ALL BLACKS’ TEST VICTORY

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1928, Page 4

ALL BLACKS’ TEST VICTORY

GREAT .FORWARD PLAY. THE JOHANNESBURG GAME DESCRIBED. WELLINGTON, Aug. 28. Writing from Johannesburg on July 22, Mr Graham Beamish describes Nev,Zealand’s victory over South Africa in the second test:—

New Zealand, by a single point, scored a vital triumph over South Africa, before a crowd of 38,000 at Ellis Park yesterday. It was poor international football, especially for the greatest Rugby countries in the world, but the match contained several very interesting features. Solid scrummaging and packing, which is rarely seen by New Zealand forwards, was the keynote to the success of the All Blacks in this second test. The match will become as famous in Rugby history, as that sensational win the Springboks had at Durban, for in it a trio of records was broken. First, it was the first time that Now Zealand had won ,an international by a potted goal; second, it was the first time that New Zealand had won without scoring a try; and, third, it was the first time that South Africa had been beaten at Johannesburg in at least the last twenty years. Tt was a glorious win for New Zealand.

By far the most interesting feature of tho match was the amazing transformation of the All Black pack, after the Durban tragedy and after the display of the All Blacks all through the tour. Further, after watching a pack acclaimed to be the greatest in the world (and it was certainly a champion pack), lie would have been n super-optimist in the face of things to have given New Zealand the shadow of a hope to win this second test match. Everything seemed to be against the All Blacks, [fere they were up against the identical pack which so drastically overwhelmed them a month previously. There had been little improvement in tlicir play. They were playing thousands of feet above sea level, in a climate to which they were unaccustomed. In spite of all these things, New Zealand’s test fifteen went on to the field with the true Rugby spirit, convinced and confident that they would walk o(F winning the day. Then came a chain of Rugby peculiarities which makes the game the fascinating one it is. The fickle goddess of fate sided with New Zealand yesterday. All the week the test fifteen, living at a quiet and pretty little Johannesburg suburb, schemed and planned and trained. Andy Mercer was there looking after them and rubbing them own. Pat Ward, a

tiger for work at any time, helped in this matter, and he, together with Mark Nicholls, drummed into the forwards all day and every day that they might push and pack tight, push and pack tight. ALL BLACK SCRUM IMPROVED. All the week the All Blacks carefully -guarded a secret —a serum manoeuvre of which the critics knew nothing. That manoeuvre was to play Stewart in the front row ns a “loose head.” Although the scheme was not a great success, it certainly had material'advantage, for tho comparison of serums in the second tost showed that the All Blacks diminished the Springboks’ majority.

Tn the first test the Springboks got the hall from 30 scrums against the All Blacks’ Ifi and yesterday South Africa was 2!) and New Zealand 10. Of course it was not tho loose-head alone that was responsible for this. Tt was the general excellence of the New Zealand packing and the splendid weight in the scrums, which gradually wore down the South African pack, until in the second spell the Springboks were smitten hip and thigh, and they had neither the fighting power nor the adaptability to restore themselves.

When the first scrum went down, after Osier had kicked for touch in the corner, the New Zealand supporters were amazed at the reformation of the New Zealand pack. With one mighty heave the All Blacks pushed the Soringlrks clean elf (he hall.. Li he face of thii.iv> it was rnhelicvahle . in! they could do it. lnt the All Blacks’ scrum was as solid as a ra-k iml the Springboks realised that they '•ad a. far more serious proposition to •ontend with than that which had met ! h-on : .T Briba n The Now Zealanders stuck to this solid scrummaging rigid through. They were trained to concert and every man was (it. A few minutes if ter the start of tlie second spell it vas seen that the All Black forwards ■vouhl"doniiiiatO play to the end, and, •except lor an occasional burst by that line play Phil 31 os tort and his fol‘uwers, this they did.

V.Z. SUPPORTERS OVERJOYED. The New Zealand forwards teok o'limaud, to display craft, pace and precision which surprised tlie most F ervenfc New Zealand followers and sent them into ecstasies of joy. Nothing was so arresting as the pace and mobility of the New Zealand forwards. The ball was never too fast, the prospect never too forlorn for them to purlieu They worked with skill and nothod. cohesion and design., HADLEY’S BAD LUCK.

