South Africans Amazed At Victory

Chronicle (Levin), 18 July 1949, Page 5

South Africans Amazed At Victory

ALL BLACKS ACCLAIMED BY. PRESS Received Monday, 10.5 a.m. ' i GAPETOWN, July 17. ^ j Now that the excitement of the test victory has given way to more sober refiection, South Airicans are amazed ai the nature of their win over the . All Blaeks. The South African Press is practically unanimous in acclaiming the Al^ Blacks as the better side. The Cape Argus says: "The > three shots at gdal two were fromi

Springboks were beaten m the torwards and backs by a side which really showed us how to play rugby. This macch will go down in history as the game of the penalties. Rarely has one team so convincingly aemonstrated its superiority yet had to accept defeat, "We must recognise the vast improvement effected by the All Blacks and prepare to match it. The visitors have now measured up to all that was claimed for them ' When the team was selected in New Zeaiand. "The difference between the fceams on Saturday was that the New Zealanders wore always trying to play constructive rugby and launched a number of splendidly conceived, strong running threequarter movements, which came close to scoring. In comparison, the South Africans' play was negative. Their halves lef the ball out well, but on the day's play the New Zeaiand pair, Savage and Kearney, were the better." Geffen's performance in scoring all his side's points with five penalty goals has no known parallel in modern test rugby. It is interesting to note that of the ten penalties awarded to South Africa, eight were in New Zeaiand territory and five- of the eight shots at goal were converted. Four of Geffen's five kicks were from very handy positions. On the other hand, of the seven penalties awarded to New Zeaiand, four were in •their own territory, and of Scott's

well out. (Jatley Won The Scrums. i The revised statistics of the] march show that Catiey won thej scrums by 22 to 19. \ Details of the Springboks' 1921] tour of New Zeaiand are unavail-] able, but in 1928 and 1937 the South Africans were never beaten in the scrums, and Catiey thus enjoys the honour of being the first New Zeaiand hooker to lower the Springbok colours in the department in which it had excelled. An important point was that Catley won seven' of his opponent's loose heads, while Jordaan won! three. The South Africans rate thej loose head as g'iving the side put-; ting the ball. in ,a fiyq -to two ad-j Vantage, so that Catiey 's perform-s ance was a most meritorious one.. i He said after the match that thel New Ze&land scrum was the best; packed one which he has hooked. Of thq- 41 scrums; during the match, WahLput the ball in-in 25-. The All Blacks were surprised when the referee' awarded him the ball following the rucks in New Zeaiand territory, as the usual pi;actice in indefinite mauls which are halted and scrums awarded is for the defending half-back to put the ball in. At a dinner in the evening, Allen extended congratulations to South Africa and complimented Geffen on setting a record for test matches. (The report of the game appears jon page 6.)