, did not have the same confidence as Lindsay. Both de Jough and Brand appeared to be weak for international wings. Rousseau and van der Westhuizen, however, were in firstclass form. Osier was a gay deceiver, who varied his play cleverly. De Villiers played a great game behind the pack, breaking round the scrum on occasions to make clever openings. Mostert, van Druten, Daneel and Dutoil were the outstanding forwards. Mostert’s hooking was exceptionally fcood.

NOTES ON THE GAME. From the point of view of Rugby enthusiasts in this country, the result of the third test is no doubt disappointing. If the All Blacks had won the test on Saturday they would have been “ one up ” as far as the rubber was concerned. Now they have to win the final test at Cape Town on September 1 in order to make honours even. However, although the All Blacks were beaten on Saturday, it seems from the report that they were by no means disgraced. They played a better game than they did in the first test, and also, perhaps, in the second, which they won by a narrow 7 margin of one point. Both backs and forwards the All Blacks seem to have gone well on Saturday and while a margin of five points may seem to be large, it represents only a converted try. At the same time, the South Africans deserve, to be complimented on the splendid game that they evidently played. It would seem from the report that they adopted a more

open style of play than was the case in either the first or second tests, and, if this is the case, they have beaten New Zealand at their own game. When ‘the All Blacks were defeated in the first test, the argument was advanced that it was a triumph for the orthodox style of football against the style that has developed in New Zealand under certain rules, that have been adopted in this country alone amongst all the Rugby countries of the world. Now, however, it would appear, from the report of the match on Saturday, that the South Africans have beaten the New Zealanders at their own game, and if this is the case, they have the bettei ride, judged by our standards, and. therefore, fully deserve their win.

In the set scrums the New Zealand .lookers did better than they did in ither the first or second test, winning seventeen out of forty-five. Still, the proportion is not particularly high Ir. aardly any game of the tour have the All Blacks held the upper hand in the matter of hooking. In a measure thh ;s probably due to the agreement that was entered into at the beginning oi the tour with regard to the packing *oi the scrum. The playing of the wingi a 3 ar \ extr * man the front of the scrum has effected an improvement, but not in important matches,

to the extent that is desirable. Where the hookers can pack down as they like and fight for the loose head, the New Zealand scrum formation has generally proved effective, but the condi tions imposed in South Africa, which are perhaps not altogether legal under the rules of Rugby, have more or less effectively countered this formation.

On Wednesday the All Blacks will play South-Western Province at Oudstroom. This should not be a very hard game. In the Currie Cup competition last season South-Western Province finished second to last, .winning only two games out of nine. Next Saturday the All Blacks are to meet Western Province at Cape Town. This will be one of the hardest games of the tour, for Western Province have for many years been the “ crack ” team of the. Union. The final game of the tour will be the fourth test at Cape Town on September 1,

The All Blacks have now played nineteen matches. They have won fourteen matches, lost four and drawn one. They have scored 311 points, com pared with 123 ’against them. The following are the results of the matches to date:— Western Province (country), won 11 to 3. Cape. Town Clubs, lost 3 to 7. Griqualand West, won, 19 to 10. Transvaal, lost, 0 to G. Orange Free State, won, 19 to S. Transvaal, won, 5 to 0. Western Transvaal, won, 19 to S. Natal, won, 31 to 3. First test, lost, 0 to 17. Northern Districts, drawn, 18 to IS. Rhodesia, won, 44 to S. Second test, won, 7 to G. Pretoria, won, 13 to 6 Orange Free State, won, 15 to 11. North-Eastern Districts, won, 27 to 0 Border, won, 22 to 3. Border, won, 35 to 3. Eastern Province, won. 16 to 3. Third test, lost, G to 11.