ALL BLACKS’ TOUR

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1928, Page 2

ALL BLACKS’ TOUR

WON BY 19 TO 8. .GOOD BACK PLAY. (Special to Press Association). POTCHEFSTROOM, June 20. New Zealand, giving a brilliant exhibition of back play, beat Western Transvaal by five tries (two converted), to a converted try and a penalty goal at Pofchefstroom. Over 3500 attended the match, which was played on a loose dirt ground and there was a slight wind. The game opened tamely, with a series of scrums in midfield, ending in forward melees. Sheen and Lucas opened up the play, combining prettily in some in-and-out passing, which ended in Lucas centring. A scrum followed, from which) Kilby sliot the ball out to Nicholls, but the movement ended in Ruslibrook being pushed out at the corner. Good play by the Transvaal forwards carried play to New Zealand’s twentyfive. Penetrating runs by Stewart and Ruslibrook saw the last-named again thrust out at the corner. The New Zealand backs were being fed from the scrums by Ivilby and got going in spectacular lightning attacks. The whirlwind tactics of both backs and forwards were leading Tgansvaal a merry dance. Twenty minutes after the start Kilby secured tlie ball from the scrum aiul it travelled along the line to Lucas, who beat his man and scored a spectacular try at ( the corner Strong’s kick missed by inches. Lilturno then thrilled tho crowd by racing up, beating half a dozen men and sending Sheen away. The latter was collared and a scrum followed. Tho ball travelled out again to Sheen, who cut in and sent it to the forwards, who were racing up. Hore dived over, but Nicholls missed the kick at goal. Again with a fine combined movement- the forwards swept down on the Transvaal line. Kilby, attempting to cut through, dropped the ball, but M. Brownlie picked it up and scored. Strang took the kick but missed. One dangerous gallop by Transvaal forwards came before half-time, hut Strang raced ill and forced.

Getting two to one possession from tlie scrums New Zealand had paralysed Transvaal with brilliant passing movements in the first half and only bad luck prevented them putting on more points. , Oil resuming a scrum resulted from the kick-off. The ball went along tlie line to Lucas, who, with a delightful corkscrew run, covered a lot of ground and tlien sent it in-field. M. Brownlie, Finlayson and Stewart handled it iii tui'n and finally Alley side-stepped the full-hack and scored under the posts. Nicholls converted. The- New Zealand backs continued to throw the ball about in the open in a telling way, time after time getting within inches of scoring. Another fine movement from halfway saw Stewart join in a back movement, fend off two men and run behind tlie posts. Tlie crowd cheered the New Zealand effort but tlie line umpire had his flag hoisted half way and the try was disallowed.

Transvaal forwards now came with a fine rally. The All Blacks were penalised for a scrum infringement and Dewet kicked a good goal.

Again Transvaal with Berman and Marais in the lead made things lively, but nothing could stop the All Blacks forward counter attack. ' They swept down the field and the ball went out in tlie twenty-five. After this came the finest movement of the day. From a line-out Nicholls gave Strang a pass a.ml lie handed it to Sheen. The attack then swung the other way, M. Brownlie sending the ball to his brother, Stewart, 'Sheen and Lucas handling it one after the other and enabling the bust named with a lightning hurst to run round behind the posts. Nicholls converted. Just on the call of time Western Transvaal backs combined in a pretty movement, which caught the ~ . New Zealand defence napping. Kesse ran over at the corner at Dewet converted with an excellent kick.

The game ended New Zealand 19, Western Transvaal 8.

The only weak link in the New Zealand hacks was Sheen, who played below his form, dropping passes and holding oil too long. The inside hacks played brilliantly and of tlie threequarters Lucas, with a fine all round play, was the most outstanding. Stewart gave a versatile exhibition as rover, combining with the backs in fine style. M.. Brownlie, Alley and Finlayson shone in the front division. Hadley played his usual sound game, but was hardly fit again after his enforced spell. Tho display of the whole team was the most spectacular to date.

Transvaal for the best part of the game was bewildered, but seveial times they rallied and their try was the result*of quick opportunism, which the New Zealand defence spreadengled. Dewet and ATyburgh gave a good display behind the Transvaal pack, while Marias, Berman and Steenkamp were toilers among the forwards. New Zealand carried nearly all the line-outs throughout the game, but in the second spell both sides got an equal share of the ball from the scrums. -