FIRST EVIDENCE OF COHESION

Chronicle (Levin), 13 June 1949, Page 5

FIRST EVIDENCE OF COHESION

All Black Forwards Drove Through From Lineouts Received Monday, 9.40 a.m. EAST LONDON, June 12. From the viewpoint of proficient team work, probably the y fnost important aspect of the All Blacks' form on Saturday •v- against Eastern' Province was the ability of the forwards to drive through from the lineouts. For the first occasion ori the tour there- was evidence of eohesion in these short drives, the players bunching and keeping possession and, when halted, the ball was placed on the ground and heeled to Savage.

The importance • of this improvement cannot be over-emphasised, as it is the only means of offsettiiig the spoiling tactics of the South African No. 8 forwards. These No. 8 forwards stand well forward tovard midfield in the lineouts with the objeet of harassing the opposing finside backs. They never go ix.to the rucks. Hopes For Future Games. These tactics Were evident to the assistant manager, Mr. A. McDonald, and Dalton at the Pretoria | trials, and the All Blacks felt that once they could drive through from 'the lineouts, as is the practice with most teams in New Zealand, they •would compel the South Africans to drop this spoiling game. It was only on Saturday that these tactics assumed somethi-ng like proper workmanlike proportions and they give hopes that, under Dalton's leade'rship, the forwards will measure up to the best past All Black standards. Judged by the games seen in

South Africa so far, the referees rarely allow rucks to proceed very long. Therefore, the All Blacks must carry out their short drives and subsequent heeling to the halfback with the greatest skill. As an instance, the referee on Saturday stopped one ruck though the ball had come out on the opposite side from which he was standing'and Savage was about to start a movement. In New Zealand it is aiways the practice of the i referees to run round both sides of the ruck to see if the ball is definitely blocked before whistling for a scrum. Still Not Satisfied. Dalton said. after the game that he was still not satisfied with the packing in the scrums, which were not tight enough compared with the opposition, but he, felt that a big advance had been made in driving through from the lineouts. The repor: of the game appears on page 7.