PREVIOUS ENGLISH TOURS OF. SOUTH AFRICA.

Shannon News, 25 July 1924, Page 4

PREVIOUS ENGLISH TOURS OF. SOUTH AFRICA.

PRECIS OF THE 1891-1910 TOURS.

The above table shows concisely the records of previous British teams in South Africa. ■ The fact would appear to Have been generally overlooked' that 'ttie New j Zealand matches at Home are being preceded by a series of games in South Africa by a British THE LION AND THE SPRINGTtOK. The appearance of a strong (but by no means the strongest) British side in South Africa this winter will naturally quicken Interest in the New Zealand'tour to follow at,,Home. British football has made rapid strides forward, both since the second Springboks' tour of 1912-13 and the war In particular England has developed a very fine International, side and has won the English-Irish-Scotch-Welsh series of matches eight out of the lust nine seasons. , We know pretty well the strength of the South Africans even though they prove a shade stronger in their own environment. If the Britishers prove their equal in the land of the Springbok itself, then for certainty the New Zealand side of 1024 will, as every critic and correspondent agree, fiiui its task a steeplechase course compared with the famous canter of. 19.05. MACLAGAN'S 1891 TEAM. This team's record is the only on< that! any critic lias ever ventured l<> compare with that of the All. Blacks I9of. who in 33 matches lost one only "(and that by a try to nil, )and scored 215 tries to 9. Writing early in 1906. E. I>.,H. Sewell, a famous cricket .and Rugby scribe, remarked: —• "The record of the All Blacks is one that! lias never been approached by any touring team except W. E. Maclagan's in South Africa. Then the visitor's line was crossed but once, and they lost no match, but South African Rugby was not quite' on a par with that* in the United Kingdom to-day." The Englishmen played and won nineteen matches, scoring 222 points to 3 (a solitary try in the opening match of the'tour against the Gapetown Clubs). Outside tine test matches Griqualand' West ran them closest then Cape Colony, then Western Province—England winning by three, four and six points respectively. The Internationals. The test mateh results were: — Ist Test at Port Elizabeth—England won 4 to nil. 2nd. Test at Kimberley—England won 2 to nil. 3rd. Test at Capetown—England Avon 4 to nil. (N.B.: —Scoring values were identical with those ruling in 1888-89 during the New Zealand Natives tour of the United Kingdom, viz. one point for a try plus two for a goal if converted.) HAMMOND'S 1896 TEAM. Of 21 matches played the Englishmen captured 19, losing 1 and drawing 1. .

The opening match was again versus the Capetown Clubs. In answer to tihe visitors fourteen points they ran up one short of double figures, a performance never excelled on the tour by any of the home teams and equalled once only; good old Griqualand West scoring nine points to the England's eleven in the fourtOi match. This was after Western Province had played them to a pointless draw in the third. Thirteen of the Englishmen's opponents failed to "break the duck" and the only defeat was suffered in thf final match of tihe tour, when South Africa won the fourth of the test match series by a converted try to nil. Te a t Matches. The International results were: — Ist Test att Port Elizabeth —England won 8 to nil.

2nd Test at Johannesburg—England won 17 to 8. '

3rd Test at Kimberley—England won 9 to 3.

- 4th. Test at Capetown—South Africa won 5 to nil.

MARK MORRISON S TEAM 1903. The Springbok had become a cunning adversary by the time tihe British lion ventured out again in 1903. Mark Morrison's merry Englanders could do no better than annex exactly half of the twenty-two matches on the programme.

The losses numbered eight including the only test in which a decision could be obtained, the other two Internationals accounting for all the drawn games except the penultimate match, that against. Western Province (3 points apiece). Western Province also did the "hattrick" in the three opening matches of the tour, its Country Teams defeating the Englishmen 13 to 7, tihe Town reams followed suit 12 to 3, and the Currie Cup fifteen "took the third wicket" 8 to 4.

England followed with a "nye break" and then the Springboks retaliated with another "hat-trick." Those doughty champions Griqualand West skittled the Englishmen twice running by 11 to nil and 8 to 6. Transvaal completed the debacle by 12 to 3; and repeated the close 14 to 4 after Morrison and Co. had intervened, with a second "break" of four victories.

