POVERTY BAY-COAST BEATEN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 209, 20 September 1937, Page 9

POVERTY BAY-COAST BEATEN

-Preas Association.)

Thirty-Tftree Points to Three SCINTILLATING RUGBY * J

(By Telegrnph-

GISBORNE, Saturday. Scintdllhting Rugby was seen at Gisborne ; to-day when the Springboks defeatecl a ccmblned Poverty Bay-East Ccast-Bay of Plenty team by 33 points to three. Brilliant sunshine, with a southerly breeze, prevailed and the hard ground proved « to he to thc visitors' liking. There was an attcndance of about 8000. The combined side started off a iittle • irvously and were down 18 — 0 at half'.ime. In the second speli they infused nore vigour into their efforts and, re-•,-eiving the better share of the ball, :ffered a more formidable opposition. Ihe Springboks, however, always were ia top and their great speed and tricky .uovements at times left the Combined jlayers standing. A fekturo of the jame was the dour work of the home LOrwards, who never let up from start .o finish. Babrow, Harris and Bester all gave outstanding displays in the Springbok '>ack line, while Brand's defence was mpregnable. Wi Repa and Read carried the brunt >c the home back attacks, while Davies, ifter he had settled down, played stirling football.'

The Game, Davies kicked off for the Combined team in the face of a stiff breeze and the home forwards rushed up, bustling the Springboks, but Harris drove them back with a line kick. Matthewson burst through, but Broodryk saved and j . followed up fact, Davies beating him nicely and finding the line. The green forwards broke away, giving the ball out to their backs, and Bester made a fine xun beforq kicking in-field, where Harris secured and crossed the line after three minutes' play. Brand con- I verted. Springboks 5, Combined 0. The Springbok forwards got away and beat Davies, but a knock-on spoiled .the movement. The combined pack was bustling de Villiers but the green pack saved. the position. Phillips was prominent in the Coiribined pack and he i was catching.the Springboks incessant- j ly. BrantT kicked too far^with a liner i and, , sej^ingv - from -5i. the -drop-out, i attempted" V. field: goif':fr'om Ad yards ; ■ out, the ball falling wide. j The Springboks secured from a \ scrum, but the Combined forwards in- j dulged bustliBg tdcticS and Read! broke through the scrum. j

Another Try to Harris I Babrow then broke away and was ' nearly oyer, but he was tackled by Wi 1 Repa and a sfirum was ordered. De i Villiers secured and sent the ball to Harris, who again crossed the line. Brand was unsuccessful with the kick. I Springboks 8, Combined 0. M. W. Louw secured from the kickout but was tackled by Phillips. Bester secured and put in a fine run before being brought down by Wi Repa, who was playing a stirling defensive game. Combined attaeked but Brand repulsed them with a fine line kick. From a penalty Davies gained 30 yards,' bringing play back to half-way, where Africa secured from a line-out, the ball going to Babrow,- who' made a fine run, drawing Davies before transferring to Watt, who scored under the posts. Brand converted. ^ Springbioks 13, Combined 0. Combined again gained possession from a line-out and Wi Repa kicked a fine liner. The game was halted while ' Rogers and Lockwood received attention, the latter having to leave the field. _ Louw made a fine run from a line-out but was unsupported and from a further line-out de Villiers set his backs in action for Harris to secure and dummy Davies to go across under the posts for his third .try. Brand improved the score to: Springboks IS, Combined 0. Davies fooled Strachan and Watt badly when they broke through from a line-out, bufc he failed to find tOuch. BYand fielded the ball well and kicked into touch in goal. The Springboks next suffered from an epidemie of field fioals, Brand having two attempts in -luicn succession and tnen Vnute isiung vvitli another.

From a drop-out Brand seeured and fooled Matheson and Ririnui badly before finding touch; the Combined team being awarded a penalty for a line-out infringement. The Springboks gained possession from a iine-out and tlie ball passed througli the chpln of backs t Bester, who showed a great turn of speed before being checked by Read. He passed in-field to Harris, who dropped the ball and a scrum was ordered. The ball was kicked back to Brand, who sent it out, and half-time was called with the score: Springboks 13, Combined 0. The Second Spell Lockwood returned to tho field before _ ihe resttmplion. Africa again attaeked j 'ua de. Villiers, from a line-out, set his oacks in action. Babrow was nearly >ver but he was stopped by Read. Bester -made an effott to get 'tlirough, but Read, again Handy, brought him ■lown. Bustling play by the Combined -'orwards followed until Harris interepted a pass and sent on to Bester, >'ho knocked on. Davies saved in the aee of a hot dribbling rush lieaded by an den Berg and McAnenyjcame round o relieve with a good line kick. Africa .as awarded a penalty well -out, but s Irand's kick was unsuccessful and Wi I -'epa i'oreed. Brand Starts a Scoring Movement Brand mado a fine dash and centre.cked for Bester to run up and secure id eross the line untouched after sell- > ag dummies to McAneny, Read and L)a\ies. His score under the pos'ts wa^ 1

converted Brand and the Springboks led 23—0. Africa continued to press and, follow- , mg a strong Tush by Bester, van den Berg forced his way over the line for a good try. Brand converted. — Springboks 2S, Combined 0. Immediately following the drop-out the Combined were awarded a penalty and opened their account when Davies j kicked a goal from 40 yards out amid scenes of wild enthusiasm. — Springboks "28, Combined 3. Encouraged by this success, the Combined backs, with Wi Repa, Reedy and Read, broke away but Babrow intercepted and burst through, drawing Davies before passing on to Strachan, who had no trouble in going on to scoro under the posts for Brand to convcrt. — • Springboks 33, Combined 3. .Combined secured from a scrum and Wi Repa made a brilliant 'dash but spoiled a good position by holding on too long. Another scrum was ordered and de Villiers shot the ball out to Babrow, who burst .through and gained 40 yards before being tackled by A. McAneny. In a counter-rush Read broke away with brilliance, gaining 30 J ards, but his pass in-field went astray. Babrow Injursd. Babrow was injured by a heavy tackle, but after receiving attention he continued playing. The whistle went a few minutes later, the final score being Springboks 33, Combined 3. ' Comments by Captains Interviewed after the game, Mr Pliil. Nel, the Springbok captain, ■ said the game had been a very hard one which had beea played in fine spirit. The conditions had been ideal, the ground being very fast, and it had well suited the Springboks' style. He added that the Combined team had. put up a fine performance and never once gave up the^ struggle. Mr Nel continued "that their strength was in their forwards and the pack played a great game. The backs were forced to play a strictly defensive game but on the few occasions on- which they did attack they showed plenty of thrust. "It was a grand game played in the best spirit," said Mr F. McAneny, captain of tho Combined team. "We were well beaLen by a superior team but thoroughly enjoyed the gaYne. I would iike to pay a tribute to the sportsmanshlp of the Springboks." v