DEATH OF GREAT RUGBY PLAYER

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 112, 15 August 1941, Page 3

DEATH OF GREAT RUGBY PLAYER

Memories Of Jack Steel

OUR famous ex-All Blacks met in an NBS studio last week. They were Mark Nicholls, Teddy Roberts, George Aitken, and H. E. Nicholls. They came to tell what they remembered of a friend who had died, and they represented thousands of footballers in New Zealand and elsewhere who must have read the news of the accident to Jack Steel on August 4 with the greatest regret. With this shy man went one of the finest reputations in international Rugby. Some of the many reasons for that reputation were told by those four of his friends when they recorded a memorial programme to be sent overseas to N.Z. Forces, Others were covered by "Mac’s" sports session from 2YD last week. Feared and Respected Steel was of an unusually heavy build for a Rugby back. He usually weighed between 13 st. 4 Ibs. and 13.7, He was five feet ten inches in height, But his heavy body was carried-on exceptionally well made legs, Their driving power won him the professional sprint championship of New Zealand, and his weight and speed gave him immense power on attack or defence in the Rugby game. He was feared as well. as senpented by opponents. Wisden’s Rugby Almanac, in fact, paid him what New Zealanders will gladly accept as a tribute, After the 1925 All Black tour of the British Isles, Wisden’s said: ",.one could praise his resolution more if he had not so often used his weight in a manner not quite in accordance with the best traditions of the Rugby game," | It must be admitted that the critic had reason to wish that Steel had been more gentle. During that tour, after the All Blacks had won six matches, and scored 164 points against 13, they met Leicestershire, who thought they could win. Steel scored two tries. For the second try, Steel made a long run close to the line. He was threatened by several defenders. Without wavering once from a straight line he went through to score, and left three opponents lying on the ground in need of medical attention, Against the Welshmen Playing the famous match against Wales, when the team revenged the natrow defeat of 1905 with a clear-cut win, Steel came across from his own wing to the other side of the field to try and stop Finch, a Welshman who. was running in a clear field to score. Steel caught him at the corner flag, and the force of his tackle was so great that Finch was catapulted into the spectators, while three spectators as well as Finch had to receive medical attention, _

In the same .match a photographer darted out into the field to snap some incident. To his misfortune, Steel received the ball. He passed over the photographér evidently without noticing

either him or his camera, Both" had te receive attention. In the test at Twickenham, when New Zealand played the greater part of the match, and won it with 14 men to England’s 15 (Cyril Brownlee went off early), Steel had to run from the English twenty-five and pass the opposing halfback, wing, and full-back, with only two feet to work in on the blind side. The half-back and wing tackled him together. He left them prostrated, and when he dived for the line the full-back, attempting to stop him, was thrown into the air. Springboks at Carisbrook Many New Zealanders will have more intimate memories of the famous try against the Springboks at Carisbrook in 1921, when he ran half the length of the field, with the entire defence in position against him, and scored what George Aitken has described for 2YD as "the most glorious individual try I have ever witnessed," He had everything a footballer needs to be perfect: speed, weight, brains, good hands, a powerful kick, and, unshakable determination. For his personal character, his almost incongruous shyness, his generosity, his friends have their own special tributes,