This obviously brought the visitors to the end of event number sixteen on the programme, and of the six remaining fixtures they won two (Orange River Colony 17 to 16; and Gfiqualand West by 11 to s—revenge is sweet!), lost one (the last of the tour, it being the final test), and drew three (two test matches and Western Province, with whom they died fighting-). Test Matches. Here are the details of the Internationals: — Ist. Test at Johannesburg—Drawn (LO points.) 2nd Test at Kimberley—Drawn (no score.) 3rd. Test at Capetown—South Africa won Hie rubber (8 points to nil.) SMYTH'S TUAM 1010. The record of the flwil tour in 1910 bore pome resemblance to that of 1903, for the matches lost and drawn correspond exactly, and the English, won'

thirteen out of a total of twenty-four (the 1903 figures were 11 out of 22). Smyth amply revenged Mark Morrison's disastrous kick-off, for it was the Englishmen who opened the scoring account with the "hat-trick," including two of the Western Province Clubs (Country Teams 9 to 3 and Colleges 11 to 3). The fourth match was drawn against the Town Clubs, and tihen the CuVrie Cup team itself was vanquished by the narrowest of margins, a goaled try to an unconverted one. Oiice again Griqiialarid West and Transvaal proved to be "niggers in the wood-pile." The former took the sixth match by 8 to •nil, and Transvaal scored a brace with-tine seventh (27 to 8) tnd tenth (13 to 6). Griqualand West were again up at the fourteenth hole, with a nine to the Englishmen's three. Cape Colony followed in dashing style with a nineteen-to-nil thrashing ati the fifteenth.

Of the remaining matches, Smyth and Co. lost the rubber in the representative matches, and the last game on the card, that against Western Province, nil to 8. The North-Eastern and Border meetings were "no decision" bouts (of which the third, as already stated, was the 11 point draw with the Western Province Town Clubs in the fourth match). The four English victories in this series wore 24 —11 Rhodesia; 30—0 first Border match; 14 —6 Eastern Province; and B—3 second test. ) Test Matches. The Internationals produced these results:—

Ist Tesfc at Johannesburg—South Africa won, 14 to 10.

2nd Test at Port Elizabeth—England won, 8 to o. 3rd. Test at Capetown—South Africa won the rubber. 21 to 5. N.Z. ARMY TEAM, 1919,

The N.Z. Army Team played 15 matches in South Africa in 1919 winning 11, losing 3 and drawing 1. It is interesting to note tfliat the same two provinces, Western and Griqualand, were also in the "running" against the Army representatives:— v. Griqualand, Army lost 3—S. v. Universities, Army lost, B—9.8 —9. v. Western' Province, Army lost, G—l 7.

In a return game with Western Pro. vince, N.Z. Army won by 20 points to 3. The drawn game was with the Western Province Town Clubs in second match of the tour, 3 all. (Since tlte above was put into type Westtern Province has once more proved victorious .against an invading team —having inflicted defeat on the 1924 British team in the opening game of the tour at Newlands.) "THE TWO CRICKET TEAMS." Messrs J. R. Hardie (Palmerston North) and Ruihi Wehipeihana have done the best 1 with the. material at ■their disposal, their 22 possibles certainly containing the best fifteen in tli e two unions, excepting Mackareth. It is understood the latter's claims for inclusion were not pushed by Horowhenua. The doctor has played very occasionally since his advent* to Levin, and no doubt would not have been able to comply with the conditions regarding daily practices. Other players may have the same difficulty, but it may be minimised by deletion of morning canters. It has been finally decided that there will be afternoon practices only, 2 to 4.30 p.m. The controlling union is out to get the best possible fifteen in the field and it is greati news to hear that Jas Ryan will have charge of the week's operations.

The only comment Ponty feels inclined to make at this stage is the necessity of having somebody solid in the first line of the rearguard. If Cooke and Co. get going it won't be much of a "contest." For that reason no doubt Jacob will be played at fiveeighth and McDonald at wing. With a strict referee on to the job Porter won't get much more on to Mac than he would on to the big chap.