SPORTS AND SPORTSMEN

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20510, 28 May 1938, Page 26 (Supplement)

SPORTS AND SPORTSMEN

(By “Spectator")

REVIEW OF SPRINGBOKS’ TOUR

Book by Mr J. E. Sacks : Press Correspondent With Team : Crossman One of the Soundest Five-Eighths : Laxity in Refereeing : Australian Packs Do Not Push : Lessons Taught New Zealand iif\ N occ *® lon » va ° de Vyver tried to burst through down the middle, II but he telegraphed his Intentions, and Crossman. one of the soundest five-eighths the Springboks encountered during the whole tour, repeatedly dived at him and sent him sprawling into a mud bath.” This is one of the sentences in the graphic story of the Springboks’ narrow call against the Combined King Country-Waikato-Thames Valley team last year as recounted in John E. Sacks’ book ‘‘South Africa’s Greatest Springboks.” Mr Sacks, who is Sports Editor of the Band Daily Mail and the Sunday Times, Johannesburg, was one of the press correspondents who travelled with the team, and his book, fully illustrated, contains excellent descriptions of every match played, competent and interesting comments on the form of all the players, a complete statistical record of the tour and articles by leading New Zealand Rugby critics. The 200-odd pages comprise one of the finest Rugby handbooks ever seen in New Zealand. A very interesting, and lengthy chapter deals with the method of selection of the Springboks’ team and another on the reasons for the team’s success. The foreword is contributed by P. J. Nel, the captain of the victorious team. Every match played is truly pictured with the author’s comments and criticisms as well as the comments fron\ the leading newspapers on each match. The book is so full of interesting articles and comments that it is difficult to know' where to start, but as many of the remarks will be of interest to Rugby enthusiasts I will quote from several portions of the book. To appreciate the comments the articles themselves should be read but some Idea of the trend of thought of the various writers may be gained from the few criticisms I will pick out.

The opening sentence of this article shows how much Mr Sacks thought of Crossman’s play. He was very surprised that the King Country player did not play in a Test and he was not the only Springbok who was. Also in this match the author picks out Wynyard first, Best second and Trusttium third as great forwards who frequently led whirlwind dribbling rushes that looked like paving the way to scores. “Somewhat unwisely the South Africans contrived to play an open game, and they threw the ball about as If they were trying to take a page out of the book of tactics adopted by the New South Wales back division in the sensational game at Sydney, that was also played in heavy muddy conditions,” says the article. “The combined pack, playing with great fire and using admirable spoiling tactics kept the visitors well subdued but when the Springboks altered their style of play they did better but it was a great relief for them to narrowly scramble home.”