ALL BLACKS’ TOUR

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1928, Page 2

ALL BLACKS’ TOUR

SECOND TEST. ALL BLACKS WIN. BY 7 TO 6. NEW ZEALAND HAD BEST OF GADIE. - (Special to Press Association).

.JOHANNESBURG, July 21. The famous Ellis Park at Johannesburg was crammed to capacity to-day by a crowd of forty thousand people to see New Zealand' play South Africa in the second test match. The All Blacks won the match by seven points to six. The winners’ score was made up of a penalty goal and a dropped goal, while the South African score consisted of a goal from a mark and a. penalty goal. The visitor's won only after a desperate battle, in winch, however, New Zealand had tile better of the game. Everything favoured the players, for the ground was in excellent condition and the day was a perfect one for Rugby. The New Zealanders deserved their win for they were unquestionably the better side on the day. Dfaurice Brownlie won the toss and Bennie Osier kicked off for South Africa, who were playing with a strong sun in their eyes. From a scrum, one of Bennie Osier’s deadly line kicks put the Springboks on the attack. In the corner there was a, series of determined scrums, in which the All Blacks showed a vast improvement. One of the New Zealand backs attempted to clear with a kick into touch, but Brand took the ball and he mado a dangerous dash for tlie comer where he was pushed out on tlie flag. Then a penalty against Devine for picking the ball out of the scrum allowed Lindsay to find touch past the twenty-five line. The Springbok backs then started a beautiful passing movement from a scrum, at the end of which Brand centred accurately, but Van Der DYestliuir.cn knocked the ball on when he was under the posts. South Africa heeled the ball from the following scrum but their backs lost control, and Hazlett rushing through, cleared with a good kick.

There was omnious hooting among the crowd when Tod was laid out temporarily, but the details of this incident could not be seen from the press stand. Some fierce battling among forwards then followed in midfield.

Tho Springbok’s first points came a minute later, when Phil Dfostert, tlie forward, took a mark near the half way line, and dropped a. great goal. South Africa 3; New Zealand 0. The New Zealand backs, on resuming, started a concerted movement, but Strang .dropped his pass, Carleton clearing only just'in time. A penalty kick for lifting in the scrum was awarded to the Springboks in Hie centre of the ground and New Zealand had a narrow escape, for Brand got in a splendid drop kick, which" luckily for the All Blacks, hit the posts. The New Zealanders after this cleared their quarters, and from this onwards they started to show their quality. The forwards, at last- began bolding the Springboks in the scrums. The South African hacks, however, were also on their game. Breaking clean through the New Zealand threequarter line. Van Dor Vcsthuizen made a brilliant run, until he was grassed ky Lindsay. Tlie Springbok hack division mado things merry with two more runs. In a third run, Strang let them through with a weak attempt at tackle, and only Lindsay’s safe collaring saved a dangerous position. There was a spell of terrific forward battling, till, from a scrum, Dailey sent his. backs away in a sparkling movement, which went to South Africa’s twenty-five. Open, but dangerous, passing by New Zea-

land let the Springbok forwards clear. Barit wont the All Black forwards, and they stormed the Springbok line for a time, hut tlie defence was always sound, and eventually a kick by Van Druten made ground for them. There was a spoil of hard, but ragged play, which resulted in the Springboks being penalised for lifting in the scrum. Lindsay landed a great goal from the side line, twenty-five yards out, and thus equalised tlie scores. New Zealand 3; South Africa 3. Half-time came witli tho play near midfield.

'Pile opening of the second spell was characterised by three good line kicks by Bennie Osier, which put the Springboks in a handy position. The half, Devine, sent his hacks away in a good movement and Brand kicked well down the line. In attempting to clear, Lindsay kicked the hall into the arms of Van Druten, who had ample time to take a pot at the goal, hut lie failed with,the kick, which fell short.

The New Zealand forwards then started to play up something like All Black standard and the backs got moving in better style. First Strang, and then Dailey cut clean through tile defence, but their passes went astray on both occasions.

Slowly the Springbok forwards worked down the field. Then a New Zealand forward was penalised for lying on the ball at the twenty-five yards line, and Bennie Osier kicked a goal. South Africa 6: New Zealand 3.

In a fierce forward battle that raged on the New Zealand line a minute later, Hadley’s shoulder was badly injured but be kept on after receiving attention. A fine combined movemen thy the New Zealand forwards and a splendid kick by .Johnson spoilt it all by a poor short kick, which allowed Brand to drive the ball out at half-way.

For taking the hall out of the scrum Devine was penalised, and Lindsay mode a line attempt, at a goal, only just missing. New Zealand was having all the better of the game at this stage, their forwards packing with better effect. ,'Several runs by Nev; Zealand backs looked dangerous, but tbe defence held good. Whipping tbe ball away from a scrum, Dailey started the hacks going again, and when Strang got posession he took a quick snap for the goal, the ball sailing fairly between the posts. New Zealand 7; South Africa G.

