ALL BLACK AND SPRINGBOK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 178, 14 August 1937, Page 16

ALL BLACK AND SPRINGBOK

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SHADES OF 1921 RETURN1NG MEMORIES OF FIRST TEST THAT YEAR i . . ' JACK STEEL PLAYED GREAT GAME

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Let. the mists of sixteen years he rolled away. Let memory go back to this day in 1921 at Dunedin^ when All Black and Springbok met in the ehivalrous game of Rugby; just as they are going to meet in Wellington to-day. Some • say we should not ponder the past and others say we should not compare the past with the present. But sometimes it does us good to remember what happened long ago and just how it happened. This is one of the days on which we can readily be forgiven for thinking back to when other players represented New Zealand in just such an issue as that which will be decided on Athletic Park this afternoon, back to the days when Mark Nieholls,- then on the threshold of fame as a Rugby five-eighth, was played outside his brother, "Gringer,"- who was •half -back. against . the great Springbok side of 1921. There aze hundreds among us who to-day can still see Jack Ste(el racing that f lo yards to score his great opening try. New Zealand wa* 0 just as keen then about the issue between Springbok and" All Black as she is to-day. New Zealand' won that first Test of long ago ljy 13 to 5. Perhaps, who knows, history will repeat itself 16 years afterwards. Many feryently hope so, while many may he sadly pessimistic as to that hope being fulfilled. Meanwhile, lot the mists roll ' away. Let us take a look baek into Dunedin of 1921* ,

When the match commenced the weather was beautifully fine. , There was an entire absence of wind. The ground was a trifle dead but was in surprisingly good order. The crowd was one of the largest ever seen at a football match in ' this country (then) and numbered in the vicinity of 25,000. The Springboks commanded a distinct advantage in weight, the forwards averaging 14.1 (compared with 13.8) and the backs 12.4 (compared with 11.8). The teams were:— South Africa Full-back: G. P. Morkel. Three-quarters : A. J. van Heerden, W. A. Clarkson, Cvdu P. Meyer, Henry Morkel. Half -backs: J. P. Michau and WD. Townsend. * Forwards: "Boy" Morkel (captain), T. L. Kruger, A. P. Walker, F. W. Mellish, Harry Morkel, P. J. Mostert, H. Scholtz,, J. Michau. New Zealand Fu'll-back: C. N. Kingston (Taranaki). . Three-quarters: J. Steel (West Coast), G. G. Aitkeri (Wellington), captain; P. W. Storey (Canterbury). Five-eighths: C. E. O. Badeley (Auckland) and M. Nieholls (.Wellington). Half -back: H. E. Nieholls (Wellington). Forwards: W. D. Duncan (Otago), E. E. Hughes (Southland), J. Richardson (Otago), E. A. Bellis (Wanganui), R. Fogarty (Taranaki), A. White (Southland), J. G. Donald (Wairarapa) . Referee: Mr. E. McKenzie (Waira-. rapa). •' There was little between the two teams on the day, in spite of the fact that New Zealand won by 13 to 5. From a territorial • point of view the game was in favour of the losers and it was only in' the closing stages that New Zealand's superiority asserted itself. The All Blacks had a. nasty sun to contend with in. the first spell but had a comfortable breeze behind them in the second. When the match opened the Springboks had the ascendancy. They strdggled thorugh the major portion of the spell trying to find finish • to

their attacks in. the open. The time dragged on to within two minutes of the interval. Then Mellish initiated the move which paved the way to the first score. He passed to the dashing van Heerden on the blind side of the scrum and, before Storey knew what was happening, the hurdling winger was past him and over the li'ne well out from the posls. Gerard Morkel converted with a great kick from the side-line and South Africa were five points to the good at half time. a A Touch of Gloom for N.Z. Many people settled back at that stage with an impression than the future of New Zealand Rugby was doomed. The play had not been flatLering to the All Blacksv As a matter of fact, the New Zealand side was lucky not to have had a bigger marfftn against it. 'Morkel mfeed «. peh-

alty goal and when the ' ball- was kicked out again immediately afterwards and failed to find the line he deliberately tried to. "pot." Fortunately for the All Blacks, he was - smothered in time. On another occasion the Springbok backs were let away and Henry Morkel made a spectacular run and dive for the line, falling fo Kingston a yard short. A little later van Heerden made a poor effort to gather in a lob pass. f ?, He had only to run in and score, but y the fates were " against him -that time. Then came his try to round off the spell. . ' After half-time.iv the New-Zealand team were again in trouble early. f|lf Steel, who had played a great game ' in the first spell, much of .it of & rigid defensive typ'e, Iricked dowhfield and Meyer got possession. Before : ' New Zealand kneyv what was happen- J ing down came the South' African hosts upon them. Kruger was aimost over. Jack Steel's drop-out, * ' with a slight breeze to aid it, put the ball into touch at the South African wenty-five. That was the paving of the way. to what was a very doubtful try awarded to New Zealand. "Ginger" Nieholls . sent his backs away but the handling let them do'wn. Finally Steel attempted to , - goal from a mark, but the ball fell ' short. Badeley fielded a weak attempt to clear and kicked into goal. > Several Springboks rushed to force and Henry Morkel apparently did so. ' ' Bellis, however, had followed up fast and touched down aimost immediately • afterwards and the referee rewarded him with a ' try. It was an obvious mistake. Mark Nieholls goaled and even'ed the score. The Great Jack Steel • N Back came the South African attackers at the New Zealand goal and the All Blacks spent a solid fifteeu minutes keeping them out. "Ginger" Nieholls got the ball on his own twenty-five and transferred it to Badeley, who kicked to the right wing. The ball bounced unfavourably for both Meyer and Henry Morkel, but fiashed into the arms of the fast-following Steel. Then New Zea--land was treated to one of her best, • red blooded wingers going eyes out for the line. He outpaced the two * players near him and avoided van Heerden's diving tackle to score a great try. Van Heerden had come across the field, using his wonderful pace, in "an effort to cut Steel off. He might just as well have stayed where he was. Steel's blood .was up and he rounded the move. off by touching down between the posts, ■ allowing Mark Nieholls to goal and make the score— New Zealand 10, South Africa 5. Steel had run 50 yards I In vain did the Springboks try to retrieve their position, only the great defence of New Zealand keeping them at bay. Kingston and Steel were prominent three of four times in taking players in full liight for the line. Steel himself had another effort to get over, but H. MorkeLtackled him a yard or two from his objective. Twice in succession the Blacks were perialised and G. Morkel's drop-kicks missed, one of them being a poster. Then came an electrifying burst by the South Africans down touch. Townsend and Clarkson came away, ancl with >a pretty piece of dual play nad Kingston isolated from his fellows. There was the New Zealand line just behind Kingston and Clarkson-- Was coming at.* him; in.full 's trade, 'with the spectacular van Heerden "racing in support. Out the ball . came in a beautiful pass, but van Heerden missed it and aj great sigh of relicf could be sensed in the burst of expression from the crowd. From that out the All Blacks attacked like real All Blacks and they thundered on the Springbok line against an obviously tiring team. > F'rom a scrum "Ginger" Nieholls fed Storey and he dived over in the corner, making the score New Zealand 13, South -Africa ,5. Naturally, the New Zealanders were carried off the field shoulder high. Donald and good old "Moke" Bellis •' were the pick of the New Zealand forwards, while Jack Steel wa* the hero of the match. Kingston's form ' was good. The play cf "Ginger", Nieholls at half was up to standard, ' but his brother Mark was said to be uncertain.