The intensity of the rugby rivalry between New Zealand and South Africa has been consistent across 100 years, and that first series in 1921 was something anticipated in both nations as the Springboks made their way across the Tasman Sea to Auckland.
Tour manager Harold Bennett would say at the after-match function for the Otago game in Dunedin, the last game before the first Test, that rugby had been dead in South Africa during the First World War. The N.Z. Army tour of 1919 had revived rugby, and South Africa was in New Zealand's debt, and he only hoped the tour would do as much for New Zealand as the Army team had done for South Africa.
By that stage of the tour Bennett was aware results of games were keenly awaited at home. Bennett said interest in the first Test was such that he doubted whether anyone south of the Zambezi River would sleep on the Friday night before the Test. Not only did the Springboks have to disappoint the people of New Zealand, he said, they also had to fulfil the expectations of South Africans.
They had come on tour knowing little about the Dominion. They knew New Zealanders served in both the Boer Wars and the First World War, and they produced sheep and wool. But their trip through the country to date had opened their eyes more to New Zealand.
And on the eve of the first Test, also to be played in Dunedin, expectations were also high in New Zealand were the game had been struggling to regain its pre-world war quality. From the moment the Springbok touring team was announced, interest had been growing and any information was devoured.
Former All Black E.E. 'General' Booth, who was coaching the Southland provincial team while also writing newspaper columns, placed the tour in context when pointing out New Zealand went through changes in rugby as the result of contact with touring teams. Those teams left ideas and impressions that were invariably grafted into the New Zealand concept of rugby. The process began with Australians, from New South Wales, known as the 'Cornstalks' on their tour of 1886 who, while winning only two games of 12, introduced lineout variations and other 'stunts'.
Ernest E Booth, 1909. Ref: PAColl-6776. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22408969
More importantly, in the long-term view, systematic and combined passing was the product of A.E. Stoddart's British side in 1888, a development that has been central to New Zealand's rugby ever since.
It is an historical fact well worth recording again and again, that before Stoddart's team left, the New Zealand teams became almost as expert as the English themselves in passing movements.[1]
Booth said calling players 'forwards' in New Zealand was a misnomer and should be called front backs. Forwards had to be able to handle and tackle, not scrum for 15 minutes or maul indefinitely as had been the norm in the earliest years of the game. New Zealand soon understood, better than any other rugby-playing country, the value of the passing game.
However, it was the 1904 visit by David Bedell-Sivright's British side, which Booth claimed was the best British combination assembled, that had the most influence on the New Zealand game.
These players with their clever cross-kicks and variated passing, the tricky 'reverse' and 'in-pass' (all Welsh features of play) completed probably the greatest educational tour New Zealand has ever received. It certainly enhanced the ideals of concerted back play and displayed possibilities never since lost or forgotten.[2]
That influence was borne out by the 1905-06 Originals, a team who Booth, as a team member, said, were the 'very zenith of rugby perfection'. They achieved such a high standard of play as a result of their cultivated strategy, codes of signs and signals and an understanding of their play to the point where it appeared to the British they played with second sight, so well did they anticipate outcomes.
The 1921 Springboks. Sydney Mail photo
Advances in the game emerged from the Services rugby of the First World War. The Army side's visit to South Africa was notable for New Zealand introducing new features of the game to those who would become their greatest rivals. At the same time, the administration of the game fell into the hands of a 'younger and more bellicose body of men' who gained control of the NZRFU. Their attitude allowed many top league players to return to rugby.
Yet, Booth said the rugby people of New Zealand, while diminishing the influence of league, had studied the 13-man game thoroughly and unashamedly copied and improved upon many aspects of the rival game. The resulting confluence of the Army players, the administrative changes, the adoption of aspects of the league game, and an emerging class of secondary school players, placed the New Zealand game in a position of strength.
