ALL BLACKS CUT DOWN THEIR ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME

Wanganui Chronicle, 21 June 1949, Page 5

ALL BLACKS CUT DOWN THEIR ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME

Strenuous Efforts Being Made To Get Forwards Properly Fit

(From Claude King, N.Z.P.A. Repre. sentatlve with the AH Blacks)

DURBAN, June 19. —Following the match against Natal the All Blacks had their most heart-to-heart team talk of the tour in an effort to sift the causes of their failure to strike proper form.

“We are just not getting enough of the ball. We are not getting it fast enough and our forwards are not fit.” said the manager, Mr Parker. The first move taken in the drive to give the “new look” to the team was to intensify practices. Mr Parker has also sliced heavily the entertainment programme. Wherever the team has gone it has been besieged with offers of hospitality. South Africans live luxurious lives by New Zealand standards and their sole desire is to make the New Zealanders, whom they hold in the highest esteem, thoroughly at home in a country richly endowed by nature. This entertainment programme was combed early in the tour and the guiding principle has always been that the demands of the team c°me first. So disappointing, however, has been the form of players, mainly the forwards, and sc keen are all to reach at least known New Zealand standards, that the players are right behind Mr Parker in the latest austerity move to see if this will achieve results. At the same time there is general recognition that South Africa is a difficult country for a Rugby tour and the team is beginning ■ to appreciate the similar difficulty the 1928 side had in getting fit. But the consensus of South African Rugby writers is that the present side is not playing up to the standard of the 1928 team in the forwards, although most of them concede that the present backs appear to be a more thrustful attacking unit. Leslie Cox, noted South African sports writer, says in the Natal Sunday Post of Saturdays game; "The All Blacks lacked the definite pattern and design of their predecessors, both the military side of 1919 and the New Zealand team of 1928. Then we saw determined thrusts down the centre with fast-running forwards coming in for a double punch behind the backs. Thus, if any check occurred the attack would still be made with new vigour. "Against Natal yesterday the All Black backs fought a lone battle. Elvidge, Allen and Black backed up but no forwards were across. The intensive backing up of former teams has not yet bc|n developed by this side.” Phil Nel, captain of the 1937 Springboks in New Zealand, said: "This is the first occasion I nave seen the present side. At the moment the forwards lack polish to give the backs the best use of the ball. They mtist be given a chance to settle down. This settling down process is not a simple matter for a touring side and some people are inclined to write oft the All Blacks on too few matches. I think this side can be moulded into a

fine combination. Certainly the backs look capable and I was pleased to see the ball going out to the wings much more than was the case when we toured New Zealand in 1937. “I hope the team has as enjoyable a time here as we had in New Zealand," he added. Today at 4 p.m., while most Durban people were still enjoying the equivalent of N4w Zealand summer pastimes the All Blacks quietly moved to a playing area where quick sprinting and scrummaging were the main preoccupation. The principal feature of the scrummaging was that the flanks pushed from an angle inwards on the front row. This binds the front row and when the hooker reaches right to the mouth of the scrum for the ball the locks do not collapse as had previously happened. Further, once the ball is hooked there is a clear gap for it to come back to the half. These methods are a triumph for Catley. who has always hooked in this manner, but has been condemned for it because the locks fell when he reached for the ball. ‘‘A LOT TO LEARN” Mr Parker said after the practice: “We have still a lot to learn about the technique of the three, four, one scrum. The results may be slow in coming, but I feel we are on the right track.” Wilson was much happier when hooking today. Catley for the first time since his injury went down in the scrums and later intimated that he felt he would soon be able to report fit for matches.