AFRICANS' RUGBY TRIUMPH.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1916, Page 7

AFRICANS' RUGBY TRIUMPH.

"ALL BLACKS'" FIRST DEFEAT. i 4. GREAT GAME. i London, March 7. I By a dropped goal, obtained in the first four minutes, and a try, Hear the corner flag ten minutes from the close, the South Africans (Heavy Artillery) defeated the New Zealand soldicis' team at Queen's Club on Saturday lust. It was a great forward game from beginning to end. The shoving, kicking, and following-up of the South Africans, the fierce answering rushes of the New •Zealanders, the pace, tho hard tackling—everything made a rousing spectacle; and the large bodies of overseas troops kept up a continuous shout of exhortation from kick off until "No side." Though the Africans obtained their dropped goal in the first two minutes of play, the issue hung in the balance until near the finish, when a fine piece of half and three-quarter play gave the Africans their second point. In the "kick and follow up the Africans came out on top, but the real secrets of their success was their extra weight in the scrummage. They must have averaged quite Hst, and weight told its tale,on the sticky Queen's Club ground, if ever it did.

The New Zealanders themselves were a particularly "hefty" crowd, and they were wonderfully fast; but their tactics of loosening the ball and getting, through on the foot rush or in short hand-to-hand passing rushes could not be practised in this game because of the deadliness of the South African tackling and .of their devil-may-care going clown to the rushes. The African pack was really splendid, and exhibited wonderful combination and unanimity of purpose. The pack moved as one man on the ball, .or broke up like lightning to get on to it. They were continually getting the ball, and if by chance it was lost they had their extra shove in reserve to push the New Zealanders off it. For those wlio enjoy—and who doesn't!—a really strenuous game of "Rugger," the play was most exhilarating to watch. That dropped goal of Lieutenant Hands, the old Rhodes Scholar and Oxford Blue, in the first stage of the game was a fine piece of football, and so, too, was the work that led to the try by Gunner Halm in the last moments. The South Africans awed a good deal to the length ktetc;i;g of Lieutenant Roper, the right centre, and of Gunner Parkin, their full-back. Tho New Zealanders, it must be conceded, were beaten on their merits in a great game. It is the first defeat the side has met with since the contingent reached England.