Manawatu Game

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 170, 5 August 1937, Page 14

Manawatu Game

Proqp Aspr>piaf'i'»n. 1

VICTORY BY 39 POINTS TO THREE South Africans Superior in All Sections BRAND'S GREAT KICKING

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PALMERSTON N., This Day. In the fourth match of their New Zealand tour, the South African Springboks defeated Manawatu by 39 polnts to three when they played on the Showgrounds at Palmerston North yesterday before an attendance estimated at between 15,000 and 20,000 people. It was pre-eminently a match in which experience told, the superior tactics of the Springbok f orwards and the greater pace of their backs enabling them to outstrip the pro- • vincial side 'whic hwas f ar stronger than the result indicates, and in. deed carried nearly all the attack for the first twenty minutes. Fortupately for the spectators, not a drop of rain fell during the game, althougk there had been three-quarters of an inch sinee the previous morning. The Palmerston North, reading for 24 hours ending at nine a.m. yesterday was 41 inche3. The ground, though slow as a result was in remarkably fine order, aird the ahandonment of the curtainraiser kept it firm for the big match, A moderate breeze blew down ' the ground from the south-west. Though the run of play was closer than the totals suggest, the South Africans scored a decisive victory. In the first spell Manawatu, with the breeze behind them, held a territorial advantage. Their forwards, ably led by McKenzie, shared the honours of the set scrums and if anything had the better of the lineouts. The South Africans, however baeked up to a man, and with great support from Brand, who never looked like making a mistake all the i.tt,ornoon, they proved their defence much too sound for Manawatu to penetrate. Manawatu had two early . chances from penalties, but both kicks, ono fairly easy, went astray and 27 minutes after the atart a penalty gave Brand his first chance. From the sideline, ju.st outside the 25 line and dead into the wind he kicked a beautiful goal, the ball just floating over the crossbar. The South Africans increased their score just before the spoll ended when Lyster : brilliantly cut through the defence for a try near the posts. • Brand made no mistake and the Springboks were eight points ahead. "Witbin six minutes of the start of thc second spell the Springboks had doubled their tally, the defence during* that period being rather disorganised, but Manawatu rallied and after Edlin, the half-back, had cut round the scrum and the forwards had carried on over the line, Newman scored a well-earned try ' well out from the posts. Manawatu then held the Springboks for a period, but during the last quartor the visitors had matters practically their own way and they ran on another 23 points, eleven of which came as a result of B'rand's fine goal kickii»g. In all Brand scored 21 points and his kieking was Teally the fcature of the match. He kicked three penalties, a field goal, and converted four tries. The tourists scored six tries. . The teams took the field as under: — South Africa (dark green): G. H. Brand, P. J. Lyster, J. White, D. H. Oraven, J. Bester, T. A. Harris, C. 1'. Lockner, H. H. Watt, W. E. Bastard, J. Nel (captain), W. F. Bergh, L. C. Strachan, S. C. Louw, J. W. Lotz, C. P. Jennings. Manawatu (green and white) : M. Waldin, H. Waugh, G. Wasley, D. Buick, J. Finlay, J. Nicol, C. Edlin, O. Newman, G. Tcrry, A. Williams, W. Powell, R. McKenzie (captain), E. Fell, R. Ewart, W. Sullivan. Two changes were made in the South African tearn as announced, Craven replacing Hofmeyr and Strachan replacing Yan Beenan. These changes were made on account of the weather oonditions. Manawatu took thc field as announced. The Springboks' backs were all good and they handled with confidence. Their passing rushes, however, were usually smashed before the ball reached the wings. When the game started Craven, was playing fly-half but later he movcdj in to scrum-half. Craven, Harris, j Lyster and Brand appeared the bestj backs and Louw, Lotz and Bastard the' best forwards. Bester did not see much of the ball until late in the game but then proved himself a resolute and' resourceful wing. The forwards always played as a pack and always gave the impression that they had plenty in reserve. In the second half the Springboks had more command of the scrums, winning ninc out of lo, and they had a similar superiority in the llne-outs. Tliis enabled them to attack with comparatlvo impunity evcn from their own twouty-five, an advantago which bory fruit in twenty points scored in the last -ixteen minutes. This freedom in liandmg was in marked contrast to their tactics in the early part of the game, vrhen White, Harris and Lockner all iiicked into toucli as the ball came out to them from the scriim. Short punting was another tactic exploited to advantago; the visitors ran deep before kick ing, so that Waldin never had thv leisure that Brand enjoyed in getting rid of the ball. Manawatu held their own during most of the first spell and at times in the second, but if this is not the Springboks' stvongest tcau then New Zealand will have to produce tbc'u* best, to

take tost honours. Yesterday the Springboks were just an ordinaTy team until opportunity offered. Then forwards and backs became brilliantly aetive and took a power of stopping. Manawatu, with McKenzie in the tliick of it all t'm a Veiy good game and they deserved to have 'had a smaller margin against them. ;The forwards worked like Trojans and they gave their backs a fair share of 1 the ball. Their passing, however, was not straight enough acros3 and the receiver was frequently caught standing fiat-footed. Of a team beaten but not disgraced, none deserves praise moTe than Edlin. With the scrums repeatedly wheeled against him, he got the ball away j eleanly time and again and was also a strong tackler despite his disadvantage of weight. Waldin played magnificently for the most part althougfi he in.evitably suffered by comparison with Brand. His toueh kieking' was almost above reproach. Finlay was the most brilliant on attack, his resource and consistency in following up every opening being noteworthy. The hard-work-ing forwards bore the brunt of the African 's attack in the second spell, and only tireless scrummaging enabled them to keep a hold on the game.