All Blacks' Forward Play Will Have To Improve, State Some Press Critics

Wanganui Chronicle, 2 June 1949, Page 5

All Blacks' Forward Play Will Have To Improve, State Some Press Critics

New Zealanders Considered Lucky To Win First Match (From Claude King, N.Z.P.A. Representative with the All Blacks) CAPE TOWN, June 1 (Rec. 7.5 pm).—South African press writers and old Rugby players agree, after seeing (he All Blacks in action in the first match, that the technique of the forward play will need to improve, but all feel that the side has potentialities to greatness once match play has assured the necessary fitness. Running up 11 points to nil within 20 minutes of the first spell, the All Blacks looked like opening their South African Rugby tour with an impressive win over Western Province Uni-' versifies at Newlands today. However, lack of stamina, and injuries to Allen and Elvidge, enabled the opposing team to make a tough fight of the second spell, and the final score was 11-9 in the New Zealanders’ favour.

More efficient scrummaging and line-out play gave the universities an overwhelming advantage in possession and thereby helped to swing the game in their favour The All Blacks were lucky to emerge the winners. LINE-OUT PLAY NEGATIVE. “I like the All Black backs, and the forwards have weight and physique, but the scrum is not working properly yet,” said Boy Morkel, 1921 Springbok. "They pack too high and the scrum half was inclined to throw the ball in before the pack had started its shove. Their line-out play was negative. These faults will be ironed out with experience, and I think the side will develop into a great one.”

"On our own tours we have found that the first match was no indication of the form the players eventually showed,” said Louis Babrow, 1937 Springbok. "Similarly, I feel that when the New Zealanders have had a few more matches they will be a different side and a very difficult one to beat.”

“The All Blacks showed in the first 20 minutes that they are a good side,” said George Van-Reenen, 1937 Springbok. "I always maintain that a team should be judged in the first match by the play in the first 20 minutes No team is fit in its first game of the tour. No amount of running or practising can give the side the practice it gets in a match. Once this side attains the proper degree of fitness it. will develop into a powerful combination. We must not under-rate them because of today’s showing.” BACKS CAN BE DANGEROUS. "The All Blacks’ exhibition in the first match strengthened the opinion I formed during the practices at Hermanns* and at Newlands that the backs can be very dangerous but that the forwards have much to learn in scrummaging and in line-outs, measured by South African standards,” said A. G. du Toit, in the Afrikaans newspaper, “Die Burger.” “Unless they improve in these departments they will have a tough time against the stronger provincial sides and the Springbok packs. The forwards, however, are excellent in supporting each other and they have every qualification for developing into a grearside.”

Roy Plainer, South African Press Association representative, says: "The New Zealanders leave hooking to one man who is regarded as a specialist. In South Africa the hooker is helped by others. Today’s chain of events suggested that the latter method had distinct advantages.” The "Cape Times” says that the second-half slump should not be allowed to obliterate the very pleasing impression made by the All Blacks in the first half. There was crispness, thrust, and cohesion in their attacks and they were well worth the 11 points lead gained. Later the pace and the lack of match practice began to tell.

Parker said after the match: "We are pleased to have been able to get through a game such as we had today. I do not think our fellows could have struck a tougher team in South Africa for the first match. It will take five or six matches, with each flayer getting two or three games, before we can show anything like our true form, despite all that we have done to date. We must have match football.” PASSING MOVEMENTS. An analysis of the game showed that the Universities had 35 passing movements from all sources, of which eight went through all the backs and five reached the centres. In the bulk of the remainder Dennis Fry, fly-half, made penetrating runs or gained ground with line kicks. He gave the best display seen by the All Blacks from inside backs and is undoubtedly a fine footballer. The All Blacks had 27 passing movements from all sources of which eight went to the wings and six to Elvidge, who rarely failed to make progress. Six movement stopped at Allen, who on each of these occasions nearly went through on his own but just lacked finish, due to an injury. Elvide injured a shoulder muscle during the match. He and Allen will probably miss the next two games. Allen may have been well advised to have stood down in this match to give

his thigh injury greater time to recover, but his decision to play was largely based on the fact that Dalton was also standing down. MONOPOLY OF THE BALL The half-time score was 11—3 in tfavpur of the All Blacks (tries by P. and N. H. Thornton, and a conversion and a penalty goal by R. H. Scott, to a penalty goal by Butler).

