All Blacks Won But Unable To Understand Referce

Chronicle (Levin), 29 August 1949, Page 6

All Blacks Won But Unable To Understand Referce

Eeceived Sunday, 7 p.m. BLOEMFONTEIN, August 27. Maintaining tlie greater mobility and smooth combination that has marked their recent vietories, the All Blacks had a good win in the return match against Grange Free State today. Once again their line was tincrossed. The final score of 14 points to 9 consisted of two" tfies (one converted) and two penalty goals to three penalty goals. But for an incessant whistle and a poor application of the advantage rule, the ganie might have risen to great heights as the early stages were spectacular with both sides rnoving freely. The second spfel^proved a drab aft'air. Nevertheless, it was a pleasing pre-Test'rtrial for the All Blacks so far as the backs were concern^d. .

The expeiim'entYpf playing Blaclc as scrilm half proved vveil worth wliile. His passes from tlie scrum and line-outs were erisp and o± goou iengtn with the result that the whoie uacK iine func- j tioned well in its limifed opportunilies. Delamore was* able to avoid the ciose | attention of the opposiiig harassing I flank forwards aud gave his best dis- 1 play of the tour. Elvidge eonxbiued well with Goddard and gave hirn a chance to make oue iine break whieh led to a try. In addition Elvidge blasted the defenee wide open with one of his powerfui runs to pave the way for another try. Most of the play swung to Botting wing and he opened his scoring acdount for the tour with two excellent tries in which his pace greatly impressed onlookers. Appeal of Scott At the last minuie it was announced that fcicott would take the iield. Tliis may have been a concession to the extraordinary demand everywhere and partieuiariy in the Grange Eree State, for his appearanee. It is doubtful in tlie history of the tours of fc3ouil> Africa, if any footballer has so caj)tured ,the public imagination as has Scott. His name is a liouseliold word in this country, which is not surprising in view Or;tne superlalive quality of sonie of his play. Today he was eon tent with purely souml Bugby in order not to take any rislts with his injured onkle and not once during the game did he kick with his left foot. But lus football was stiil iir'st-class. The only disappointing aspect of forward play was that the All Blacks were beaten in the scruins ahd the lionie side also had a slight advantage in the liueouts. Scrum figures were 27 to 17 and the lineouts were. 16 to 12. The inajority of line-outs were quickly blown up by the referee ana scrums awarded. This occurred often when the bali had been brought to the ground and the forwards were mckiiig for it. Rucking from the line-outs has always been a strong point in New Zealand Bugby but South African referees rarely allow this to proceeu long even though the ball can be seen to be moving. Today 's referee was the strictest encountered on the whole tour. '* New Zealanders at liome may gather from this how difficult it has been for the All Blacks to develop their owu etyie of Bugby. A complete absence of the application of the advantage rule also led to more scrums. A glaring example of this occurred toward the end of the match. Joffe made a strong penetrating run but when tackled, knocked the ball forward into the iiands of Scott who found tlie line near halfway, but the referee ordered a scrum where Joffe knocked the ball on near the New Zealand line. Apart f rom the serummaging and , lihe-outs, the All Blacks forwards j showed line dash with McHugh, Simpson, Skinner, Wilson and Growley always proniinent. McHugh and Crowley merited Test selection by the lively football they have piayed in all their > matches. Crowley and Grant were the best line-out forwards but Geel excelled in this department which the All Blacks will have to improve if they hope to win the vital struggle for possession in the third Test. Grant did some good high jumping for the ball but he.appears to have lost Ihe dash which marked his play earlier and the best All Black line-out forwards at the moment were Crowley, Willoeks and Skinner with Simpson also playing a vhluable role as number three. A*record crowd of 20,000 brought the Free State Bugby Union the handsome return of £5000. From both games against the tourists this union will reap a substantial profit. Details of Play Orange Free State kicked olf and a scrum was formed within the first minute. From this the ball swept ont to Leeb who broke through Botting's tackle and the home team swarmed to^ the All Blacks' line but were penalised for offside play. Free State won sueceeding line-outs and scrums and kept tbe All Blacks penned in their twentviive and also were awal'ded two penalty kicks in the tourists' twenty-five. The first hit the crossbar and bounced back enfield but the second went over the posts. From the kick-off the All Blacks swept to the Free State 's 25 and Scott levelled the score with a good penalty goal. Five penalties were awarded within six minutes and (Scott had a shot at goal from one from halfway but though his kick had the neeessary length it was outside the posts. The first All Black passing movement came to grief when Scott came up into it. His pass to Goddard was intercepted by Duplooy who centre kicked and Geel headed a rusli to the All Blacks' line. However, a penalty halted a dangerous movement. Frotn a subsequent line-out Black sent his backs away and the ball went out to Botting who made ground and passed infield but the ball was knoe'ked on. The football was spectacular and liad the crowd wildly excitedv McHugh, Johnstone and Wilson led"a dribbling rush to- Within a few" . yards of ihe opposing goal line. H'ere a scrum was ordered and the defenders clep,red. Try for All Biack's Not to be denied, the All Blacks gained the ball in a. line-out, Grant taking it cleanly and seading it to

Black. Elvidge saw a gap and tore througlr and though Goddard was impeded by two opponents converging on him, this movement led to a try, Elvidge running Botting into position for the winger to clap on the pace and race over wide out. Scott 's kick missed. About this stage the home side began to dominate the scrums which curbed the All Blacks' activities, and over kicking by the home backs robbed the game of its previous spectacular features. Just before half-time Brink was injured and retired. Hill moved troin the side of the scrum to the wing. Second Try From a line-out in the Fre6 State 25 the ball came to Joffe who put in a poor clearing kick. Elvidge gathered the ball and sent on to Goddard who burst through a tackle to race Botting into position. The winger scored near the posts, Scott converting to make Ihe half time scores All Blacks 11, Free State 3. Penalties in a Row The second spell was only four minutes old when tlie All Blacks were penalised and Meyer goaled. A long sequence of line-outs and scrums followed and the All Blacks also had five penalties awarded against them in row. This led to Simpson inquiring* the reason for them from the referee whicli led to booing from a section o± the crowd. Superiority in the scrums enabled the1 home side to maintain the territorial ( advantage but tlie backs laeked finish. In one All Black rush the ball went _ over Goddard 's shoulder. - He caught , Ihe ball as it fell off him sidcways but a knoek on was ruled. Joffe made two excellent breaks which threatened danger but he hung on in the first and knocked on in the second when under prcssure. Smart work by Black following a line-out, gave Delamore a chance. He clapped 011 a great burst of speed which took him througn a gap and then kicked over Meyer 's liead. Just -as he reached the" ball an opponent pushcd him over and from the resulting penalty Scott goaled. All Blacks 14, Free State 6. The only additional score in the re maining ten minutes was a penalty goal by Meyer from a very easy ppsition.