AFRICA WAITS

Evening Star, Issue 19805, 2 March 1928, Page 13

AFRICA WAITS

ALL BLACKS' TCHIR WARM WELCOME CERTAIN VARYING STYLES OF PLAY. [Written for the ‘ Evening Star ’ by J. A. Daleboudt, late of ‘ Cape Town Times,’ Capo Town, South Africa.] No. 1. When I left South Africa, at the start of last Rugby season, the coming visit of the All Blacks was already a fruitful topic of conversation. Posters flung upon hoardings, in saloons, and in the trains, advised the public of the impending arrival of the Rugby giants from the South Seas. Since then interest has quickened until it has now reached fever point. This affords some kev to the intense enthusiasm with which South Africa is awaiting the toi-v In New Zealand last winter I had t'.u: opportunity of studying the New Zealand style of play, and 1 noted many differences in tactics and methods from the stylo employed by the South Africans. These i propose to discuss in later articles. New Zealanders, I find, are curiously unaware of certain features of the great country the All Blacks are to visit. Their tour, though undertaken solely as a sporting venture, will bring them into contact with many strange and perhaps unexpected phases of South African life. These, too, 1 propose to describe briefly for the benefit of New Zealanders. I was privileged to be present on the decks of the liner Cap Polonio on a great occasion in South African Rugby when the New Zealand military service team was welcomed to South Africa by an official delegation which went out to meet them, on that momentous morning of 1919, upon their arrival in Table Bay. That team included men who had already made history in Now Zealand Rugby and others whoso history-making exploits lay ahead. In the same way their coming was to mark the dawn of a new era in South African Rugby. They showed South Africa unexpected phases of the Rugby game; now tactical developments, moves infinitely move daring and skilful than the somewhat stereotyped English and South African methods, beyond which our acquaintance did not extend. Just as the Services team left a definite mark noon South African sport, South Africa, 1 believe in all modesty, left an equally definite impression on the minds of the soldier tourists. From the triumphal procession which was their entry into Cape Town, their path from one end of the Union to the other was strewn with figurative garlands. They were welcomed like princes, feted like conquerors. Their departure from Johannesburg railway station, on a Sunday morning when almost the whole city seemed to have turned out to hid them farewell, was an unforgettable scene. South African Rugby reached another milestone when the Springboks toured New Zealand in 1921. The result was gratifying, because wo had feared that Now Zealand was almost certain to win the majority of the tests. South Africa’s showing heartened us for the matches with the British team m 1924. It gave us a new lino on the strength of our forwards and showed us the pinnacles we had to aim for when the All Blacks returned our visit. UNBEATEN TOURISTS. But meanwhile the 1924-25 All Blacks sot the seal on New Zealand s Rugby fame by marching through Britain without being beaten. By this time we knew something ol the strength of British Rugby, and we therefore knew that they had achieved a memorable teat. It gave an indication of the preparation South Ainca would have to make if the All Blacks were to be conquered. In view of the painful slough in which South African back play seemed to have fallen, the union learned with genuine relief that the tour of the All Blacks would not take place till 1928, and in the intervening period every possible effort had been made in the direction or learning the lessons necessary it South Africa is to assume the- mastery. Thus is reached the stage when South Africa actually awaits the arrival of the All Blacks. Since 1924 her back play has undoubtedly improved, hut it doc's not vet sparkle with the meteoric brilliance ‘ shown customarily by New Zealanders. Tho insides in South Africa are prone to be much more orthodox. But just as New Zealand has one great wizard of inside back play —1 refer to A. E. Cooke —so has South Africa. This man is Bennio Osier, a mercurial and clever player. With his neat, compact physique, pretty turn of speed, and elusiveness upon the fitdd, an admirable pair of hands, and a handsome, smiling face that is of the fair Dutch type, Bennie Osier is tho model of a footballer. Much as I admire Oooke —1 saw the Wairarapa man’s amazing display against Hawke’s Bay on June 3 last year—l believe Osier to be his equal. And I could pay the South African no higher compliment. There is another first-rate South African footballer, this time a forward, with whom New Zealanders are better acquainted. I refer to Phil Mostert, captain of the Western Provinces representative team, which has enjoyed remarkable successes in the Currie Cup competition in recent years. Mostert, a broad-shouldered six-footer, 14st in weight, toured New Zealand with the 1921 team. Then a stripling of twentyfour, he is now a man of thirty-one, but by no means past his best; in fact, he is probably better than ever. He and Osier are both in the same team. Osier, I may mention in passing, is a stand-off half, and as s*ich holds almost a roving commission. Anywhere within range of the posts, he is the most dangerous drop-kick I have seen, particularly if ho is given the ball quickly from a set scrum

As their names indicate, these two South African stars are of Dutch descent. In that respect they are similar to the great majority of South African Rugby men. The game in Africa is hardly so universal as in New Zealand. Except in the mining areas, it is hardly the democratic institution you have made it in New Zealand. A great number of those who play it are professional men pure and simple, but itheir Rugby is none the less virile. ! UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL. The great Rugby nurseries are the universities, notably Stellenbosch,which is a historic Dutch institution set in beautiful surroundings a few miles from Cape Town. Stellenbosch, with its quaint observances and mellowed cloisters, has produced some of the iiugby players South Africa has kno^n.

One great three-quarter line (Loubser, Krige, De Villiers, and Stegmann) stepped straight from the ’Varsity team into a crack international team. In later years came the speedy Van Heerden, a student of Stellenbosch, Not for away is another great African university, the University _ of Capo Town. Unlike Stellenbosch, it has a large proportion of students who are of British descent. But all through the Union the Dutch influence will be found to be pronounced. There are Dutch newspapers of wide influence. Outside the towns the burghers of the old farms maintain the spirit of their forbears. The All Blacks will hear Cape Town called Kaapstad as often as it is called by its English name, or Dutch is just as much an official language as English. There has even been an effort to introduce Dutch terms into the thoroughly English game of Rugby. Forward is “ voorspeler "; half-back, “halfagter”; full-back, “ heelagter ”; referee, '* skeidsregter”; goal, “doel,” and so on. The Ail Blacks will doubtless get accustomed to hearing Dutch flung about during their games with the South Africans. But it must be borne in mind that the presence of Dutch and English side by side implies no suggestion of racial antagonism. South African Rugby is hard, but clean, and the All Blacks will be welcomed as blood-bro-thers.

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