Lucky To Keep All Blacks To Draw

Chronicle (Levin), 1 August 1949, Page 6

Lucky To Keep All Blacks To Draw

Claude

King,

N;Z.P.A.

RHODESIA'S GREAT DEFENSIVE GAME

(From.

representative with the All Blacks.)

Reeeived Sunday, 7 p.m* SALISBURY, JUly 30. Rhodesia were lucky to emerge from their second match against the All Blacks with a draw 3— all. They' owe this to one of the most magnificent defensive displays seen in any Rugby. Karg potted a field goal in the first few minuteS but practically the rest of the match except for some hefty clearing kicks by Pretorius, was in Rhodesian territory with the All Blacks throwing in such a coiistant battery of attacks that it seemed nothing could. witRstand them. Apart, however, from a glorious try by Scott wh'o came up into a passing movement to dummy his way .past several defenders, the All Blacks could not penetrate this almost watertight defence, though once Meates crossed the line only to iose the ball when two defenders hurled themseives at him. ... The Rhodesian backs and forwards seemed inspired m defence ' and by their win 011 Wednesday and their draw today, earned to this British c.olony prestige in Rugby which may prove the envy of the rest of South Africa.

Conditions were perfect and the ground presented one of the most picturesque sights seen by the tourists as vvell as typical British seenes. The lth'aki clad band of the Royal African Rifles, all of them natives, irave demonstratibhs of slow and quick marehes before the match. Ihe teams were piped on to the field by the band of the Salisbury Galedonian Society and tliey were introd'uced to the Acting Governor-General, Sir liobert Hudson. The New Zealand flag flew alongside. the Unioq.Jack and a record crowd of 12,000, gave the teams a tremendous receptiqn.. The All Blacks set out with one clear lnteirtibn — to wipe out Wednesday' s deieat aiid. though three points down early, it soon becanre obvious that they were masters of the situation. The All Blacks had a virtual feast of possession, winning 13 scrums to 11 and 41 lineouts to 17. But while making due allowance to a grand defence, the match further demonstrated that the great- fault in this team xs a lack of finish in the backs. There are no stars, Scott excepted, in the 1949 All Blacks. Whoreas previous teams have always had some great forwards or backs to brcach the defence at vital moments, the preseut side depends for success on clean team work but the backs have been losing too many opportunities at critical junctures. Meates reeeived au ankle injury during the second spell which may have accounted for his failure„ to score when over the line. Ou his displays for Otago last season he would never have missed this try but there were othcr movements which only needed some player with a reaJ Rugby brain for them to have been turned into tries lhstead of last minute failures. Twice Alleu veered infield when the team had tlie overlap. His clever i'ootwork enal)led fiim to get past one defender but ahvays, there was anotlier : handy" to close the gap. .Tlie All Blacks' captain, while still a vcry pro ficient footballer, seems to lack the inspiratiou which characterised his Rugby in 1946 and 1947 and he does not make enough use of the powerful running Otago centre, Elvidge.

In the dying stages of the game Black made a beautiful opening and it looked as though Johnstone could have crossed under the posts but he passed to Allen who was pounced on from behind. Allen had a clear field and was probably not aware of the player behind him but Johnstone seemed almost eertain to have scored. Hcott's try was a beautiful efi'ort. Later he came up into anothef movement and broke through. He may have gone through on his own but had Henderson outside him unmarked and his pass out was deflected by a defender sufficiently to cause a scrum to be awarded with the defence all at sixes and sevens. Perhaps the only conclusion to be

reached was that the All Blacks were not destined by the fates to win as a pot at goal by Scott graaed the outside of the post while a penalty kick from 45 yards out went straight for- the centre of the posts but hit the crossbar and bounced back iniield. Simpson was a grand forward and Wilson again dia a good job in winning the scrums. McHugh, Frazer and Crowley were xnost noticeable in the lineouts. ' (Jonrad gave probably his best display of the tour. He whipped out good long passes and his running from the scrums was better judged than previously. Black had some uncertain moments in the first spell and did not show the best judgment in sending the ball on to Allen with Van Schoor right on top of him. Van Schoor was a reai menace on defence where his display was comparable with that of Jimrny White in New Zealand in 1937. He hit Allen very hard with his tackles. In the second spell Black exploited a gap in the defence caused by Van Schoor coming up fast and it- was by doing this that Rhodesia looked several times to be completely beaten but the cover defence was excellent. Elvidge was content when chanees came his way to feed his wings but this really competent footballer is not gctting the chances he should. Henderson saw little of the ball, most of the play going to Meates who was limping after receiving a kiek on the ankle. Scott was again magnificent and the impartiul Rhodesm crowd gave him a wonderful reception after his try. The outstanding piayers from the honie side were Pretorious (fullback), Van Schoor and Ivarg. All must coine into reckoning for the Springbok team. There were two changes in the Ah Blacks' team. Delamore and Botting were unable to take the field because of minor injuries and tvere replaced by Elvidge and Henderson, Game Described.

