THE SPRINGBOKS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 246, 29 July 1937, Page 3

THE SPRINGBOKS

NARROW WIN AT HAMILTON.

SCORE SIX POINTS TO THREE,

(Per Press Association.;

HAMILTON, July 28

On a ground which soon turned into a quagmire the Springboks defeated the combined Waikato-King CountryThames Valley team at Rugby Park today in a hard, keen tussle which kept a record crowd of more than 13,000 at a high pitch of excitement throughout. As was only to he expected under the conditions, which made handling of <the greasy hall well-nigh impossible, the game was mostly confined to the forwards, and the only two tries scored were the culmination of movements among the forward division. The combined forwards covered themselves with great credit, and it was only sterling defence that kept the Springboks’ tally down. Again and again they hammered the home defence, and faulty handling nullified several likely scoring movements, one of which was .right under the posts. In the closing stages of the second half the visiting and home players were covered with mud from head to foot, and the different players were sorted out only with the greatest difficulty/

The home team’s try came after 18 minutes’ play, and they led at halftime by 3 points to nil. The try was a result of a determined home forward movement which culminated . in Trustrum going over near the corner. Midway through the second half, as the home side was holding the visiting attack at bay, it appeared as if the visitors might suffer defeat, but their first points came when an infringement in a handy position gave Turner an opportunity to even the scores with a free kick. South Africa kept up the pressure, and it was after a further determined penetrating forward movement that Strachan went across to give the visitors the lead and the game within a few minutes of the final whistle. There was great excitement as the liome side was battling on the Springboks’ line in the closing stages. After the match P. J. Nel (captain of the Springboks) said: “It was a hard game played in the best of spirit, and I would like to pay a tribute to the Combined team for the manner in which they had adapted themselves to the very heavy conditions and for the clean game they played. We never experience such mud in our own country andi we learned a lesson from, the Combined team to-day.” Several playing members agreed that the game was a hard and keenly contested struggle, one remarking that New Zealanders had the real Rugby tradition. Like the South Africans they played a hard game, all the time, even the minor teams, and fought to the bitter end in a manner seldom seen in Australia, where teams were not so hard to beat once the lead was gained over them.

Crossman (captain of the Combined team) saicl that every member of the home team was delighted with the game considering the conditions. They* were pleased that they had given the .Springboks a hard fight for it. It was possession that won file game for the visitors.