WORRIED ABOUT HALVES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 204, 29 August 1936, Page 4

WORRIED ABOUT HALVES

SPRINGBOK RUGBY SEARCH

FAST, HEAVY FORWARDS ARE AVAILABLE. WRITER TIPS SOME OF THE “CERTAINTIES”

According to an Australian writer living in Durban, South Africa’s great search in preparation for the forthcoming Rugby tour of Australia and New Zealand will he for half-hacks. According to him the Springbok selectors are. worried about halves. He names some “certainties,” for the team in the following article and says that South /Africa will field a better balanced side than in 1931 or 1933. Her forwards will be heavy, but surprisingly fast for their weight. They will play hard in the tight and like three-quarters in the loose. Backs do not look so promising. “In South Africa the Rugby Union is preparing for the 1937 tour of Australia and New Zealand and the internrovincial tournament (the Currie Cun) is in full swin",” he writes under date al. the end of July. “The other day Western Province defeated Transvaal in a titanic struggle for supremacy—l 3 to 8. These two foams of thirty players contain at. least 18 Springboks, so that, the bulk, as usual, will bo selected from the Western Province and Transvaal. The certainties appear to be as follows: Full-backs. Gerhard Brand (Western Province), age 30 (1925), v. All Blacks; (1931), British tour; (1933) v. Wallabies. James Vlok (Western Province), 25 (1934), Argentine tour. Wing-three-quarters. A. D. Lawton (Western Province), 25. nil. F. Turner (Transvaal), 23 (1933) v. Wallabies. D. O. Williams (Western Province), 24 (1931), British tour. Centre Three-quarters. L. Babrow (Western Province), 22 nil. S. Hofmeyr (Western Province), 24, nil. (L. Babrow and S. Hofmeyr arc a great pair). Frank Waring (Transvaal probable captain), 28 (1931), British tour; (1933), v. Wallabies. James White (Border), 27 (1931), British tour; (1933), v. Wallabies. Five Eighths. No certainties; no live-eighths of international class in sight al present, although Turner and Babrow could play adequately if called upon. Turner can play a good game in any position behind the scrum. Scrum Halves. Daniel Craven 26, (1931), British lour; (1933), v. Wallabies. (The only one of international class and form in view al present). Forwards. M. M. Louw (Western Province), (probable vice-captain», 30, 1928, v. All Blacks; 1931, British tour; 1933 v. Wallabies. F. Louw (Transvaal), 29 (1931), British tour; (1933), v. Kallabies. L. C. Strachan (Transvaal), 23 (1931), British tour; (1933) v. Wallabies. F. Bergh (Transvaal), 26 (1931), British tour. F. Smollan (Transvaal), 26, nil. J. Bierman (Transvaal), 25 (1931), British tour. E. Mellish (Western Province), 24, nil. M. van den Berg (Western Province), 25, nil. John Apsey (Western Province), 27 (1934), Argentine tour. R. van dor Riet (Western Province) 21, nil. George van Reenen (Western Province), 25, nil. “The selectors are faced with the following facts:— “1. That, owing to the serious injuries received by Geoffrey Gray, they are left without any visible signs of a five-eighth, worthy to take the pivotal position in a Springbok side. Gray was a magnificent, fly-half, i.i every sense of the word—and his enforced retirement is a serious blow to the .Springboks. There are any number of good club five-eighths--but not a solitary one of outstanding ability, or worthy of international honours. That, frankly, is the position at the moment. They are ‘combing’ the country in an effort to find one. I hope they will be successful, but it seems to me that Fred Turner and L. Babrow, two excellent players in any position will have to be considered for the vacancy. “2. A second scrum-half of international class is not. in sight, either. Pierre de Villiers is still a tine player, but his form is not good enough now. He is 31.

To Find Half-backs. I “The selectors arc undoubtedly worried, and have attended all the interprovincial games in an effort to locate live-eighths and scrum-halves. It is most important that an outstanding personage should occupy the pivotal position, but the task appears hopeless at prosent. "At scrum-half, Daniel Craven is regarded by some critics as the bes' in the Rugby world Union or League. Some Australians consider | him the equal of Duncan Thompson very great praise, indeed. But, as Craven cannot be expected to play' in every match a good understudy must be found. But this problem is insignificant compared with the important position of live-eighth. • “If these difficulties can be surmounted, I consider the Springboks will be able to field a very fine combination. They will possess a castiron defence, and a well-constructed and penetrative attack. They will not be devastatingly brilliant like the Kangaroo teams of 1910-11-12-13 Australia's peak period but they should be too powerful for the teams the Rugby Unions of Australia could place in the field. “If Australia could call on the services of League players, well that would be a horse of another colour. “We want a dominating personality like a Messenger, or a Harold Border, or McKivatt to inspire our internationals. No Rugby country can boast [of any brilliant possessions in this respect at the moment—collective solidity rather than individual brilliance appears to be the only asset of successful teams these days. “Good team work is admirab’e, of course, but one longs to see a truly great player, whose personal sk’il can be so outstanding and compelling that his very presence can inspire and command the very finest efforts from his men. There are no truly great players in the sense that I mean. The . Bradmans of Rugby football are conspicuous by their non-existence. “One thing is a certainty, and that is that South Africa will b»* able to field a better balanced side than ‘he did in 1!P1 in Eng- | land ami 1933 asrainst the Wa’l i- | hies. The forwards will be of the dreadnought type, hut mobile, and j with a surprising turn of speed. In the light they will be solidity [ itself, while in the loose they can act and handle like first-rb»ss I three-quarters. If the foundation of success depends on the forI wards, South Africa will hr there, . and very much there. “Behind the scrum, there will he :l magnificent, player, and fine and speedy three-quarters of the best International standard, who combine well, have plenty of thrust in attack, and who can tackle like demons. In the full-back position there will be brilliancy. “Gerry Brand can and does, dro » goals from any angle, and can kick with uncanny accuracy. For style an I method, I would compare him with Tom Sweeney, the great Queen'lane full-back, who at the ago of 22 tor minaled what would have hern a h’illiant Rugby career, when, in making a successful dive tackle against, the flying Harold Border, he received such injuries that ho was confined to hospital for seven months. This was an interstate match at Davis Park. Brisbane, in 1917 Tom never played again, and Queensland lost a great star. I am sure Parold will novec forget that game. Neither will Sweeney. All Black Strength. | “Against New Zealand, T don't know. It. is never safe to predict anvil hing where New Zealand Rugby is concerned, but a friend of mine who ■ saw the All Blacks several times ? n England last year, was not impressed land if their form could be considered I a reliable "’♦’de, then the 1937 SnrineIboks should bo superior tore and aft. [lt will certainly ho very difficult to score aeainst the Snringboks, and far niore difficult to defeat ln dc- ‘ they will be magnificent. ’ “It is proposed to stage a North v. South game, at Johannesburg towards the end of September as a sort of finality before selection.” Rughv Union authorities in bo'h Ne v Zealand and Air tralH will realise that the South Africans are taking their tour vary seriously. Tli’ t-im tlr y will put into t'w field in t s e Te *s will be one of the ruo'd formMab’* defensively ever seen in the Souther” Hcnnsnhrre. If they prove a greater side than fh« 1901 Grit’sh team, captained b' D. F. Bodell-Sivrighf, we will find ou-* : elve- comparing them with Zealand Invinc’bles cf 1924.”