ALL BLACKS WIN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 219, 16 August 1937, Page 9

ALL BLACKS WIN

TEST WITH SPRINGBOKS. SCORE OK 13 TO SEVEN. J TREVATHAN THE HERO. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Aug. 14. 11l mingled sunshine and rain, tiio world’s two foremost Rugby nations met at Athletic Park, Wellington, yesterday, when .the All Blacks, in a magnificent display of football, hunt the Springboks by 13 points to seven. For fully 55 minutes the New Zealand team was oiie man short. Even so, on a soft and soaked ground and with a slippery ball they showed marked superiority, especially in the forwards. The hero of the day was Trevathan, who scored 10 of New Zealand’s points and at the close of play- Trevathan v'as mobbed by the cheering crowd, while 40,(100 spectators went wild with excitement at such a victory.

The crowd began to gather at Athletic Park late on Friday night and when tlie gates were opened at 9 o’cloek this morning some 3UO enthusiasts were already awaiting admission. Rain in the night and again to-day soaked the ground, making the conditions favourable lor the homo team. The crowd was a colourful one, the bright hues of the"umbrellas, women’s cloaks and waterproof sheets catching the gay sunshine between the rain squalls from the south The bleak wind was strong enough to make kicking difficult. Long before the match began the embankment and available seats were all crowded, while reserves were fetching big prices from speculators. The resourceful folk whoso houses are adjacent to the ground profited by building improvised scaffolding grandstands and selling sitting space on the roofs, while the grass bank lullv a quarter of a mile from the field was" black with figures. TREVATHAN PROMINENT.

From the earliest phases it was obvious that New Zealand would make a good showing. hooking at once drew comment, also Taylor’s hue kicks. Trevathan was prominent throughout and he kicked two fine penalties and a field goal under by no means easy conditions. Dick’s tackling was outstanding and lie scored a pretty try with a fast dash ior the corner. The Africans’ two scorers were Wuliams, who completed a beautilul back movement with a try, and White, who potted a goal from about 40 yards out. McKenzie, of the New Zealand torwards, was conspicuous for his work in the lineouts. . , . . , Cobden retired injured in the first half. r The referee was Mr L. E. Macassey and the Africans repeatedly were penalised for infringements in the scram. “While the better team won, it was the penalties which ruined us, said Craven the African captain of the day, after the match. “We are not squealin<r but we did find difficulty in understanding some of the decisions, particularly in the scrums.” R R King, the New Zealand captain, who as lock bore the brunt of the terrific forward struggle of seven men against eight, was a weary man after the game but happy. He had little to say beyond appreciation of the sporting spirit manifest throughout the hard fought game. One of the first to congratulate him was Nel, the Springbok captain, who told linn the win was richly deserved . ■ , . ~ The teams were entertained mimed - atelv after the game by the New Zealand Rugby Union when the president, Mr T It Meredith, of Southland, welcomed the guests including the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Minis ter of Education

START OF THE GAME. Babrow kicked off, hut tN 1 A’ine swept the ball ba.de. behind the l»n® where the forwards joined battle

vigorous scrimmage. A series of set scrums 'in midfield followed until Africa were penalised for a forward lifting and Taylor, with a tremendous kick, gained considerable ground. New Zealand held their own in the early lineouts and scrums; indeed several times they pushed the heavier Springbok pack, while Lambourn was outhooking Lotz. When Africa hooked, the ball went out to White, whom Hooper brought down. Taylor found the line with ail accurate kick after having difficulty in picking up the ball. New Zealand were awarded another penalty and a roar broke from the crowd when, from the line-out, Hooper obtained tlie ball and kicked. Lyster missed and Dick charging down on him snapped lip and very nearly made the African line. . McKenzie was jumping well in the lineouts and he, Jackson, Simon anti Dick were in turn thwarted narrowly from scoring. . A hard struggle on the line ended when Craven cleared with a fine line kick. The New Zeala.nd forwards continued to press, however, and when the game had been in progress only 11 min-utes-Africa were penalised on the twenty-fine line midway between the touch line and the centre of the field. The crowd went wild with joy, flinging hats and programmes in the air when Trovathan’s kick sailed right between the posts. NEW ZEALAND FORWARDS SUPERIOR.

New Zealand had had easily the better of the play so far. The forwards were playing like champions and to the surprise of their supporters it was in this department that they showed most superiority. In the scrum which followed the kick off they pushed the Springbok pack and broke through, taking the ball at their feet. Babrow kicked into Cobden's hands. He eluded Williams and kicked on. Craven snapped up and ran well into New Zealand territory, where New Zealand were penalised for luting the ball. Turner’s kick was wide. A lengthy period of hard play between the Airican twenty-five and haltwav followed and a pretty movement took play in front of the stand when, from a scrum, Simon passed to Dick, who ran infield from the wing. Trevathan cut in and kicked across field to reach the line. From the lineout the New Zealand backs went away again but Hooper fumbled a pass and from a penalty a moment later Turner sent play into the safer half of the field. Dalton, McKenzie and Jackson led a forward rush and a scrum ensued from which South Africa obtained the ball. Simon charged down on Craven’s kick and Lambourn picked up and ran to within three yards of the African line. The South African forwards beat the attackers back within the twenty-five but there they were penalised and Trevathan took a second sliot at goal and gusts carried the kick just outside the posts. DRIVING RAIN.