Every forward on the New Zealand ude deserves to lie praised to the skies. Hadley, unquestionably the host forward on the tour, had fiendish luck in the match, for half-way through the ccond spell lie had the ligaments of his right shoulder badly torn. He had his shoulder strapped on tlie side line and went back to the fray, hut he could not take his place in the front row and played ns rover. Even as sore as lie was, lie was still most valuable, for he often spoiled an attacking movement by the South African backs. He is one of the gamest players of the side. He was X-rayed after the match, and it was found that his shoulder had been badly damaged, so badly that it is very doubtful whether lie will play for the rest of the tour. TIIE OTHER. FORWARDS. Next in order of merit came Al’Williams, who often shot out, from the nick with the hall at his toes. With T'inlnyson. M’AYiUiams was always in the limelight. The pair could be seen nutting every hit of their weight in the scrums and playing the game as best they know how.

Alley locked the scrum firmly and with the greatest efficiency. His was an excellent exhibition. Sound and honest, if somewhat unobtrusive, Swain was like the Swain of old, always handy to take a pass io -he open and a solid grafter all the wti,y in the tight. liazlett. Maurice Brownlie and Stewart flashed out with fine and effective pieces of play, keeping the pressure "om" at ton all the time. N.Z. BACKS'DISAPPOINTING.. The most disappointing feature of the match, as far as New Zealand was concerned, was tlie lamentably weak nttaclc of the All Black backs. , Here was,their forward pack playing with devil arid determination—the hacks could not complain that they were not given opportunities, for they were being fed with the utmost generosity by Dailey. He was a universal provider, without a distinguished clientele. ' Dailey was always sound, nl,cl at times brilliant. The weakness lay in the five-eighths line, Johnson,.unfortunately, had a day off, n very rare occurrence with him, for he is nearly

always sound and reliable, both in attack and defence. Even his defence, for which he is renowned, was weak yesterday. His poor work seemed to have a had ctfect on Strang, for often Strang was caught holding on too long. Carlcton found himself soundly downed ns soon as he got the had. The wings were starved, so that they can neither lie prai :?.-! nor csiiideiiine'i mi attack. Johnson started off the record spell promisingly. tlic:i Strung went tc pio-c-; and for a tijfjc -coni.l do nothinright. After a!!, Si rang, despite lii« comparatively weak display, both on attack and defence, wan the match with his brilliant snap pot at goal, which is a paradox. Lindsay, cool and calculating, was again brilliant. His was a finished display. Although not always accurate with his kicking, lie hooted with good length and judgment. His tacxling was deadly, and he and Carlcton stood out alone in this department. SPRINGBOK BACKS AVORSE.

Although the . Springbok forwards were only a shadow of the pack they were in the first test, they gave their backs plenty of opportunities, hut the display of the South African rearguard was even worse than that of tlie New Zealanders. ..Jackie Tindall, the fullback, and .T. C. van der Westhuizon. the now centre three-quarter, were the only ones to stand out. The wings. Tod and Brand, like Grenside and Rohilliard, merely looked on for the greater part of'The game. jjobic, who took the place of Stanley Osier at inside centre, was defect in the chain. His was only a secondclass display. Bennie Osier, the crack of the side, except for an occasional burst, was hopelessly ineffective in passing rushes. lii> kicking, as usual, was brilliant. Devine, who gave the most brilliant display at half-back play that the All Blacks have seen in this country ir the first Transvaal jnntch, was futile on the day. Even when the Springbok hacks did get going they ran in a surprisingly straight line across the field, which ended in them gaining hardly a yard. SOUTH AFRICAN FORWARDS.

The Springbok forwards played as well as they were allowed to play. They were hard enough workers, but the task on the day was too big for them. Afostcrt, van Drutcn and Kruger were the shining lights, with van \Vyk always dangerous. Pretorius. too. one of the most dangerous and versatile players on the side, shone. CROWD HIGHLY EXCITED. It was not the display of Rugby that had tlie huge crowd in a continuous Tate of shouting, surging and swaying. Tt was the closeness of the game for in tlie sensational fleeting moment' the issue was always in doubt. AAitb inch a deadly drop kick as Osier or the field anything might have happen ed, and in that memorable last few minutes of the game, when South \fric.T was straining every nerve to pull the game out of the fire, a drop from his boot might have proved fatal. The spectacle at Ellis Park was quite a pageant. Tt was a glorious ,and in•piring scene. Thirty-eight thousand people, the biggest crowd that has ever attended a sporting event in South Africa, yelled and surged as a single point separated the teams. Tlie finish for the New Zealanders sent the sens of enthusiasm running mountains high. Three staccato blasts of the whistle and a famous game, which will make Rugby history, came to an end.