FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 4 October 1928, Page 7

FOOTBALL

FINAL TEST M.A'l UH. HI! ILL!ANT .FORWARD 1 PLAY NIOHOLLS AT HIS BEST: CAPETOWN, September 3. New Zealand's unexpected victory in tiie fourth and final Test match evoked the same enthusiasm in South Africa as it did in tho Dominion as it was achieved by the finest exhibition of forward play seen throughout tho All Black’s tour. Only a week previously outplayed by the Western Province pack, which inflicted the fifth defeat on the visitors, and a crowd of 25,000 spectators gathered in the wet at Newlands in confident anticipation of seeing the Springboks achieve a clear-cut victory for the rubber. Instead, they saw the South Africans overwhelmed by the irresistible dash and skill of the opposing pack and long before the match was finished theiV djssappjjintment vanished in their complete admiration for the heroic fight by which the All Blacks squared the honours of the Tests, repeating the history of the first meeting between New Zealand and South Africa in the Dominion in 1921.

A WEEKS REST. Throughout the week before the Test match the All Blacks had been resting quietly realising that at the end of their long tour hard work could not assist them to improve their form, and this period of rest enabled the side to recover the speed and dash which had been absent in so many of their matches. From the very kick-off the All Blacks opened with startling vigour. McWilliams fielded Osier’s kick and threw out a. long pass 'to the backs for Nicholls to gather the ball, run upheld, and find touch in the Springboks’ 25.' As in the previous Test matches Most-eft, the Springbok captain, took scrums instead of line-outs as part of the .process of ’wearing down New Zealand’s forwards. NEW ZEALAND SCORES FTRST But the tourists won the first scrum, and after Johnson’s effort to open up the game had been smothered a loose scrum was formed. A springbok ferwaru was adjudged for offside and Mark Nicholls opened the score with a penalty kick before the game was three minutes in progress. This early reverse stimulated the' Springbok forward's, who settled down to their usual -solid game. They gave their hacks 'plenty of chances, but Johnson and Nicholls led a smothering defence, which,forced Osier and the centres to adopt kicking with short punts and cross-kicks to the ' wings. l3ut LilInirne was safety itself and his return kicks were as far as if the hall was dry.

SOLID DEFENCE. Realising the inability of their backs, the Springbok forwards took charge and carried play to the All Blacks line, .where there was a succession of five scrums, and first the forwards tried to carry the ball over and then de Villiers, the scrum half, endeavoured to break through. The defence was equal to the occasion and a poor attempt to drop a goal by van der Wostbuizen brought relief. The South Africans were still having rather the better- of the exchanges, however, and a good three-quarter movement launched by de Viltiers terminated in a, brilinnt run by van Niekirk, who heat Robilliard, but was grassed by Lilburne. Dailey at this stage of the game was a tower of strength to his side, worrying de Villiers and making good u.se of the ball whenever the All Blacks’ hookers secured it. Johnson, also, was playing one of his best games and made some nice openings, only to hang on to tho ball a trifle too long with the result.that lie was smothered

''',y Oder, and Nudiolls on throe occasions ran into the gap but did not receive the anticipated pass. Lucus, too-, •playing in his first Test, was playing very soundly and never missed his man when the Springbok centres secured the hall. At this stage of the game first Haziett and then Stewart were warned by the referee for too vigorous play. A FORWARD BATTLE. The teams were too. well matched on the heavy ground to permit of anything in the nature of spectacular play, and, the game had resolved itself mainly into a battle of the forwards. When Osier was fed from the scrum-and varied his play to a short stab kick over the head of Johnson, van dor Wostluiizen darted through aft r ■ the hall and vigorously kicked over the. All Blacks’ line thirty yards away, and well into his stride he heat Lucas and Lilburne in a. race for the touch down. Osier converted and the Springboks had a two points lead. From this stage of the game the .AH Blacks’ forwards came more and more into the picture. Stewart the rover, was packing as an e v tra man in the fr rank to give his hookers the loose head, while, the Springboks played Daniel out in the loose, and frequently do Villicrs, the scrum half, would throw the hall over the scrum after Stewart had gone down and the hall would he thrown in from the other side. VISITORS A SSI’ME MASTERY. s>tMl the, New Zealanders obtained a better share of the hall than they had done in any other important game and were -lowly assuming the mastery. Xieholls, playing an outstanding game, almost '“Vlummieil” an opening, but was brought down by van, der Westhiiizen. while a couple of minutes later the All Blacks’ vice-captain electrified

