SPRINGBOKS BEATEN FORE AND AFT.

Shannon News, 5 October 1928, Page 3

SPRINGBOKS BEATEN FORE AND AFT.

FOURTH TEST AMAZES SPECTATORS. ALL BLACKS’ MAGNIFICENT FOOTBALL. (From t.lio Levin-Chronicle). The Cape Times of September i 3rd, a copy of which reached Levin I Wednesday and was kindly forwarded to us by Mr W. A. Sharp, is I enthusiastic about the All Blacks’ 1 showing in the fourth test and says ) the result astounded the Springboks and their .supporters). Following are extracts from the re- • ports:—

The All Blacks at Newlands on Saturday amazed even their most fervid supporters. Before a crowd estimated at 25,000, the tourists rose to supreme heights ou a water-logged ground. They completely overwhelmed South Africa. The actual victory was by a drop kick, two penalty goals, and a try (13 points) to a goal (o points), but those figures do not by any means convey the complete ascendancy which the visitors had over the home side.

There is no need to offer excuses. We simply must admit quite frankly that on .Saturday the Sprinkbok side was beaten fore and aft. In congratulating our visitors let us pay unstinted tribute to their splendid fighting qualities.

As. a member of the team said after the match: “We knew we were up against it., We had to rehabilitate ourselves in the eyes of New Zealand and we entered the fray grimly determined to do or die. Well, I think we proved ourselves, and that :s all there is to, it.’’

1 never at any time prior to the match could imagine, a Springbok team being beaten quite as badly as was Phil. Alostcrt’s fifteen in this final Test. To be quite candid, the side was overwhelmed. I honestly believe that the All Blacks were a twenty points better team than their opponents, and not one who saw the match is likely to quarrel with such a statement. The actual superiority of the New Zealanders was unbelievable Wo had occasionally to rub the eyes and wonder what had happened. We sat • lmost stunned in the Press box as we watched those black jerseyed men practically toy with the wearers of the Springbok green. IMPOTENT SPRINGBOKS. .

Never Avithin the last quarter of a century has a South African .Rugby side been made to look so impotent, and never before have our fonvards been made to look so helpless. The

New Zealand pack obtained the ball at Avill, and the heeling Avas beautifully. clear. It seemed they Avon nine out of every ten serums, and their wheeling also Avas \ r ery fine. Then in the lines-out the Springboks were outclassed, and in the loose there seemed to be only one pack in the picture. '

New. Zealand, probably for the firsttime on the tour, showed that as a football power she was capable or playing remarkable Itugby. The way those All Black forwards laid the foundation of a striking success had to be seen to be believed. They were irresistible, and among super-forwards I thought Maurice Brownlie supreme, lie played inspired football, and his example was followed in excellent manner by the remainder of the pack. If anything,/McWilliams was the next, best forward on the field and then .1 lifted Hazlett, Harvey and Finlayson in that order. Each forward may be proud of the part they played as a whole. Their team-work was magnificent, and from first to last they never relaxed for a single moment. A WONDERFUL TRY. Few of us will ever forget Swain’s try in the corner. It was practically a 40 yards’ dribble by the entire pack that simply brushed aside every obstacle in its path. Nothing gould stop that avalanche, and no one was surprised to see that concerted effort result iu a gem of a try. Mostert made an unpardonable tactical error by continuing to take scrums when he must have realised how badly he was beaten. NICHOLES’ MYSTERY. The outstanding personality in the All Blacks’ side was Mark Nicbolls. When the match was over 1 was more than puzzled. How the New Zealand .Selection Committee came to leave him out of the side in the preceding Tests is a profound mystery to me. Nic ho 11s on Saturday gave a masterly display that was beyond reproach. He was never once beaten by forwards or backs, and his handling and kicking of a wet,' heavy ball were magnificent. He was an inspiration to the rest of the team, and his exploiting of the dummy was perfect. His generalship in the line seemed to give it a dangerous thrust. As a result I always felt uneasy qualms when the lino got into action; tli? Springboks can draw a certain amount of consolation from the fact that their defence lacked nothing.

Johnson played up to Nicholls in excellent manner and certainly did "cut in” in a dangerous manner. He was very quick off the mark. These two New Zealand five-eighths certainly caused South Africa many uneasy moments. They were always a source of

danger. Nicholls also moved very swiftly. He had very bad luck in the first half with a clever drop that rebounded into the field off the posts. Thou just before the interval he landed a Avonderful penalty goal Avith a wet ball from the “25” flag. THE DROP GOAL. .Just to cap a performance that stamped him as a real football genius, he caused ifurthcr (despair 'to South African hopes by dropping a magnificent goal from far out. Thus the vice-captain, on the first occasion on Avhieli he has been played in a Test in this country, confounded his detractors by scoring 3 0 out of the 13 points obtained by bis team. Furthermore, iiis presence in the fifteen seemed to make all the difference. The backs appeared to be avcll together, and wore always dangerous. Altogether, then,. Mark Nicliolls has cause to feel the greatest satisfaction regarding the very fine part, he played in securing such a convincing victory. Lilhurne gave an extraordinarily sound display. The AA’et ball Avas all against lengthy kicking, yet he managed to find a good length. His handling and positioning were good, and

T liked the way he always wont down to the ball at full speed. He was daring to a maiked degree; and lie also, like the whole team, may look back on the game with great pleasure. HALLEY’S FORM. Dailey, if not so outstanding as he wa - isn the game against 'J Vovince. nevertheless played a remarkably fine game. Lucas was not exactly spectacular, but all he tried to do seemed convincing. He fitted well into the line which impressed so greatly by its penetrative threst. The All Blacks struck a- day when thrv (jould do very little wrong. They had a stranglehold on their opponents practically through the entire game, but it was in the second half that they were the complete masters. They called the tune .and the Springboks, willy iiilly, were forced to dance to it. And so, once again, the series of Tests between the two countries is all square. It only remains now to congratulate our visitors. I did not think any team could rise to such heights in such difficult circumstances. They rose superior to weather conditions ami played a type of football but seldom seen. Well done! C.F.S.N.