The league game forced open and spectacular play. The army team's methods were similar, fast-breaking and forwards handling. The college lads are adept in the open, and so the result is a complete evolution of the game. Football is a misnomer – it should be pass-ball…The craze for speed, movement, life and light is universal and this influence is now being felt in all sport. Motors, movies, wireless, flying machines have all worked their evolution of thought and action. The public want and will have nothing but open, spontaneous and continuous football. Brilliant passing and re-passing, attack within attack, scientific fielding and juggling of the leather in the open air, always visible, always in motion is the desire of the crowd. Crisp, variegated attack is all the defence they ask for.[3]
Booth hoped the introduction of what were known as the Auckland Amended Rules in 1922, notably the direct kick to touch only from within the 25-yard area [22m nowadays] on defence, would rid the game of what he felt was 'the most besetting sin and weakness' in New Zealand rugby, the obsession for line-kicking.
It was with that background, and a desire to test themselves against rivals they perceived as challengers to their claim to be the best in the world, that the arrival of the South Africans was awaited.
Having seen the side perform well in Australia, New Zealanders were keen for the tour to start.
In those days where only the telegraph wire connected New Zealand with the rest of the world, it was the practice for arriving ships to have their manifests scoured by eager reporters for anyone who might have an opinion that was newsworthy on any number of matters – rugby, and the South Africans, being one of them.
A passenger who had played College rugby in South Africa found himself the focus of attention when interviewed to shed light on what might be expected of the tourists.
There are two fullbacks. The fullback, Gerald Morkel [sic], who is probably the oldest man in the team, created a sensation on his visit to England. If anyone can be judged the best kick in the world that man is Gerald Morkel. De Villiers, the second fullback, is practically new to international football, but combines safe tackling with good kicking.
Then we come to the three-quarter line. Yes, I think they will play the four three-quarter game. The name of Harry Morkel, the centre, is a byword throughout South Africa, and is one of the brilliant members of the family that has always supplied 'rep' players to the Springboks.
Van Heerden is the star of the team. Playing on the wing, in the three-quarter line, he may be depended on to show some of the speed that helped him win the Olympian Hurdles. [sic – he didn't run in anything other than his heat at the 1920 in the 400m hurdles in Antwerp, although he remains the only Springbok to have competed on the track at the Olympic Games]. He is, to my mind, the greatest three-quarter South Africa has produced in the last few years. Besides being the fastest man in the team, he is a very difficult man to tackle, as he carries his legs particularly his knees, very high in running. Zeller (pronounced Seller), another wing three-quarter is exceptionally fast, and Strauss one of the centres, is good in attack and safe in defence.
We are going to rely on our halfbacks. [Note South Africa called their flyhalf a halfback] There is no doubt that de Kock, [first five-eighths] although a new player to you, will delight New Zealanders. Although only a boy, and not many inches over five feet, he is the trickiest man in the team and is as slippery as an eel. Together with Michau, the other half, I expect he will be the mainstay of the team.
There are two forwards, Scholtz and Michau, that are six feet four in height, and one of them weights 19 stone, so your heavyweight forward, Moffitt, will have good company. The forwards are the heaviest lot that have ever left South Africa – they average 15 stone.[4]
Asked how the series would go, he said he expected the games to be close. He wondered whether the 1921 side was as good as South Africa's 1912 team which had beaten Wales on their British and Irish tour. For New Zealand to beat them, it would have to be through superior play in the forwards because they didn't expect their pack to be bettered.
The Springboks have been practising the New Zealand game, or, rather, the Rugby game, with the recent New Zealand amendments, in regard to penalties and marking. They have been putting only one forward on the spot where the penalty occurs, owing to the rule against charging. There has also been given special attention to individual kicking, to meet the new rule, that a player, marking the ball, must take the kick.[5]
The side named to tour was: I B de Villiers (Transvaal), P G (Gerhard) Morkel (Western Province), W A Clarkson (Natal), C du P Meyer (Western Province), H W (Henry) Morkel (Western Province), W D Sendin (Griqualand West), S S F Strauss (Griqualand West), A J van Heerden (Transvaal), J S Weepner (Western Province), W C Zeller (Natal), J S de Kock (Western Province), J P Michau (Western Province), M C Ellis (Transvaal), W H Townsend (Natal), J C Tindall (Western Province), T L Kruger (Transvaal), F W Mellish (Western Province), J M Michau (Transvaal), H J (Harry) Morkel (Western Province), J A (Royal) Morkel (Western Province), W H (Boy) Morkel (Transvaal), P J Mostert (Transvaal), J S Olivier (Western Province), N J du Plessis (Western Province), T B Pienaar (Western Province – captain), L B Siedle (Natal), H H Scholtz (Western Province), G W van Rooyen (Transvaal), A P Walker (Natal).
