TEST SIDELIGHTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 3, 27 September 1937, Page 9

TEST SIDELIGHTS

Brilliant Scrummaging the. Vital Factor

N.Z. BACKS FAIL

Beaten in tlie most essential phase of the game, that for possession of the ball, New Zealand were weU and truly beaten by South Africa at Auckland on Saturday in the third and final Test of the series. There were pther phas.es in which the Springboks were superipr qnd practically throughout the game they were definitely on top. Their victory by 17 points to six gave the Springboks the honour of being the first team to win Test honqurs against New Zealand. "# # * Eden Park, Auckland, on Sbturday presented a wonderful sigijt, an author-. ity on the area giving the attendance at 58,000, and the majority at 2-20 p.m. were gazing pqp-eyed with astonishmont at the efforts of the All Blacks. © © The Springboks, fn lieu of a iine-out — the first of the day— took a scrum from which New Zealand were awarded a penalty The next four scrums im stead of line-outs ended all in favour of South Africa. For the remainder of the game they took the scrum in-. stead of the line-out. * © # South Africa's first try came from a scrum, the baU travelling via Craven to Harris, then fo Lochner, who ran past Mitchell, and when gonfronted by Taylor, Babrow took over to score easily witli Williams beeping liim confpany. © © a Mitchell, the hope of New Zealand, early proved to hq a frail reed, The Springbok backs ran past l)iui repeatcdly, qnd Mter having a finger bound up he was reipoved to tho wing qnd Caugiiuy brougbt in. # ^ # Both Sullivan aud Mitchell had heav-ily-bound legs. Sulhyan, by ihe way, saw little of the ball. © « © Trevathan early wasted timo and etfort by attempting penalty goals Irom half-way against a breqze, ^ ^ It was heart-breakmg to see the flash New Zeqland three-quarter division standing practically idle all day waiting for the bg.ll that seldom, if eyer,v came their way to epable an attackjng niovement to be made. # © # Bcmonstrfitipg their exceptioual ScTqmmagin^ ability to the fi]U, the Springboks had a real feast of the bgll, and the thiogs tfiey did with it mahe them look like a match-wipning jforce, They w°n two out of the three scrums. © © t Harris, South African' fivq-ejgbth, took every pass from Craven, no matter how it was directed, and he just forgot Trevathan and ran tq Efooker- thus givipg. his side an .overlap. The New Zealand backs were very ^lpw up on to their opposites, and the side row forwards remained glued to the scrum. ' / © * © lt was not until Walton took on tho hooking that tli6 New Zealand backs saw anythipg of the ball. © © # With South Africa winning scrums 2 to 1, the New Zealand backs obligingly kicked tbe ball out so that there Avould be more scrums. © © © The New Zealand backs, when they attempted passing movements, looked crude, and the attempts were quickly smashed by the wonderful tackling of the Springboks. © * © There were 28 penalties awarded, and of these New Zealand got 21 and South Africa 7. ' # * • What line-outs that did taka plaoe ended in favour of New Zealand by a shght margin. m m m Through the whole of the game the Springboks, who were out for all the possession they could get, togk scrums m place of line-outs. © © • The Springboks made the play open from the start of the match, and it did not take them long to work their way to the objective. © © * Craven's dive-pass was a most difficult thing to counfer and out it went to Harris, who stood his ground exceiiently, and with five minutes goue gave Lochner his first big chance in .international football. Lochner cut through brilliantly, gomg past Mitchell with ease, and then iet Babrow away for a try which was a real gem. * © • Brand had ten attempts at goal, and was successful once. Trevathan succeeded with 2 out of 5, — That was New Zealand's only win of the day. © © • Williams, the winger, was once tackled, but got up, ran past two astonished New Zealauders and scorea, © * © Turner, onc© from a passing rush, was well coilared by Sullivan. The ball went infield to the forwards, ivhen Strachan picked up and threw it back over tlie Lmads oi a dqzsen players to Turner, and he just strolled qver, © © The South African forwards were li iquently penalised for obstruction, aud ofi-sidp, Strachan appearipg to bp the worst oifender. # & Ward (New Zealand), following UP closely on oue of Trevatjian'3 "up anJ unders," allowed Babrow to take the ball and run away. Ward did uiany things that appeared to be fpyliali. But pf cyursp, bp was not thq on|y oue. © © © v On oue ppcasion l'rom a scrum Craven was eaught anc] swung rouud in a complete cij-ple. As he completed the first lap be sent out a perfpct pass to Harris, and away went the Springboks' back line again- © © * Tbaf more was expt'ctetl of the AU lllacks gyps witlioufc saying. But they lae.ked inspiratiou and wbre not neai ly as impresgive aa in fiven Hip secnnu Test Iet alonq flte first Test, Fxee|it for about ten minutes towards che end of the first spell they never looked like winning.

Weajmesses among the insid© backs of the New Zealand rearguard were made fully apparent by the Springbpks, who plqycd havoc at times with their piercing and penetrating runs, © © * I1 rom one scrum Turner came in from the wing apd topk the pass from Craven to run ptraight through tp Tayjpr} there to hand on tp BabFow fop a try, * «' 9 Brand had a very easy dpy, and gQ did Turner, On tho pther side Taylor was a busy man and tliq best back for New ZealQiid. © © * The match was devoid of unseemlj incidents, but Ward pn oue pceasion should have been penalised fpr iliegally ■charging an ppponont. © © © In the line-outs, somewhat rure a|iairs, AlcKertaip and Jackson were the men who went up in the air for the ball, * * • Last scene of all, Jack Tars swarmmg up th© goal posts to souvenir the small llaga xuuled at the top.