RUGBY PIONEERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 97, 15 July 1927, Page 10

RUGBY PIONEERS

N.Z.E.F. Team Paves Way For All Blacks' Torn* of South Africa

IMPRESSIONS OF 1919 TOUR

THE month after next New Zealand will be in the midst of a series of trial matches for the South African tour, which promises to be one of the biggest events in the history of Maoriland Rugby, carrying as it does the question of world supremacy in the Rugby game. The only New Zealand team which has so far visited South Africa was the N.Z.E.F. team of 1919. Although not officially recognised as an international side, it included most of New Zealand’s leading players of the war years. Interviewed yesterday by a representative of THE SUN, Mr. A. A. Lucas, who was a member of the team, gave some interesting impressions of the tour, with particular reference to the conditions the All Blacks are likely to meet next year.

‘•'VYT'E visited South Africa after ** the Armistice,” said Mr. Lucas. “The side was captained by C. Brown, of Taranaki, with Jimmy Ryan, of Wellington. as vice-captain. We played 15 matches, won eleven, drew one and lost three. Owing to the fact that we were not officially recognisel as a New Zealand representative team, Ave did not play against a representative South African side, but in the games we played, we met all the members of the 1921 Springboks, with the exception of Mellish, who was then in England. "We were beaten by two of the provinces, though we had our revenge against West Province, winning in a return match by 20 points to three, after losing to the same side a week previously by 6 points to 17. A ROYAL WELCOME "The hospitality of the people of South Africa was magnificent. They could not do enough for us, and it was a common occurence for a car to draw up alongside the footpath and ask the

boys if they had any engagement. If not, they would jump in and so commence one of the most enjoyable rounds of entertainment. The team were not left very many free afternoons or evenings so complete were the arrangements for the entertainment of the team. It was on a whole not conducive to the best football, but seeing the team was not out to break the records of any predecessors and no Test matches were to be played, we made the most of all arrangements. SPECTATORS’ IMPARTIALITY “The spectators at all the games were very fair and applauded good play whether it was the home team or the tourists. The reception given the Service team on the occasion of their wins was not overshadowed by the reception given their conquerors in the matches the team lost. “It was in the Western Province game in which the team was defeated by 6—17 that the fullback Gerhard Morkel drop-kicked a field goal from halfway when the Service team was leading 6—5 with only about 10 minutes to go, making the score-board read 6—9, and it was then that the team went to pieces and Western Province scored two tries, converting one. But the team had its revenge in the following week by 20 points to 3, although here it might be mentioned that the Western Province team underwent two or three changes. “The match against Combined Universities was lost B—9.8 —9. The Service team had the opportunity of pulling the game out of the fire with a penalty in front of the posts, but owing to the hard ground, as Stohr was taking the kick the ball rolled and he missed by the narrowest margin, the bell sounding for time almost immediately. THE LEADING PLAYERS “The most outstanding players met by the Service team were Michau, de Kock and Townsend, and Van Heerden and Zeller, in the threequarter line, also Henry Morkel. Of the threequarters, Van Heerden was the outstanding player, relying on his pace to score tries. Zeller, who proved to be a very dangerous player in the 1921 tour of New Zealand, although very tricky, did not have the same opportunities in 1919, because against Natal, the Service team had more than their share of the ball. The pride of position as fullback goes to Gerhard Morkel, but in de Villiers lie had a very dangerous rival. “In the forward division the outstanding player was undoubtedly Van Rooyen, closely followed by Walker “Boy” Morkel’and du Plessis. Although there was very little between most, of the Provincial forwards, Van Rooyen was a great scrummager, always where the play was thickest and a forward who used his head in the open. “The outstanding players in the Service team? Well, first of all, J. G. O’Brien, at fullback, was always safe, and a sure tackier. In the threequarter line, Storey and Ford were very dangerous and very fast and handling well, both players representing New' Zealand on their return. Of the centres, E. Ryan was perhaps outstanding, safe on defence and attack. Then “Dick” Roberts at centre or fiveeighths plays good football, and was very sound and a player very quick on seeing an opening. Jack McNaught, now of Wellington, was the best fiveeighths of the tour, although he had the misfortune to injure a knee, which kept him out of the last few matches of the tour. "In the forwards our best player was Jack Kissick. He was a good allround forw'ard, always where the fight was thickest, though he was well supported by Beilis, Fogarty and West, whose record as forwards is well known. All four hookers were of the best, including Cain and Hassell, both New Zealand reps. Standen was one of the players unfortunate enough to be on a par with these two players, but did not play in the more important fixtures. In my opinion he should have played in place of Hassell. For lock, the team had the services of Jim Moffit a.nd Alec (“Peppy”) Bruce. A UNIQUE PRESENTATION , ®nd of the tour all the mema i he te£lrn w ®re presented with a meani as a souvenir of their South Air lean tour- Each medal was separ-

