FOOTBALL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2302, 14 July 1921, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

**• -■ SPRINGBOKS 11, WANGANUI 6,

The Springboks have won their first provincial game, against Warn ganui.’" The',winning.. after making due allowance for travel fatigue and stiffness, gives an indi-> cation of their to tlie opinion that they are a very much overrated team, and will be lucky if they win one out of the three test matches, The match with Taranaki should show a slightly, wider margin of points in their honour than obtained in yesterday’s contest, but the strength of their combination and skill will be guaged against Wellington on the 23rd, after meeting Wairarapa, when they will be at the top of'their form.

The match was played at Cook 'i Gardens, Wanganui, before about 10,000 spectators, large numbers of whom were from districts far and near. Wanganui players headed tho procession to the field, several of, the local players looking mere midgets against* the Springboks, tho weights of some of the latter ranging from 14st to 17st 21bs. Their fine physique was at once admired. The game was an education to 1 football followers.. Whilst Wanganui displayed nothing unorthodox, the South Africans employed tactics which set the opponents thinking and the crowd amazed. Ono very striking characteristic in their playin evidence yesterday was that the forwards seldojn attempted to dribhie the ball, but pushed it into another’s bands as the rush proceeded. Many times they were caught in thoi act of passing it forward in this manner.' It often happened that a man when collared did not possess the hall at all, if having been transs ferred, without the attacker noticing it, to a companion close at his side. The play, for the Springboks’ part, was almost entirely open, hut the local team relied on their forwards. There absence of decent passing by®! he Wanganui backs, and seldom did the bail go the length of the three-quarters line. The 'SprinkboksU.backs in combined action was a sight good to witness. Rarely did they make a mistake, and when the leather Inid reached either Van Ilcerden or Zeller, on the respective wings, there was always excitement on the pari "of Hie spectators. The display given by the team as a whole wm? brilliant. Wanganui put up a'great light, and emerged from a bard game beaten but: not: disgraced. The forwards stuck to their task with tenacity. The tackling on both sides was hard. Wanganui soon found that it was a difficult matter to up-end certain weighty opponents. Van Heerden, the Ilympic hurdler, was a hard proposition to tackle. He does not actually, jump as reputed, but .takes a high springing step over a tackier. Probably owing to the fact that they had been travelling all the previous night the Springboks, particularly the forward division, began to tire towards the end of the, game, but Wai;ganui were beaten throughout on weight, if not condition. Tho Springboks’ play was belter limn the scores indicate. —M.D, Times.

SOUTH-AUCKLAND DEFKAT MANAWATU.

In the match, South Auckland v; Mannwntu, played at Palmerston N. yesterday, South Auckland was successful, the scores being 0 points to nil. The first half.' saw play fairly evenly divided, though the best chances came Mannwnt it’s way, when Rose dribbled and, securing (£e ball, passed to Mu ire, to MoSweeney, to’ Glendinning, to Bramwell. The latter missed a difficult pass a few yards from the line. There was no score in the first half. In the'second spell (he visiting torwards showed much merit, and allowed Buckingham to register the first try. Soon after they repeated the play, and Manawalu failed to check the rush, which ended iu_ Morris scoring another try.

The following* team will represent the Fourth Grade on Saturday: • Backs :Hynes, Huff, E. Robinson, T. Procter, Qhristie, Fuller, W. Walis; forwards, Fuller (2), Healey, Cunningham’, Burr, Parkin, Perreau, Irving. Emerg.: Stevenson, Williams, Claris.