Scott kicked off . for New Zealand against a slight wind. Black /-failed to. take his pass in the first two All Blaeh passing ru^hes qn4 Rhodesia kicked through to New Zealahd territory. Crowley was penalised for coming round "the scrum too quiekly but Slabbeft's kick went wide. After a series of indefinite lineouts, Viljoen sent the ball to Karg who potted a fine goal from 35 yards out. Rhodesia 3, All Blacks nil. This was virtuaiiy the only time Rhodesia were In the All Blacks territory in this spell. Conrad made a nice run from the scrum and scnt to Elvidge who short punted and Christian bustled Pretorius to a quick clearance which went out in his 25. From the throw in Viljoen sent the ball back to Pretorius who miskickeds in-field and Scott had a quick pot which grazed the outside of the post. The All Blacks now attaeked repeat-

edly but' Black erred in sending the baii t.o Allen with Van Schoor right up on him and these movements loat ground. Simpson, ±'razer, Skinner and mcHugh w.ere proininent in restoring the situation with' good work in the iine-outs and rueks wmie Conrad gained usef^l stretchea Of ground witn weii placed left footed line-kicks. Basily the Dest New zealand movement; oi tms spea iouowed one of these iacKS. BiacK oy now had sized up tne taccics of the opposition * and shot uirougn a gap wnen van fechoor movea up xast on Allen. The baU went to Auen who had Bividge and Henderson in support as the rusn swept towara ' the siaeune in Rhoaesia s 20. Here . Alien eiected to go in-neid. H.e beat rretorius wicn a oeautuui Sideatep ouk jtirinK came across to oive on him anu a great seoring cnance was lost. Almost from the outset of the second spell tlie All Blacks were actackmg. wilson and xVleJtiugh were promment in the loose and Blacn, Elvidge and B.en- j deraon comoined in a quicn rush, Henderson kiCKiug anead' but Pretorius aaved. lvicmugli drove tlirougn from a ime-aut and Rhodesia ' were penalised. Scott 's kick from 45 yards out appeared to be going over the - centre oi the posts but nit tlie erossbar and bounced mlieid. ' The Rhodesian okcK.s s'luug the ball about in the subsequent piay but could not get f'ar. At this stage Meates had to receive attention for a kick on the ankle and • resumed limping. Skinner made a fine break from a iine-out but his cehtrmg kick serewed olf his foot and went out. A scrum followed a line-out and Scott came up into a passing rush which saw Meates pushed out in Rhodesia 's 25. Here loiiowed the magnificent try by Scott. Simpson won the oau in a lineout and it came bacK to Conrad to Bihck who went for a gap caused by Van Schoor racing up faster thaq those mside him. BiacK was stoppei. oy a cuvef defender but as the oau rolled loose, »cott raced up, scoopeu up and bluned the opposxoiou wnicn moved across in anticipation of hua sending the ball on to Bividge. Scott dununied tnree defenders aua scored hut missed the Kick from a comparatively easy position. • Rhbdesia 3, AU Blacks 3. Half of the second spell had now elasped and for the remamder of the game Ihe All Blacks. hammered at xiiiodedia 's line without any success. Elvidge was nearly tlirougn in oue of the few runs he had and tlien Alieifound a gap with a really first raio cross kicK. Henderson was right up as the ball landed but it bounced avvk ' vvardly for him and Pretorius 'cieared. Sne crowd gasped when the Ab Blacks cleveriy worked a long' throw m and Allen was through but the referec ruled that the ball had not been throvvn in straight. Not to be denied, the All Blacks backs again flung tiu ball about. Scott came up and sent the ball to Elvidge to MeaJtes who crossed at the corner but to the stlrprise of the crowd and also its relief, two defenders hit him and the -bali bounced out of his liands, . ^ 'Bls^ck'fierded tfie iucIt-o^° and '.il'ot

through a gap and in" a few moments ihe All Blacks were right on Rhodesia 's line. Crowley, Simpson and Conrad were almost over in sequence hnd Meates actually crossed but the line umpire 's, flag was up. From this throw -in the New Zealand backs attaeked and Scott again came up and shot through. It looked as though he could beat the' only opponent who"-stood in the road but he eiected to. send the ball to Henderson who was unmarked. 1 his sole defender threw himself at the ball as it was passed and ■ knocked it on to secure a scrum. There was still time for the. All Blacks to win this amazing game in which they were doing all the attacking. From a line-out Conrad sent the ball to Black to Allen whose smart footwork sent him through a gap but he eiected to veer in-field with Elvidge and Meates outside him and was caught. A scrum followed. The ball eame to Black who had Johnstone with him. The Otago forward looked ai though he might have gone over undtji the posts but Allen shot up outside him and Johnstone passed only to see a dtfender race back from nowhere and down Allen and the ball was kicked out for the whistle to blow for full time.