ately carved. The front was engraved with the Springbok head in the centre with the inscription around the edge, “New Zealand M.S. Rugby Team” and the name of the player at the bottom. On the back was a miniature football and in the centre where the lace would be; was set an uncut Kimberley diamond with above S.A. and underneath 1919. The medal itself was the shape of a football. You can have no doubt that these medals are very much prized by the members of the team. “Of the players who toured South Africa with the Service team, only Fogarty, Cockcroft and Rellis are, I believe, still active. The others have retired, either owing to injuries or, have given the game up to make way for younger players. Only One member of the team returned to South Africa. This was Jack Stohr. who went back to Johannesburg, and after playing one season retired, and now, I believe, he is, or was, a very prominent golf player. “Jack Kissick was unfortunate enough to contract sciatica or lumbago and was not able to continue the game in New Zealand, and in my opinion New Zealand lost one of the most promising forwards of the team. “Turp” Whittington, the other front-ranker, is one of the leading referees now in Taranaki. Jack O’Brien is lion, treasurer to the Auckland Rugby Union. SOUTH AFRICAN STYLE “The style of the play in Africa is unlike the play in New Zealand to-day,” said Mr. Lucas. “The forwards work their way down field and will not allow the ball to get to their backs until they are within striking distance. The touch line is used to advantage and especially so when you have such wonderful kickers as G Morkjel and de Villiers. “The forwards are all scrummagers of the best type; the harder it is the better they like it. They pack in the scrums 32 —3 formation. The average forward is much heavier than the forwards in New Zealand, and consequently not so fast “During the Service team tour, our hookers obtained their fair share of the ball, but what else would you expect of a pack consisting of Cain, Hassell, Kissick, Moffit, West, Fogerty and Beilis? No doubt as good a scrum as ever represented New Zealand.

“In the backs the South African player is more orthodox than in New Zealand. In most of the teams they had very fast wing- threequarters, and their main idea was to give them as much room as possible in which to work by passing the ball out quickly, very often not gaining any ground until it reached the wing. Of course. I do not wish to be misunderstood, for the insides were able to take advantage of any openings, but unless the opponents left them the opening, they would very rarely try to make one for themselves and risk being tackled in possesion.” THE PLAYING AREAS “What are the grounds like?” Mr. Lucas was asked. “As a rule, very hard,” was the reply. “The softest ground played on was at Durban, although even here it was much harder than any grounds played on in New Zealand. At Newlands (Capetown) the ground arrangements are very thorough, and the greenness of the playing area is very misleading until one gets out on the field. The grounds in all the other provinces are very much the same, excepting Kimberley, Johannesburg and Pretoria. The ground at Kimberley does not possess any grass at all and is very hard indeed. To add to the inconvenience to players there is quite a lot of small, loose earth which is very nearly as hard as fine scoria. “There, some of the local players go out with knee pads made of leather for protection. At Johannesburg, Transvaal Province, the ground is bare

and before a match it is harrowed or ploughed lightly and then a light roller is put over it after watering. At the commencement of the game the condition of the ground is good, but when the sun is out it bakes the ground and makes it very hard. In Pretoria the ground is much the same as Johannesburg, although in 1919 there was a patch of prairie grass which they were experimenting with. The altitude in Johannesburg and Pretoria affected the players and most of them found it very difficult breathing although after a few practices, matters improved. “INJURIES FREQUENT” “The hardness of the grounds caused many injuries among the Service team. All the players were padded with cotton wool and sticking plaster and quits a number were being treated for these injuries even when they arrived back in New Zealand. As one provincial player in the Western Province remarked: ‘How about the hard grounds? I will have to be treated in hospital for about a fortnight,’ and when shown the injuries he could hardly believe his eyes. You do not see the same diving tackle in South Africa that you see in New Zealand, and no doubt the hard grounds account for this. 1928 “I have no doubt that the tour of the 1928 All Blacks will be a success, provided the best team is available. Forwards of the type of Maurice Brownlee will more than hold their own and with men like Cooke in the backs, there will be no doubt as to the success of the. team. “I think the forwards in New Zealand playing the amended kick into touch rule will be much faster than the African forwards,” said Mr. Lucas, in conclusion, “and much better in the loose, although they will be up against a tough proposition in the tight and scrums. In my opinion good hookers and lock and a heavy pack will more than get their share of the ball from the scrums, even against the much discussed 3—2—3 formation.”