SPRINGBOKS BEAT AUSTRALIA

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 155, 19 July 1937, Page 2

SPRINGBOKS BEAT AUSTRALIA

— Prestf Asbd,

Convicing Superiority in Final Test VICTORS' F1NE PLAV

(By Telesraph-

Copyrigrht.1

SYDNEY, July 18. Ti* Spri&gboks woa the seeond Rugby Test agaiast Auatrxlix by 36 to 17. The margin does not refleet their oonvincing superiority in ne&rl j every phase. They had.the victory in hand at half-time, having scored six tries to nil to lead 26 — 6. Thereafter -they took. passing risks, but wgi'g never in danger. though their line was crossed three . times in the. seeond. half. For South Africa, Bergh, v^n Reenan,| Babrow, Tumer, Williams and. "White scored tries and Brand eonverted four. O 'Brien, } Hodgson dnd Kelaher, scored tries for Australia, and Rankin eonverted one and kicked two penalty goals. 'The Springboks were without Fanie Louw in the front row. Novertheless, his absence made little diifereuce to their clearly superior paeking. Boy Louw went into the front row and Craven p&cked in the last line, Their seven stalwarts were quite able to «ope with Australia 's pack, consisting of six pushers and two breakaways, Hodgson and Windon. .The scrum analysis showed that the ' Springboks won 19 and Australia 15. Eveu more«marked was the Buperiority in the line-outs. Whether the ball was thrown back or rucked through the Springboks invariably gained the greater advantage aud were better sup- 1 ported by their backs whose knowledge of positional play was a f eature Of the .victory. Half-way through the seeond spelt Towers retired with an injured fOrehead. The Australian form thereafter dehuitely improved, the forwards rising to heights quite iacking in the first spelL The Springboks early perceived that the Australian strategy was built on getting the ball to Towers and the Australian cjaptain was closely marked and the inside backs utterly faikd to eheck the Springboks' attaoka dow* the centre of the field. The first aot in a dram&tie first spell was the domi nation in olose rucking by the Splingbok forwards. Within two minutes Bergh forced his way over the line following a five yards scrum. The next try Was similar, the Australian forwards being helpless against the close passing of Straehan and .vau Reenan following an in-pass from the winger WiUiams. The next two tries were due entirely to Towers' and O 'Brien 'i weak defenee. From de Villiers's ripid service Barrow was eutting holes in the Australian defence and the only chanee the Wallabies had of stemming the tids Was the Springboks' impetuosity. This Was indicated in the tally of penalties through the gaine. Referee Irving awarded 18 to Australia attd fdtii1 to South Africa. From two of {these Rankin goaled. Meanwhile the Springbok three-quarters had ftdded two more tries. In the seeond spell the Springboks generally endeavoured to give the ball air, althotigh Brand was occasiOnally barracked for finding the line. Windon was pulled from the pack tb replaoe Towers and Was tesponsibl© for three Australian tries. tf WOtild be inVidious to single out the Springbok fdrWards, but Boy Lottw, Lotz, Bergh and van Reenan, who w&s limping in the seeond half, were SUperb, BabroW was a sparkling centre and was outstanding in an exceptionally sound back diViSiOn. Brand was alway.s copl.