the crowd with a brilliant attempt to drop a goal/ the ball striking an upright and rebounding into the field, where; Robilliard secured and almost got ove® Following this, the All Blacks’ forwards launched a, series of powerful assaults on the Sprinkbo-k line. First Stewart and then Dailey tried to get over, but as in the similar period at the other end of the field' when the Springbok were on top, the defence held out. Thirty seconds before half-time, however, Nel, one of the forwards, was offside in the loose and Nicholls scored a, penalty goal from a difficult angle, to give' his side a point lead. BRILLIANT FORWARDS. The game in the first half was far from disconcerting to South African supporters, and despite the solid play of .the All Blacks’ -pack it was generally expected, that they would weaken under the pressure of the scrummaging as they had clone, in every other important match except the second Test. But so far from this happening the All Blacks’ forwards improved as the game progressed and early in the second half they were playing with a resolution that proved irresistible, and it was the Springboks that began to weaken under the pace. The tourists were getting down and pushing in the tight with astonishing power, using every ounce of their weight, as they had scarcely done before. Yet they were positively brilliant in the loose. Maurice Brownlie was proving himself a great leader of the forwards and twice he effected breakaways, moving his way through the opposing players like a superman, and all the rest of the pack followed , his example.

SPRINGBOKS WEAKEN. In vain the spectators waited for them to crack. It was the Springboks that began to waver under the pressure, and some of their forwards were failing to hold the scrums, breaking quickly in efforts to smother . the All Blacks’ attack as soon as they heeled the hall. As so often happens when their opponents are winning the scrums, there was a lack of concerted play in their efforts and their opponents were not slow to seize the opportunity. With a grand dribbling burst led by Hazlett and McWilliams, and with the whole pack in support, the All Blacks crashed their wav through the whole Springbok side, beating one defender after another 1 in a run l of some forty yards for Swain to dive over the line after the ball, and score a try which will never be forgotten by the spectators. From far out near the touchline, and with the hall heavy and wet, Nicholls just failed to convert', after a fine effort. ! • NIOHOLLS DROPS A GOAL. " As the All Blacks continued to play with .undiminished vigour, and it began to dawn on the huge patriotic crowd that South Africa was going to- be beaten, a veritable- pall of gloom descended over Newlands, but not for long. Appreciation of the-' New Zealanders was soon borne on the crowd and their every movement evoked applaue, which reached a crescendo when Mark Nicholls made victory secure, and culminated his own brilliant play with a beautiful dropped goal. With the All Blacks pressing and winning the ball, but unable to penetrate the defence, he shifted up into Johnson’s place at first five-eighths. Dailey gave him the ball as the forwards heeled from the scrum, and his deft kick sent the ball soaring through the centre of the uprights. The Springboks made a great effort, and their three-quarters launched succession of efforts, but it was all to no purpose. They were beaten out on an imperturbable defence and the All Blacks emerged victors by the handsome margin of 13 points to 5.

CROWD RUSHES GROUND. As the final whistle sounded the spectators flocked on to the ground to shake hands with members of the victorious team. Maurice Brownlie was shouldered off the field and hundreds gathered round Mark Nicholls and Bennie Osier, who changed jerseys with each other on the field, Nicholls running off the field in the Springbok colours, and Osier in tho AM Black jersey. Thus ended a game which was mainly won by the indomitable spirit of the All Blacks, and with seven Test matches played between South'*Africa and New Zealand, the question of supremacy between the two countries yet remains to be decided.