In the second spell, the students, with almost s monopoly of the ball, had some inspired moments, and only the magnificent defensive game by Scott saved the day for the All Blacks. The Universities added a try and a penalty goal to their score. Their try was typical of university football, the ball being swept out to one flank, and then a long in-field pass caught the All Blacks completely out of position, a try resulting on the opposite wing -after fully 12 players had handled in both movements. Conditions were ideal and a record crowd of 36,000 gave the All Blacks a tremendous welcome. Realising how much was expected of them, and that their every move was under a Rugby microscope, the All Blacks began with such vim by the forwards and swiftly-executed passing by the backs that for a period the spectators sat back in wonder. The Universities are rated as a particularly good side. ALLEN’S INJURY However, just when the New Zealand backs were tearing great, gaps in the defence, F. R. Allen had a recurrence of the thigh injury which first manifested itself during training at Hermanus, and he was unable to exploit these opportunities in the manner of which he is usually capable. In addition, the Universities, after their shaky start, began to show marked superiority in scrummages and line-outs, which they maintained until the final whistle. The principal lesson oi the match was that the All Blacks are still a long' way short of being properly fit. This is not surprising, since today’s was the first match the players had had for nearly eight months and their opponents are probably the fittest side the team will encounter in the early part of the tour. At the same time, the All Blacks were disappointed at their failure in scrums and line-outs. They had an advantage of nearly two stone per man in scrums yet the Universities gained possession in 32 scrums to 19, and 28 line-outs to 12. WEIGHT FAILURE IN SCRUMS The weakness in the scrums was not necessarily with the hooker, N. L. Wilson, but in a failure to apply weight properly. The South African scrummaging methods appear definitely superior to New Zealand’s. This was most noticeable in the second spell, when Universities took a back-row forward out of the scrum into the backs in a desperate effort to pull the game out of the fire and yet still won most of the ball! The South African method of packing with the flank forwards pushing on an angle against the front row appears to assure greater compactness. Certainly it was surprising when seven University forwards were able to hold eight All Blacks in the second spell. Lack of fitness of the forwards was best revealed in a falling off of cover defence as the game progressed. At practices all emphasis war laid on the forwards cover-defending, but in the second spell the cover defence was almost negligible.

ACCURATE HANDLING As far as the backs were concerned, ; the match was notable lor accurate ! handling. Few passes were dropped | on either side and move ments repeatI edly swung out to the flanks and then I in-field. Universities generally favourI ed sending the ball quickly out to lhe wingers, who centre-kicked, while the All Blacks sought to penetrate the centre. The All Blacks first try resulted from a strong break by R. R. Elvidge Who fended off Pfaff, raced to the full-back and sent Henderson away for an easy try. The All Blacks’ other try came from an astute piece of play by I. J. Rotting. The ball camo to him following a line-ont near the opponent’s 25. Bolting judged a short kick over his oppoent’s head to perfection, regained the ball, ran to the fullback, and then sent infield to N. H. Thornton, who had sensed the possibilities of the situation and come up fast in support. Scott was unquestionably the great-

est player on the field and all the South African Press are high in their praise of his fielding, long clearances, sure tackling and accurate goal-kick-ing. His perfect positional play enabled him to effect clearances with almost ridiculous ease at times and some of his touch-finders were of great length. He drew gasps from the crowd when he attempted a field-goal from half-way that fell under the posts, while a shot at goal from a penalty from 60 yards out also dropped by the posts. Elvidge was the most thrustful back and Universities in the second spell concentrated two men, including the back-row forward, in h : s vicinity. In this spell Elvidge received a shoulder injury, the full extent of which is not yet known.