SPRINGBOKS WIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1921, Page 5

SPRINGBOKS WIN.

VICTORY OVER OTAGO. ELEVEN POINTS TO THREE. FAST AND OPEN GAME. By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. Although the weather early in the week was very wintry and was marked by fretjuenjt showers of rain, to say nothing of a fall of snow, it cleared last night, and the overhead conditions today for the big match between Otago and the Springboks were beautifully fine. The ground was in splendid order, and attracted by the almost summerlike conditions, there was an enormous attendance, which numbered close on 26,000 persons. In the game the visitors’ vanguard had a distinct advantage in the matter of weight, their forwards averaging 14st. 61b., as compared with 13st. lib. on the part of Otago. During the greater portion of the game the Otago forwards held their own, especially in the loose, the result being that play was very fast, travelling up and down the ground at' a great rate. In the first spell the local team had actually the better Qf the exchanges, and the Springboks could not get their dangerous rearguard effectively into action. In the second spell, however, and more particularly towards the end of the game, the visitors showed, superior staying power, and the battle which the Otago pack bad waged against the bone and muscle of their opponents told its tale, with the result that the speedy Springbok three-quarter line was more frequently seen in motion, and three tries scored short intervals placed the issue beyond all doubt. On the whole the visitors’ heavy forwards did not give a particularly impressive display, but the backs frequently showed clever tactics, and in the passing rushes got the ball out with remarkable rapidity to the wing, notably on Zeller’s side, this player scoring the three tries. Sendin and Zeller also played sound games, and the tall Van Heerden, in one or two brilliant flashes, showed that he is a dangerous wing tnreequarter. The teams were as follows: Springboks.—Full-back, G. P. Morkel; three-quarters, A. Van Heerden, W. Sendin, J. Weepener and W. C. Zeller; halves. W. T’ownsend and J. Tindall; forwards, Roy Morkel (captain). M. Ellis, J. W. Van Rooyen. N. Duplessis, R. Walker, Royle Morkel, P. J. Mostert, J. Olivier. Otago.—Full-back, Watson: threequarters, Stewart, Bell, Ward; fiveeighths, Owles and Perry; half. McNaughton; forwards. Duncan (captain), Bain, Patterson, Richardson, Sontag, Harty, Boreham, Cabot (wing). THE FIRST SPELL.

Otago won the toss and kicked off with the wind in their favor. Bell returned the kick to inside half-way. and a rush by the Springbok forwards followed, Zeller finding the line near the corner. A free kick for holding the ball brought relief to Otago, and from a scrum Owles settled an incipient passing rush by the Springboks by a dashing tackle. From a couple of scrums the Springboks got the ball away, but had no room to work, and the ball was kicked out. A free kick to Otago was made good use of by Harty, and fast following up by Cabot saw Otago invade the Springboks’ territory, where Townsend returndl to half-way with a line kick. Ward (Otago wing) next kicked through to G. P. Morkel and tackled him before he could kick, but the Springboks cleared and attacked in turn until they were penalised. After some tight forward work Patterson broke through nicely and gained a long stretch of ground with sy well-judged line kick. Ward centred, and Sendin marked, and from a free kick Bell had an unsuccessful shot at goal. The Otago backs tried their hand , at passing, but the Springboks were standing close and tackling well, and the ball went straight across the ground. The pace was very fast; the Otago forwards were breaking away with irresistible loose rushes from the line out. A free kick by Bell transferred play to the Springboks’ line, where the South Africans, after being hard pressed, found relief in a force down. A centring kick by Perry again placed Otago in an attacking position, and they were awarded a free kick well in striking distance, from which Bell landed a fine goal, amidst a scene of tremendous enthusiasm. Otago ............. 3 Springboks 0 The Otago forwards, aided by Owles, again took play to the African quarters in a fast, loose rush, but another force down resulted. A free kick to the Springboks, which was taken by Van Heerden, was marked by Perry, who returned nearly to half-way. Ellis broke away strongly from a line out, but was solidly tackled by Patterson and temporarily laid out. At this stage tight forward work was the order of the day, until Perry brightened up matters by breaking through a Springbok passing rush, until Weepener returned with a good saving kick. The Springboks again tried their hand at passing, but Van Heerden was jammed on the line. Sontag next headed the Otago forwards in a loose rush, but Sendin sent them back with a good line kick. Patterson marked and had a shot at goal, which Morkel did not touch down, preferring to kick to the line. From half-way Townsend had the ball sent back to him by a forward, but the succeeding passing rush went straight across the ground and ended in neutral territory. Play was centred at half-way when the spell ended:— Otago 3 ■ Springboks 9 THE SECOND SPEW The second spell opened with a short period of even play in mid-field. Sendin placed his side in an attacking position, and a few minutes later he received a pass in front of the goal, from which he had a good but unsuccessful pot at goal, although several of the Springbok backs were awaiting a pass. The South Africans continued to attack and their backs got going in a likely looking rush, but Zeller was pushed out. Like a flash the Springbok backs were again in action in one of the best pieces of passing of the day, the ball being handled by Townsend, Sendin and Zeller. The last-named made & fine run,

and beating Watson, scored in a good position. G. Morkel converted. Springboks 5 Otago 3 Bain and Pattersop next made a fine opening and passed to Cabot, who was tackled, but the Otago forwards, showing great dash, kept up the pressure until Townsend got the ball from a scrum and found the line past the twen-ty-five flag, a good opportunity being lost. From a scrum in Otago territory Townsend shot out a pass to Tindall, but this player failed to hold the ball. G. Morkel had a shot at goal which failed, and badly-judged kicking by the Springbok backs enabled Otago to force twice in succession. The Otago forwards again commenced to assert themselves, and the scene of operations was shifted to the Springboks’ quarters, where Stewart came through nicely and passed to Bain, but Sendin found the line. At this stage Patterson retired temporarily through an injury, but speedily returned to the field. The OtagQ forwards broke away with another rush, but Van Heerden sent them back with a good kick. The Springbok hacks again showed up in another fine concerted effort, and Van Heerden was streaking for the line in great * style when he was brought down by Watson with a beautiful tackle. With ten minutes to go the Otago forwards showed signs of tiring, and the speedy Springbok backs were constantly dangerous, especially as the sun was troubling the Otago backs to some extent. From a scrum in the Otago twenty-five the ball was handled in a fine passing rush by Townsend, Tindall, Weepener, Sendin and Zeller, who races round the Otago backs and scored behind the posts. G. Morkel’s kick failed, and the score read:— Springboks 8 Otago 3 The Springboks were now having rather the better of matters, and returned to the attack. A short kick by Van Heerden went over Otago’s line, and a race for the ball ensued, in which Stewart just beat the tall -South African and touched down. Weepener next obtained possession and transferred to Sendin, who sent out a long pass to Zeller. This player outpaced Stewart and Watson and scored a pretty try, which G. Morkel failed to convert, and the game ejided almost immediately afterwards with the. score:— Springboks 11 Otago 3 Mr. D. Stalker (Invercargill) refereed.