FOOTBALL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8717, 17 January 1907, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

South Africa v. Wale#

London, Deceml »r 3. Contrary to expectation the South Africans beat Wales on Saturday at Swansea rather easily by one goal and two tries te nothing. It was not a particularly exciting match from the point of new of the ordinary spectator, and it was certainly not one of which Welshmen can be proud. At all points of the game the Welshmen were outplayed, and the superiority of the South Africans became more and more obvious as the match went on. Time after time have Welsh victories been won by the skill of the threequarter backs who have been unselfishly provided with the necessary openings by the half backs. Gwyn Nicholls, E. T. Gabe and E. T. Morgan are well aecustomed to play together with E. Owen in front of them at the base of the scrummage, fn the art of passing the ball all these men are masters, yet on Saturday last during the greater part of the game they clearly distrusted themselves and each other. Ko doubt they were unpleasantly surprised when before the game was five minutes old they realised that their forwards were not even holding the South African forwards in cheek. It had been anticipated that by quick and clean, heeling the men in the Welsh pack would give ehanco after chance of which Owen would be sure to take due advantage. In that manoeuvre a Welsh international pack we known as a rule to excel, and so

far the healing of the South African forwards has been their weak point. On Saturday, however, the Welshmen failed where they are wont to succeed. Still the .ball -did come out of the scrummage on a good many occasions where Owen could gather it, and consequently it cannot be said that the Welsh backs had no chance of instituting those bouts of passing for which they are particularly famous. They were, however, for the most part content to try to gam ground by kicking. When the scrummages were broke* up the South Africans" had the better of the play in the loose rushes, but because this was so there was all the more reason for the Wolsh threequarter line to make one of those characteristic efforts wlrch have so often proved successful against all kinds of opponents. Meanwhile the South African backs, although playing well, did not threaten any great danger. Their forwards were more than holding tkoir own, and the men behind theip wore not inclined to ru* any especial risks nor to indulge in mere passing f®r the sake of passing. By degrees, however, as their forwards continued to press the Welsh forwards, the South African backs developed their game, and at last a well-timed bout of passing ended in S. Jouberf, who was playing on the left of the three-quarter line, scoring a try. Eve* after this had happened the Welshmen did not seem to realise the necessity if making

special efforts with their threequarterline. The game went on as before, and later, from a rather similar bout of passing, J. Loubscr scored a try on the right wing. Shortly afterwards halttime was called. The score was then six points to nothing in favor of Inc South Africans. In the second half of the game the South African attack was renewed, and in course of time, as the result of a fine dash, for which the forwards were mainly responsible, a third try was added, and this time a goal was kicked. The rest of the game was more creditable to Wales than any part of it which had gone before. For the first time there was a real and distinct attempt by the Welsh three-quar-ter backs to score as they have often scored in former international matches. They did not quite succeed in doing so, but on three, if not on four, occasions, they seemed quite likely to snceced. It was a fine and well-deserved victory gained in iconditions which, so far as weather and ground were concerned, w ere distinctly favorable to the beaten side. Modern football only demands absolute individualism from the fullback. A. F. Marsburg during the present tour has established the reputation of being not only the best fullback of the day, he is in the opinion of competent judges, the best full-back who has ever been seen. He did nothing to lessen that reputation at Swansea. It says much for J. C. M. Dyke, the Welsh that he did not suffer very seriously by comparison with Marsburg.