This reverse put the Springboks on their mettle, and they started an effort to pull the game out of the fire. Abandoning their tipht-sornm they then began to open lip tbe game, their •hacks throwing the ball about in tbe All Black style. Tod. in spite of an injured ankle, made a great dash down the line, and short punted over Lindsay’s head, hut Carleton came across and secured the ball, and the effort petered out.

The Springboks were obviously now a beaten side. Their backs lost their fire, and they were merely running across the field, and gaining no ground.

The final whistle sounded with New Zealand still firm on the attack.

Although there were only occasional flashes of International Rugby, tbe match was a titanic struggle in which the pace of the New Zealanders gradually wore down the Springboks, until. for a long time in the second spell, the All Blacks dominated/the play. The most amazing feature of the match was the transformation of the New Zealand scrum, Th<p playing of

Stcwart as loose head did not make any real advantage for the Springboks still got a two-one possession for tlie scrums, but the all-round display of the New Zealand forwards was convincing, and encouraging. They played with skill, method, cohesion and design. Their new tactics practised for tlie past week and their determination in . scrummaging were eventually too much for the South Africans. In, keeping with the tension of the crowd, the play of both sides alternated from good to effete. Strang’s clever dropped goal was actually paradoxical, for he was the weak link 'in the chain of the New Zealand backs, and yet he won the match, and so brought it about that the Springboks were beaten at their own game.

Now Zealand’s win in the second test should he the turning point in the tour, for, with the adoption of .solid scrummaging, they have found that they can more than hold their own. Nothing was so arresting as the pace and mobility of the New Zealand forwards. The tell was never too far, and the prospect never too forlorn for them to pursue. The Springboks were only a shadow of the team that they were in the first test. Once again it was a case of a team playing only as well as it was allowed to play"

CODIDIENTS ON THE PLAYERS. Lindsay played another fine game, saving his side in many serious positions. The back line was erratic, faulty handling and bad passing being too prominent, but tliere were also some sparkling movements. Dailey was always sound and at times was brilliant. Johnson and Strang were patchy. The three-quarter line, especially Carlcton, was splendid in defence, but in attack was always under suspicion. It would be unfair to single out any one forward, so hard did the whole eight work. Swain, Hadley, Finlayson and DlcWillinms were always in the limelight, and Aliev Hazlett, Stewart and Brownlie were battlers every inch of the way. Even with ligaments in his shoulders torn, Hadley still played a fine game.

The South ,African backs did their usual amount of kicking, especially Osier, but when they started to open up the game their movements were surprisingly ineffective, for they simply ran across the field. The newcomers, Brand and Dobie, showed their capabilities as Individualists. Van Der DVestlmizen was easily tlie best Springbok back. There seemed little understanding behind the, scrum between Devine and Bennie Osier.

The Springbok forwards were triers all tlie way. with DTostert, Van Druten, Pretori us and Kruger as tlie shining lights. Harvey showed big improvement today, and he is quickly recovering from his relapse. Kilby came up from a private hospital in Kimberley for the match. His ankle is in. plaster, and lie is walking an crutches. The break is mending quickly, but he will be unable to play for the rest of the tour.

CODIDIENTS ON THE GADIE. (Received this dav at 8.50 a.m.) JOHANNESBURG, July 22. Phil Mostert, the Springbok captain. said the All Blacks deserved their win. Their, defence Hind keen better than 'tho South African defence. Ho regarded that as the reason for the ISmith African defeat. He said the All Blacks had used a loosehead in the scrum and as a result had got the ball more frequently. Tho New Zealand forwards had played ’mucli hotter than they did in the first test. Dfaurice Brownlie said; “1 am glad wo have won. It was a fine match, we thoroughly enjoyed it.” A. J. Sport Piennar, President of the South African Rugby Union, said : “Our forwards were singularly devoid of life, whereas the New Zealand pack played tlie best game of the tour. That in a word is the key to f.he game. I think the result will do an enormous amount of good. The AH Blacks deservedly won.” The Johannesburg “Sunday Times” says: “South Africa, frittered away golden opportunities. The result shattered all tlie anticipations before' the match. There seemed little chance that the mighty Springbok pack, generally acclaimed as the best in tlie world to-day, would not once again maintain its powerful vice-like grip on the game, suffocating the most strenuous efforts of tlie opposing forwards. All these notions of the unapproachable superiority of the home pack came toppling off the pedestal. Emm yesterday’s play, particularly, it was obvious the New 'Zealanders were a power to he recokned with. This was especially Noticeable in the first twenty, minutes of the second half. Taking all the varying fortunes of tlie game into consideration, even the most ardent (South African enthusiasts could not begrudge the New Zealanders their win, which they rightly earned.”