The five Morkels were all related continuing an outstanding family tradition. Between 1906-28, 10 Morkels played for the Springboks. Dougie Morkel toured Britain and Ireland in 1906. He played nine Tests and held the South African points scoring record of 38 points. He and his brother Sommie played in the same Tests against England and Ireland.
In 1912-13 Gerhard and Jacky, brothers, played in all five Tests on South Africa's second tour of Britain, Ireland and France. Their cousins Dougie and Boy Morkel also appeared in the Tests.
On the 1921 tour, Gerhard toured again with Boy and Henry, who were cousins of brothers Royal and Harry.
Attie van Heerden later went to rugby league making 127 appearances for Wigan between 1923-27 and 14 appearances for Leigh in 1927.
The side's biggest forward, 'Baby' Michau stood 1.94m tall and weighed 111 kgs, a weight not passed by another Springbok until 1968. During the tour Michau showed a continuing interest in having his morning and afternoon teas and reached a weight of 18st 10lb.
Springbok team member Tokkie Scholtz said:
The Great War period had had its fell effect on the game in the Union, and it seemed quite likely that the tour, to what was generally regarded as the champion Rugby-playing country of the world, would reveal that our game had retrogressed from its pre-War standard.
The visiting New Zealand military team in 1919, although by no means representative of the full strength of their country, made a great impression in South African Rugby circles, and every enthusiast welcomed the chance of a trial of strength with the full strength of the All Blacks on their own grounds.[6]
Seventeen days after leaving Durban, the Springboks arrived in Australia, landing first in Adelaide before travelling on to Melbourne for what was described as an unofficial game against a local team which resulted in a 51-0 win.
Four games were then played in Sydney, the first against New South Wales at the Sydney Showgrounds, where van Heerden had an instant impact, scoring five tries in the 25-10 win. Australian Rhodes Scholar G.V. Portus, who captained England at rugby in 1908 while at Oxford University, and later was an Australian rugby selector, was impressed with Van Heerden who, he said, had speed, pluck and resource.
Nor is he behindhand in defence. He plucked down Lane from behind with a magnificent diving tackle just when Wogan had opened a clear path to the line for the Western Suburbs man. This tackle and a similar one by Wogan himself, in which van Heerden was the sufferer, were the best specimens in a game in which tackling was, on the whole, below the expected standard. Van Heerden is not quite like any winger in Sydney. Very tall and strong, yet lean and lithe-looking, he runs as hard as he can and thinks as he goes. He quick-punted over Nothling's head and beat him easily for pace once, and another time he shook himself clear of a tackle by the same player. He has a quick swerve, great pace, and (what does not always go with great pace) the faculty for deceptive pace-changes.[7]
Michau clears the ball to van Heerden against New South Wales. Sydney Mail photo
Portus said it was too early, on one appearance, to make an assessment of how the Springboks might do against the All Blacks. He would leave that until the completion of the Australian leg of the tour.
Two more wins of 16-11 and 28-9 were posted over NSW, games that were retrospectively given Test status by the Australian Rugby Union in 1965. That resulted in an interesting sporting quirk. The fullback in the NSW (Australia) side in the three games was Otto Nothling, a medical student who had come south from Queensland to study in Sydney. Later, in 1928-29 he played one cricket Test for Australia in an Ashes Series against England, taking the place of Don Bradman who was relegated to 12th man duties. But it was enough for Nothling, who died in 1965, to claim dual international status.
A fourth game was played by the Springboks before they set off for New Zealand, against Sydney Metropolitan which resulted in an 14-8 win.
Scholtz said while they had enjoyed their time in Sydney it was at a cost with eight players injured including captain Theo Pienaar with concussion, a dislocated elbow for Gerhard Morkel, while the worst of all was L.B. Siedle who dislocated his knee and never played again on the tour.
The Cynic said the Springboks had the potential to perform well with their 'brilliant and finished players'. He warned that to succeed in New Zealand they might have to change their approach.
