SECOND TEST PROSPECTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 194, 2 September 1937, Page 15

SECOND TEST PROSPECTS

"Magpie. ")

State oi Weather and Ground Will Be Telling Point LANCASTER PARK UNLUCKY

(By

New Zealand meets South Africa in the second Rughy Test at Lancaster Park, Christchurch, next Saturday and the question that everybody is asking is can the All Blacks win? Since their defeat in the first Test the Springboks have registered an imposing sequence of wins in the provincial matches and their victories have been accomplished in brilHant fashion without exception, and they have earned, and justly so, the general opinion that they are the finest Rugby combination ever to visit this Dominion.

History has a peculiar way of repeating itself, and for those who pay attention to the signs and portents the taslc ahoad of the All Blacks to rise triumpliant is fraught by tradition that is if anytliing against tkem. For instance, on the occasion of their first visit to New Zealand in 1921 Ihe South Africans loot the first Test, played in Dunedin, by 13 to 5. ln the second Test, played in Auckland, the Springboks won by nine to five and tne third aird final Test, played in Wellington, was a seoreless uruw. llain fcll that day and the South Africans contend that Jupiter Pluvius saved the day for New Zealand. That contention, of course, is a debatable one. From the New Zealand point of vieW Lancaster Park cannot be regarded as a happy liunting ground; it has proved in the past a most unlucky ground for them. ln 1S94 a New Wouth Walee side was touring the Dominion with negligiblo results; in facl, they were no match for the major provinees, yet in thc only Test played on that tour and decided on Lancaster Park, New South Wales won by eight to six. All New Zealand was agh&st at the result. ln 1913 Australia defeated New Zealand on Lancaster Park by 16 to. five, and this feat was repeated by New South Wales in 1921 on the same gtound, the score being 17 to nll. That occasion servCd to introduce the name of BrOwnlie to intefnatioual football^ Laurencc, younger of the thfee brothets, piaying for New Zealand. ln aetual fact it was the success of LaurencC that decided Cvril and Maurice to seek fame as exponents of llUgby and just how successful they were is now history. ln 1928 New Zealand lost to New South Wales on Lancaster Park by 8 to 11. thie being the oiily oue of thfee lost by New Zealand in tho Test sdiiOs of that year. New Zealand Test l'ecord oh Lancaster Park is not "wholly depressing, however. for in 1923 New South Wales was defeatcd by 34 to six, Maurice Brownlie piaying in that gamef and in 1930 Great Britain was defeated on the same grotind by 13 to 10. In tliis match Mtitt ay,- the British sci'Uin half,- broke a collarbone dUring the first half and fdr the remainder of the game they battled along with 14 men. The non-xeplace-mont of in jUred players that riiiee in international football, from a sporting point of view has nothing to recommend it. At the rnoment of writing the names of the piayers to represent the two ^ountries are not known, but it is fairly certain that the New Zealand fifteen will differ little from the one that was successful on Athletie Park last month. Cobden, the left wing three-quarter, will, oi' course, be replacedj tin alli probability by Phillips, of King Coun-

try, but it is diflicult to see any alteration otherwise. - It is a winning combination, and on form they should repeat the first Test performance) particulariy if they iinish with 1J players. Seven forwards, it can be argued, outplayed the Sprmgbolt eight, so what tvili eight Ail Black packmOn do to them, btit such arguments are unsafe on which to form a basis in the game of liugOy. Look at the probiem' through greeU glasses for a niomeut and recali that the bprlngbok pack in tho first Test did not exactiy cover itself with glory. the publication of the fciouth African Leam will provide an interesting study, and it should differ appreciably from the first Test side. Of course. this is no guarantee that they will register a better performance, but all the same there is the prospect that' they will. Oritics travelling with the team have for a long penod been siuging the praises of Tony Harris, the Bpnngbok stand-off half, and reading between the lines it can be seen that they regard his inclusion in the Test side as a nccessity- to success. Harris is a sprightly piayer^ but in the one match in' which I saw him play he impressed as a piayer who required a fair amount of room to work in, and when pressed he was by no riieans brilliant. With Oraveft as scruin-half he may get the oppOrtunities occasionally. Outside him will be a speedy quartette of threO-quarters, but the Springbok backs are not at their best when given close attention. This is tlio one phase of their game that has been pccutiar. For men so brilliant on attaek they have slumped sensationally under pressure. Like Achilles of ancient history; the Springboks have their vulnerable spot, and it temains for tlie All Black forwards to expose it. The preSedCO Of Brand as full-back will give confidence also, but he, too, is one that dislikes close attention. Thefe is the prospect of points coming from his boot though. Looked at from all angtes it appears that the burden of the day from one point of view will have to be carried by tlie forwards, fof in the rearguard the Springboks Have greatef speed. Our visitors detest heavy grounds, but on a dry surface they arfc quite at hdmc. To "Magpie" the Weather conditions will' have gi'eat bealing oti the illtiUiate result, and if the All Blacks fire to emergo suceeSsful it appears that a heavy groiind and ball is essential, In conclusion and as an aid to this theory, it has to be remembered that Simon and Trevartlian are great piayers under such conditions, but on a dry surface they lack the necessary speed, and in an international Bugby Test this is indeed a great handicap.