ALL BLACK INVASION.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17410, 24 May 1928, Page 11

ALL BLACK INVASION.

SOUTH AFRICAN PREPARATION. TRANSVAAL ENTHUSIAST’S VIEWS. Regarding the All Blacks’ visit it is rather difficult to know which phase to tackle, but I feel that no better purpose can be served than by dealing with the vexed question of the lack of preparation for our international contests (writes Mr C. V. Becker, of the Transvaal, in the Cape Times). After the 1921 New Zealand tour, Mr Theo. Pienaar, the captain of the side, wrote: “And now, what of the future? Some would say, ‘That lies in the lap of the gods.’ It is not so; there is far too much of that fatal fatalism in our country. We must be up and doing if we are to beat the chosen of New Zealand in a few years’ time. We can do it, but we must organise, organise, and again organise. Let our Board embark upon a definite scheme for enabling us to get our best to meet these redoubtable opponents of ours. The old haphazard methods of selection for matches in South Africa must be swept away. They must go on the field as a team, not as a collection of 15 individuals." Haphazard Methods. That our methods in the past have been haphazard cannot be denied. Many will remember the famous match in Johannesburg, South Africa v. Mark Morrison’s team, in 1903. Our team really met in the dressing room. Dobbin and Powell (the two halfbacks) gave a magnificent exhibition of solo play, but combination there was none. The following figures will illustrate how experimental our Test match teams have been during the visits of the last three British touring teams in this country. I have taken only the tours since 1903, as it can be argued fairly that prior to that year we were only in the experimental stage. 1903 (Mark Morrison’s team): 30 men played in 3 matches. Only 3 played in all 3 matches; 8 men in 2 matches; and 20 men 1 match each. And we had three different captains!

1910 (Smythe's team): 26 men played in 3 matches. Five played in all 3 matches; 8 in 2 matches; and 14 men 1 match each. Two different captains.

1924 (Cove-Smith’s team) : Here our task was easier with the following forwards of our touring New Zealand team still available, viz., Mostert, Mellish, Kuyer, Ellis, Du Plessis, Walker. In addition, Van Druten. Osier and Albertyn played in all four matches. Jn spite of this, 23 men played in 4 matches. Eight played in all 4 matches; 3 in 3 matches; 7 in 2 matches; and 5 in .1 match. In no two matches did we have the same three-quarter line or the same pack and only in two matches did we have the same halves —when Osier and Truter played together. KWhat is going to happen this year? What can be done to rouse the South African Rugby Board out of their ultra-conservatism? Apparently, because we won the rubber in the Tests of 1903, 1910, and 1924 our methods are considered successful and such methods are being applied again in 1928. Because all the past tours have opened in Cape Town, the unfortunate New Zealanders, after travelling over 6000 miles, and with a further 6169 miles before them, are called upon, after a day and a half on land, to travel from Durban to Cape Town to play their opening match against the strongest centre in South Africa. I wonder what we would have said in 1906 had the Springboks been sent to play their opening match, in Wales? Now Zealand “Combed” For Men. Now what is the position so far as the All Blacks are concerned? The whole of New Zealand was scoured systematically last season for the best talent. Every match, in the Ranfurly Shield, equivalent to our Currie Cup tournament, was very carefully watched. Thereafter trials were played of North Island Probables v. North Islknd Possibles; the South Island Probables v. South Island Possibles. Then the great match North Island v. South Island took place, following which 13 men were selected. Then a farther match was played, exclusive of these 13 men, of New Zealand Probables v. Possibles, when the final 16 men were chosen. A number of reserves were also selected. Ail these men had to supply medical certificates of fitness and have to supply them again before sailing. They are training during the close season, and the selected team is playing an exhibition match during the cricket season. Every word that has been published in South Africa regarding the tour has been broadcast throughout New Zealand. All ou>r men and methods have been very carefully weighed up. i Nothing Left to Chance. It is generally accepted throughout New Zealand that this is the strongest “All Black” team that has ever left that country, but far more important is the fact that we are meeting a powerful combination with the whole of their plan of campaign veiry carefully mapped out, and the team has been selected to combat our style of game. Furthermore there is the added advantage of the combination which a touring team naturally acquires. Now what are we doing or what have we done to meet this situation? One hesitates to call the situation serious. in case of an accusation of being “panicky.” Last season the Selection Committee are reported to have done the ncessary preliminary sifting. That being so what purpose are the proposed separate Northern and Southern trials going to serve—more particularly as these matches are not going to be viewed by the whole of the Selection Committee? The preliminary sifting having been done, what purpose in the match Western Province v. Eastern Province Boeder, South Western Districts, etc., going to serve, except to see whether last year’s men are repeating the same form, or whether every new talent has come to light? Surely such information could easily be gathered from the form these men are showing in the ordinary Rugby competitions. Would not a match Western Province v. The Rest of South Africa lead us somewhere, towards a final selection? Combination. My submission is that our concentration should be entirely an acquiring combination at this stage. Our success against the “ALL Blacks’’ -is

going to depend on our combination and tactics; and no stone should be left unturned to concentrate on this as soon as possible. Therefore the substantial selection of our side should be made without delay, so that the very valuable week before the first Test can be confined almost entirely to the question of combination and tactics.

There will naturally he a few places which will only be finally decided upon on the eve of the match, but to invite a large number of players to go down to Durham in June a week or ten days before the first match for the purpose of playing some trial matches with a view to a final selection, is leaving it too late. It is only falling back upon the haphazard methods of the past regarding which Mr Pienaar so rightly complains and warns us. What possible objection exists to the proposal that in April a match Transvaal v. the Rest of South Africa be played at Johannesburg? For this match Transvaal men would require leave. Then a second match in Gape Town of Western Province v. the Rest of South Africa in May. For this match the Western Province men would require no leave. A third match should be play in May, South Africa v. The Rest, at a venue to be decided on—say Port Elizabeth or Bloemfontein, but preferably at Cape Town following the match Western Province v. The Rest. Would not matches of this nature serve a far greater purpose towards selection than, for instance, Western Transvaal v. Griqualand West? What purpose in the building up of a South African side will such a match serve? I repeat that all the preliminary selections should he made in April and May.

Constructive. The suggestion of a “Tactics Committee,” at any rate, has the merit of being constructive. Surely the selection of our team must depend on the type of game we are going to play, and that being so, cannot the fpotball brains of those experienced in New Zealand be of considerable assistance to the Selection Committee before they make their final decisions? Why, then, resent the suggestion and accuse of being “panicky?" No one has suggested that this tactics committee should interfere with the captain, but surely their advice and discussion, beforehand, regarding the best methods of counteracting the New Zealand formation and type of play would be invaluable, and. could only be of assistance. By the way, who is going to be the South African captain? Is that appointment going to be left over to the last week as well? Public opinion is a very powerful factor in these matters, and I do hope that public opinion will come to the rescue and strongly impress on the powers that be that whatever experiments are to be made should he conducted in April and May, that the selections should be completed in April and May, leaving the month of June to the captain and his men to build up combination and settle on plan of campaign. - I hope that the 15 men who do duty in the first Test will be the proved, tried and settled, 15 for the series of Tests, barring replacements for injuries. Only by this means will we pall off the rubber. To leave it to experiments in Test matches, as we have done in the past, is to ask for the trouble which will most assuredly come to us.