MAN A GER ’ S REVIEW OF TOUR. WELLINGTON, September 28. The New South Wales Rugby football team, having completed its tour of the Dominion, left Wellington this afternoon by the Marama for Sydney. Mr C. E. Morgan manager of the team stated that the tour had been much more successful than had been anticipated for a young and inexperienced tea m. “They have surprised the people of New South Wales,” he said, “and we are told that the enthusiasm there over the doings of the team has been practically uprecedented in New South Wales All this talk about bad luck we do not agree with at all. We have no complaint .coiping with regard to penalties and that sort of thing. The"’ are entirely our own fault, hut they are not a fine art with the team as stated in one paper. They have been brought 'about through over-keeness and over-eagerness to do well. From our point of view the success of the team will do an immense amount of good to the game in New South Wales.

Throughout the tour the team had been wonderfully well-treated and Mr .Morgan expressed, on behalf of the team, keen appreciation of all that had been done by the Rugby officials and the puhh'c to make the tour so enjoyable.

liI.TGI3Y.IN VICTORIA. HAMPERED BY T/ACK OF GROUNDS. DUNEDIN, Oct. 2. Mr R. J. Cooke, one of the bestknown names in the Rugby world of lii.s clay, arrived by tlio Manuka on his way to spend a holiday in Christchurch, his homo town. He was a member of the 1903 New Zealand team that put up a wonderful unbeaten record in Australia, and it is still considered by many competent judges of the game to the the greatest team that ever represented the Dominion. Mr Cooke is now resident in Melbourne. He was one of Canterbury’s finest forwards. His activities wore not confined to Rugby, however, for he was a prominent professional cyclist and a well-known boxer, later on becoming a leading referee. “Wonderful,” was how he described motor-paced cycling in Melbourne, of which he has seen a great deal. Opperman was the best rider lie had seen behind pace, and for that matter it was his opinion that Opperman was one of the best all-round riders the world has ever seen. Of H. G. Watson, the New Zealand professional rider, Mr Cooke speaks in terms of high praise, asserting that Watson is a great road rider whom he would place alongside any of the riders of his day. “Rugby is improving in Victoria,” said 'Mr Cooke, “but the Union has no grounds, and this keeps the game back, and it has to be played on open grounds such as Albert Park.” He added that the Australian game was so strong that Rugby had little chance of rivalling it in favour for very many years to come, if ever. • STANDARD OF PLAY. WELLINGTON, Oct. 3. At the meeting of the New Zealand Rughv Union Management Committee tonight, Mr Fletcher brought up the question of the deterioration of the standard of Rugby play in New Zealand at the present time. Mr Fletcher moved: “That a committee be set up to make some effort to improve matters.” “The New Zealand team this season,” declared Mr Fletcher, “did not even known how to do down in a scrum and it was very evident that they had been badly coached.” Mr Kitto: “The standard of play usually goes in cycles. Yoy get your lean .years.” Mr Fletcher: “You must admit we have seen some very poor Rugby this season.”

Mr McKenzie: “The scrums certainly appear to have developed into a rabble.’’ Mr Kitto; “I think that any action along the - lines suggested by Mr Fletcher should ; be deferred until after the return of the New Zealand team.” Mr Fletcher: “I am not asking that action should he taken right away, but I certainly do think that we should do something to improve the game. Yon appear content to sit down and let things slide. ,r Mr Leitch: “Oh no!” Mr Fletcher: “Well what is your objection to setting up a committee?”

Mr McKenzie: “The time 7s not opportune.’’ Mr Fletcher’s motion lapsed for the want of a seconder. « DATE OF ARRIVAL. WELLINGTON, pet. 3. At a meeting of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union to-night, it was stated that if the New Zealand team reaches Wellington on Tuesday, a civic welcome will be tendered and the New Zealand Rugby Union will entertain them at luncheon the same day.