ALL BLACKS’ TOUR

Hokitika Guardian, 27 August 1928, Page 2

ALL BLACKS’ TOUR

BEATEN BY WESTERN PROVINCE. BY 10 TO 3. (Special to Press Association). CAPETOWN, August 25. New Zealand’s fifth defeat came today, when the Western Province beat tlie All Blacks by a try, a potted goal and a penalty goal—ten points— to a try—three points. The game was played before a crowd of twenty thousand on the famous Newlands ground. There was ceaseless rain last night, which converted the field into a slithery quagmire, but luckily there was not a drop of rain during the match. Again Bennie Osier’s deadly kicking, together with the mobility of the Province forwards, won the day. At the last minute it was decided that Alley should play lock in tlie scrum. Harvey playing in the back row with Hnzlett. The New Zealand team was as follows : Full-back: Lilburne. ~.»rec-qnarters: Robilliard, Carleton, Grenside. Five-eighths: Strang Johnson. Half: Dailey. Forwards: Stewart, Burrows, Swain, M. Brownlie, Alley, Finlayson, Hnzlett, Harvey. The Western Province team was:— Tindall: Van Niekerk, Vanderwesthuizen, Keet; Morkel, Bennie Osier; De Villiers; Daneel, M.ostert, Louw, Dutoit, Melck, T. G. Osier, Vanderwe, Beyers. The Western Province is the strongest team in the country, and the match was regarded almost as of test calibre. 'fhe New Zealand forwards started from the kick off with a great combined attack, led by Swain and Harvey. Again Swain headed a rattling forward rush, which ended at the twen-ty-five- line, where Strang missed the goal by inches from a penalty kick. Dailey then dashed round the scrum on the blind side. He passed to Robilliard, who beat Van Niekerk, and sent the ball infield to Johnson. Then Harvey, coming into this brilliant passing rush, found his way blocked when only one yard from the line. He therefore sent the ball to Dailey, on the outside, the latter diving over at the corner for one of the cleverest tries of the season. Lilburne missed with the kick. ALL BLACKS 3 WESTERN PROVINCE ... 0 The Western Province were having the best of things at this stage. They were getting the hall from the scrums and their hacks were opening out in pretty passing movements. After Grenside had been caught with the ball, the Western Province forwards came on with a solid rally. Hnzlett, however, sent them back with a fine line kick. They kept up the pressure, however. and soon a penalty kick was awarded to them'. Osier missed the kick at goal. With a brilliant break through the pack, Dailey sent Grenside away, and the winger made a great dash down the side, and looked as if he would go over, but he swerved out ten yards from the line. There was a brilliant forward movement by the All Blacks before half-time only Osier’s fine kicking keeping them out. Csirleton had his knee badly hurt in the first half. He came on for the second spell, bandaged and limping. He stayed on for twenty minutes, but he was almost useless, and he had to leave the field. It seemed that the All Blacks would win the match at the start of the second spell, but, with an amazing recovery, the Western Province soon hold the upper hand, and they were almost continually on the attack, mainly through Bennie Osier’s kicking. r I he play was mostly among the forwards now, the Province men badly heating the New Zealanders, who appeared to have cracked up. Nine times in succession the Province back-heeled Ihe ball from the scrums, their backs occasionally opening out in dangerous movements. For the most part, however, Osier elected to kick lor the lino, and to keep his forwards storming the New Zealand citadel. Every time that the All Blacks forwards broke away, Osier sent them back with amazingly long accurate kicks for the line. From a penalty, Osier landed a goal. WESTERN PROVINCE ... 3 NEW ZEALAND 3 There was willing play in front ot the stand for a time. Then De Villiers, Osier and Morkel worked the blind side cleverly, Morkel scoring a good try at the corner. Osier missed the kick at goa I. WESTERN PROVINCE ... (5 NEW ZEALAND 3 The next minute Osier dropped a goal rom the field, but the hall was touched in its flight by Harvey, and it was disallowed. A few seconds later, Vanderwesthuizen sent the Province to the All Black line. Again Ben Osier got the hall from the scrum, and kicked, the leather sailing between the posts. WESTERN PROVINCE ... 10 NEW ZEALAND 3 From that point onwards the All Blacks did not look like winning. They made several desperate and praiseworthy efforts to equalise. Stewart was out of the pack, playing as a second five-eighths. It was almost a hopeless task, although on one memorable occasion, after a magnificent forward rush, Finlayson was almost over. The final whistle brought a great game in the mud to an end, with the Province still attacking. After the first twenty minutes, it seemed as if Now Zealand would emerge with an easy victory. Their forwards, with Swain, Hazlett, Alley, 1 Burrows and Stewart shining out, had

all the best of things, both in the tight and in the loose. 11 was a dilferent story in the second spell, when the Western Province forwards, led by Mostert, T. CL Osier, Daneel and Dutoit, took command and had easily the best of things. Dailey and Johnson were in fine form. They attacked when the chances came, with a good understanding, their thrusts being always dangerous. Lilburne played soundly at full-hack. Until Carleton was hurt, the New Zealand three-quarter line was going in peat style. Strang was good in patches. Ihe Mew Zealand defence showed a big imirovement. Bennie Osier was the hero of the natch. Vaiulerwesthuizen played well, mt Van Niekerk, the famous wing, vas not outstanding, although he bowed flashes that marked him as a langerous man. Tindall was erratic at vll-back. hut the luck was with him. After to-day’s match South Africa onfidently expect to win the final test.