Driving rain now drenched the players and spectators, making the ball heavy and the .ground greasy. Taylor was clapped when he found the line in the African territory with a long penalty kick. From a scrum the Africans kicked the ball out at the side but tlie referee apparently did not notice. Trevathan missed a long kick by Craven and the ball bounced out. A scrum followed the line-out. New Zealand hooked and Simon sent the ball to Hooper who swerved neatly round White and let out to Cobden on the wing but Turner brought him down with a splendid tackle.

COBDEN GOES OFF. Cobden took another nasty tumble a minute later when Williams picked him up by the legs and dumped him, Cobden limped to the side line and was helped off the field by the ambulance men while the game went on. Playing 14 men only New Zealand were beaten back. Williams slipped past Waul and passed to Babrow who centred. Simon relieved a nasty position with a line kick, but South Africa then launched a hard forward attack on the line with such rough work in the melees that the referee stopped the game to warn the players. Straclian, vansden Berg and Bergli fought their way down the line and a series of fivc-vard scrums ensued. Once Straclian nearly won his way over. Then the New Zealand front row collapsed and Lotz hooked tlie ball to De Villiers, whom King tackled, but Craven picked up the ball and passed out to Williams, who evaded Ward and made' for the line. Taylor challenged him, but arrived too late and together tliev crashed to the ground right on the corner, Williams successfully touching down for a most spectacular try. Turner failed to convert. Africa were penalised shortly afterwards when De Villiers, putting the ball into the scrum, threw it to his own forwards’ feet. Trevathan took the kick from ten yards outside the twenty-five and close to the side line. It was a magnificent kick and the ball again soared betwon the posts. °Tho half-time whistle blew as the excited crowd gave expression to their pent up ecstacy. THE SECOND SPELL.

Soon aftei' half-time Williams retired from the field bleeding from the face, but later he resumed. New Zealand, however, continued ,to play one man short.

Hooper obtained a low pass from Jackson and the New Zealand pack bore down on the Springboks’ goalposts. McKenzie picked up the ball and threw it to Sullivan who in turn passed out to Dick and Dick flashed across in the Corner. Bastard charged down on Trevathan as he took the kick but the referee would not allow this. Trevathan’s kick, however, went wide. New Zealand were now leading 9—3. Dor some time the forwards fought out- the issue in the African country with a pause when McKenzie signalled franctically to the manager for spare the whole aspect of the game changed. Africa hooked from a scrum. The ball flew out to Craven, White and Williams, and the lastnamed flew up the field, fending off Ward Taylor’s tackle missed, but Dick sprinted right across from the opposite wiim and brought him down on the side° line in New Zealand territory. Dick an-ain distinguished himself when he collared Lyster a moment later. Taylor relieved the tension itli clever kick, but Craven kicked the ball down to the posts and there uas another anxious moment when Taylor, dazzled by the low sun, missed it, but managed to clear. FINE LINE KICKING.

The light now was very trying. Taylor was repeatedly applauded lor his line kicking and the New Zealand forwards worked their way back upfield. From a line-out the hall came to Sullivan who was tackled. Trevathan picked up and kicked a beautiful field goal. The crowd was taken by surprise and it was v some seconds before the cheering broke out. The Springboks,, however, retaliated immediately when, alter a hard forward rush, the hall was hooked from a set scrum and De Villiers gave White ample opportunity to drop-kick a goal for his side from 40 yards out. The score was 13 —7.

The Springboks went very near scoring again when De Villiers beat the forwards and kicked on and Sullivan, chasing hard, stumbled. A scrum took place right on the New Zealand line and a Springbok forward was penalised for lifting when the New Zealand scrum collapsed. Again Trevathan and Taylor saved the situation. Hooper

started a back movement, but Sullivan was collared and Lyster kicked the ball down to the line, pounding after it. The ball struck tlie foot of the goalpost and bounced the wrong way ior Lyster but tlie right way for Simon to touch down. After that New Zealand rallied and in the last few minutes forced tlie* play on to the African twenty-five and tliev were attacking hard when the final whistle blew.

The hardest scrum of all, however, was' after the whistle when thousands of enthusiastic spectators mobbed the players and it was only with difficulty and police assistance could they battle to the changing room.

REVIEW OF TESTS.

DOMINION ONE UP

New Zealand is now one up in the results of Test matches against South Africa. Eight games have been played, three in 1921, four in 1928 and one in 1937. New Zealand 'has won four, South Africa three, and one has been drawn. A coincidence is that when the All Blacks squared the rubber with a victory at Capetown in 1928, their 13 points were scored in exactly the same way as the 13 were scored on Saturday. Then, Mark Nicholls kicked two penalty goals and dropped a goal. On Saturday D. Trevathan matched the feat. In 1928 J. P. Swain brought the other three points with a try, and this time it was J. Dick who brought the total to 13. South Africa in the •1928 match scored a converted try. Thirteen points to five was also the score in the first Test at Dunedin in 1921. X 1 . The Test matches between tlie two countries have resulted as folio" :~ N.Z. S.A.

1921 At Dunedin . 13 5 At Auckland 5 9 At Wellington 0 0 1928 At "Durban 0 17 At Johannesburg .... 7 G At Port Elizabeth-.. . G ii At Capetown . 13 5 1937 At Wellington . 13