TURN BACK THE CLOCK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 196, 4 September 1937, Page 18

TURN BACK THE CLOCK

SECOND RUGBY. TEST OF 1921 SOUTH AFRICA DEFEATS ALL BLACKS ; VICTORY BY NINE POINTS TO FIVE On Saturday, August 27, 1921, tlie touring south. African team of 1921, playing the second Test matcli against New Zealand at Auckland, defeated the All Blacks by 9 points to five. It would be correct to say that tbe result proved a rude shock to the eomplacency with which New Zealand expected to win. On the day the better team won. That was the consensus of opinion among the better-informed crities. The winners' scores were made up of a converted try and a drop-kieked goal to New Zealand's converted try, which. was scored by A. L. McLean, Bay of Plenty, and converted by Mark Nicholls (Wellington).

The teams were : — • South Africa. , \ Full-back: G. Morkel. Three-quarters: W. C. Zeller, W. A. Clarkson, W. D. Sendin and Henry Morkel. Fiy-half: C. du P. Meyer. "Scrum-half: J. P. Micahu. Fonjjards: W. H. ("Boy") Morkel, Royal Morkel. M. Ellis, J. W. van Rooyen, P. J. Mostert, Ti L. Kruger, H. Scholtz. and N. du Plessis. New Zealand. Full-back: C. 'N. Kingston (Taranaki). Three-quarters: J. Steel (West Coast), C. G. Aiken (Wellington), P. W. Storey Canterbury). Five-eighths : M. Nicholls (Wellington), C. E. Badeley (Auckland). Half -back: E,«.J. Roberts (Wellington). Wing-forward: J. G. Donald (Wairarapa). Back row: A. H. West (Taranaki), and E. A. Belliss (Wanganui). Sides: A. L. McLean (Bay of Plenty) and J. Richardson (Otago). Lock: J. E. Moffitt (Wellington). Front row: E. Hughes (Wellington), and W. D. Duncan (Otago). The changes made in the New Zealand tearrr compared with that which played and won the first test by 13 to 5, were as follows: — Roberts replaced H. E. Nicholls at half. A. White (Southland),- and R. Fogarty (Taranaki) had been replaced by McLean and West respectively. New Zealand won the toss and took advantage of a slight breeze. Two evenly-matched packs of forwards battled hard and, strangely enough, the South African's policy was to use the backs at every available opportunity. There is a feeling in New Zealand to-day that if the Springboks are to win at Christchurch they will do it by making the game open and using a fast three-quarter line, a case of history repeating itself. Sendin Scores First Try. The first score of the match was registered after about 15 minutes' play. Van Rooyen started the move, letting his backs have the ball, which was flashed along the chain from man to man, outfield to the wing, then smartly in again to Sendin, who had too much pace up for Storey and got to the goal just as . the full-back (Kingston) and Jack Steel got there to grab his legs — too late. Gerhard Morkel added the points and the visitors were five up. A Herculean battle raged during the remainder of the spell and, just before half-time, New Zealand equalised. Roberts got the ball on the African side of half-way and broke away on his own, with his pack trail-

ing behind. He drew the Africm full-back and transferred to "Moke" Bellis, who set out for the line with characteristic Bellis dash. Zeller used his pace to bring "Moke" low, but Bellis anticipated the tackle and, as he felt Zeller's dive taking effect, he flung Ihe ball clear. Up came McLean, the Bay of Plenty forward, who carried the leather over the line and scored. A touch of luck held to New Zealand in the converting of McLean's try, the bajl, directed by the profitable boot of Mark Nicholls, hit a post and bounced the right way. — New Zealand 5, South Africa 5. Imagine the second spell! It was played at great pace and when South Africa had a dying, western sun shining full into their eyes the All Blacks elected to play up-and-under kicking, Try a: they might the All Black forwards could not gain the mastery they wanted. A slip by Kingston gave the visitors the opportunity they wanted to win. Running for a ball kicked along the ground he fell full length, and the surglng African attack closed round him. Desperate play by the All Black van averted immediate danger, but the clearing kick did not find the line, the ball coming instead to a watchful Gerhard- Morkel. Stepping infield sogie distance, he potted a great goal. New Zealand Backs FaiL .New Zealand, time and again, tried to score with the backs, but Aiken's passing was badly off and the moves failed against a sound defence. On the day's play the lorwards were even but the backs a long way below the standard set by the visitors, particularly in the three-quarter line. Kingston played a sound game at fullback, the only blemish being when he slipped over and failed to field a rolling ball. Nicholls, Badeley and Aiken were not up to All Black class. Roberts played a masterly game at half and was acknowledged as the best of the New Zealand backs. Steel was the best three-quarter, but both he and Storey had little chance to display form owing to the poor fiveeighths and centre. Bellis was the outstanding forward, being hard in the tight and a deadly tackler. West, McLean, Richardson and Moffitt played like All Blacks. Little was seen of Duncan or Hughes. After the match lamentation ran high in New Zealand at the dearth of good inside backs. Now.'let the clock be turned forward again. So much for that surprising struggle of the past. To-day, at Canterbury, the 193T Springboks will endeavour to emulalie the performance of their 1921 predecessors. Again the cry of the moment is that New Zealand will face greatest danger from the Springboks' backs, particularly if the day be fine. Will history repeat itself?