MAIN ROLE OF NEW ZEALAND FORWARDS IS SCRUMMAGING

Wanganui Chronicle, 11 October 1948, Page 8

MAIN ROLE OF NEW ZEALAND FORWARDS IS SCRUMMAGING

DUNEDIN, October 6 (PA».-Mr. McDonald’s opinion that "Otago rucking experts would learn to vary and expand their play so that tney could play their pari in the open when necessary,” was not read as a slur on Otago loot ba 11 by experienced Dunedin judges ot the game today, but it was regarded as a questionable direction to the players who are to tackle the Springboks in their own country. There was general agreement with Mr. McDonald that the team will be a good one, ana that it would develop into a very even and sound combination. Nevertheless, it was emphasised in ! direct contrast to Mr. McDonald’s views that the first aim of New Zealand forwards must be the achievement of top efficiency in scrummaging. “The Springboks put their faith first in scrummaging,” Mr. W. G. Cavanagh, jun., South Island selector, Otago selector and coach, said. “ Their first objective is possession of the ball. The correctness of their system does not require emphasis. If their forwards are winning the ball the whole team can maintain pressure until Lie way opens up for the backs to score tries.” CARDINAL RULE IN PLAY Mr. Cavanagh reaffirmed that the whole tactics of lhe Otago team in the past two seasons had been based on that cardinal rule of winning possession and keeping possession, “if the forwards are to concentrate also on open play their energies must be divided,” he said- “The question is which is better—that they should race about alter their opponents have won the ball, trying to win it back or that they should make their first duty to get lhe bail and lei their opponents do the chasing about after it?” Leaving Otago’s performances out of it altogether, he said, obviously the first emphasis against the Springboks must be on scummaging. That was the basis of the whole game and it was more logical and more important that every forward in the New Zealand team should make scrummaging his prime duty. “You can’t have it both ways unless you have supermen forwards,” he said. “There is a limit to thenenergies and it is of the greatest importance that their vim should be directed wholly where it can be ol the most use. The trend towards open football by forwards in New Zealand in recent years cannot be justified by the results, and the continuance of it, especially in South Africa, could be disastrous.”