LAST-MINUTE TRY DISALLOWED

Chronicle (Levin), 4 July 1949, Page 5

LAST-MINUTE TRY DISALLOWED

JOHANNESBURGr, July 2. Though heartening their support ers with a greatly improved performance, the All Blacks suffered the second defeat of the tour today when beaten by Eastern Transvaal by ttvo penalty goals to a converted try. Except for a period in the second spell when the home forwards 'were in" great form in the loose, the result Wasagainst the run of play. The All Blacks scored an excellent try in the first spell and just 011 time Elvidge crossed the. line for what might have been the winiiing try but the' referee ruled a forward pass. Players on the spot, including thelopposition, were surprised at the deeision. The greatest fragedy of the mateh, however, was Scott 's failure with seven penalty kicks at goal, some fr'om quife easy positions. Eastern Trahsvaal, on the other hand, converted two of Six • penalties. . ' A pleasing feature of the match was the improved scrumjnaging of the All Blacks. For the first occasion -011 the tolir they won the hooking honours with 12 scrums to 10.

i'ne forwards also nad the better or the lineouts but did not protect tfie inside back^ who at times had a torrid ' time after ge'tting possession. This quick brealcing Was the most impressive feature of the home side's display. It , was followed by some of the best drib- | bling rushes of the tour, one nearly , leading to a try. This was the only j occasion on which Eastern Transvaal looked like penetrating the defence though generally their performance was one of the best the All Blacks have encountered, their backs being sound on defence and more enterprising on attack than any of the other teams. Eastern Transvaal has no Springbok possibles but some players must have improved their prospects of selection, notably Keevy (fullback), Richards (wing threequarter), Haarhoff (centre back) and Brewis (flv half). Against this very useful side the All Blacks showed plenty of resource. The hacks always looked dangerous once clear of the attentions of opposing loose forwards. After" Kearney had taken quite a hammering, Boggs moved in to five-eighths following a lineout. Not anticipating this manoeuvre, the loose forwards converged on Boggs when Oonrad whipped out a nice pass. This gave Kearney room and he shot through a gap and sent on to Allen who sidestepped the fullback to score under the posts, Scott converting. Allen made a fine cut through when the All Blacks appeared to score in the last minute of the match. He punted ahead. The ball hounced awkwardly for the attackers and defenders but Elvidge recovered quickly to send it to Boggs who passed when blocked to Elvidge and the centre crashed over the line. However, the referee ruled that the final pass was forward. The home team began sensationally when a snappy passing rush went out to Richards who made, a lot of, grouna before Henderson overhaulea him. Within the next two mihutes the All Blacks were twice penalised but kicks at goal from handy positions failed. The All Blacks then engineered the same move hs at Durban when Boggs •moved in from the wing to make. an extra five-eigliths. On that occasion Black cut through a gap to give Allen a try. Today Kearney shot through the gap and AllSn scored, and the Aii Blacks led five nil at half'time. Eastern Transvaal had an inspirea period in the second spell, the forwards stjaging some grand loose rushes. The backs were also short-punting to gaps and the All Blacks had a torrid time m defence. During this period two penalty goals were kieked to give the home side a one-point lcad. Scott had thrpe chances of changing the lead, one shot at goal being from 40 vards out m midfield but again he missed. Then wken all seemed to be going against them, the All Blacks staged a magnillcent elfort to pull th6 game out of the fire. Ffom a long throw-in Allen, Elvidge and Henderson combined. Hendfersofi kicked ahead and Keevy l carried the ball over his goal line. In

the subsequent Scrum the All Blacks hooked and endeavoured to push bvef their opponents' line but the referee penalised them. Following the clearing kiclc, the All Blacks set up a passing rush in which Scott came up from fullback and Boggs was pushed out near the corner. Not to be denied, they then staged the grand rush in whicn Elvidge crossed the Eastern Transvaal line but a forward pass was ruled.