However, to stand a winning chance against the All Blacks, the South Africans will have to re-cast their ideas of systematised scrummaging and forward play generally, if what they showed us here is a full exposition of their bag of tricks. We cannot accurately estimate their powers in the forwards on Sydney form, inasmuch as the bigger men among them do not appear to have struck proper condition. My expectations in respect to the matches with the All Blacks are based on a supposition that they will materially improve in combination, in team tactics, and some of them in condition, and that they will develop a fresh conception of scrummaging and forward play generally…We in Australia are, of course, somewhat in the dark as to the quality of New Zealand backs, but if those of the hour are to be compared with the men of a dozen years ago, the Springboks will need to be as brainy as they are brawny in playing the game over there.[8]
Once the tour was completed, Portus made his promised assessments, especially in relation to the scrummaging. His comments highlighted the differences occurring between various nations in attitudes towards scrums and represent some of the most pertinent observations of scrummaging of that era.
The most novel thing about the Africans was their scrum technique. A Rugby scrum has obviously evolved from two opponents trying to push one another away from the ball which lies between them. The friends of either run up to help; one on each side, they embrace him with one arm while he clasps them round the ribs. Still more rush up, and putting their heads down, butt in behind this front line of three; pushing with their shoulders and clinging to their comrades to make the mass rigid. Later on the ball is taken away, and not placed among the contestants until the scrum has been formed. From such fortuitous beginnings two different scrum tactics have evolved, with both of which we are familiar.
The English have adopted a formation by which the first three men who come up shall lock together, the next two shall push behind them as a second line, and the others form a third line of three. But the men have no fixed places. As they come up they fit into the next vacant place. In New Zealand the tactic has been differentiated. There, the first two men form a front line, with three in the second ranks and two more in the back rank. Moreover, the men of this N.Z. scrum of seven are all specialists. Each goes to the one and the same place in every scrum. The first two men are trained to hook, two of the second rank to break away, and the back rank to lock and push like steam engines. Here in N.S.W., we have taken a little each model in our scrum formation. We play an eight scrum on the British model, but the men are trained to occupy fixed places in that scrum, after the N.Z. fashion.
But the Africans did none of these things. Like the British, they don't appear to have fixed places; but they don't pack on the 'three-two-three' model, not on the 'two-three-two' model. Their scrum appears to be an alteration of 'four-three-one'. Four men form in the front rank, three butt in behind them, and the last man stands up till the ball is put in, and then gets down and shoves or else flies round the pack like a breakaway. This formation gives the Africans four in the front rank of our three. It gave them two 'looseheads,' just as our formation gives us two 'looseheads' against the New Zealanders. But it did not appear that they got the ball oftener than we did. Often, indeed, when we secured the ball we were pushed back off it by their great weight. These big men did shove hard. The advantages of the African formation appears to be that the ball comes out more quickly through the two lines of the scrum instead of three. The disadvantage is that a four-three-one formation is not so symmetrical, and can't be tight as either three-two-three or two-three-two. What will happen in this respect to the Africans in New Zealand it is difficult to say. Will the four front-row Africans beat the two front-row New Zealanders for the ball, or will the spear-head New Zealand scrum pierce the centre of the looser African pack?[9]
Meanwhile, the New Zealanders were in the final throes of preparation for the Springboks' arrival with the staging of the North-South inter-island game, an important trial, on July 2. The teams were: (fullback to front row)
North Island: J.G. O'Brien (Auckland); N.A.J. Barker (Wellington), B. Algar (Wellington), V.W. Wilson (Auckland); J.T. Tilyard (Wellington), C.E. Badeley (Auckland); C Brown (Taranaki); J. Donald (Wairarapa), M. Cain (Taranaki), A. Carroll (Manawatu), J.E.E. Moffitt (Wellington), A.H. West (Taranaki), H. Jacob (Horowhenua), E.A. Bellis (Wanganui), C. Fletcher (Auckland).
South Island: O.E. Evans (Canterbury); P.W. Storey (South Canterbury), J. Steel (West Coast), J. Everett (Nelson); W.R. Fea (Otago), A.T. Thompson (Canterbury), D. McK. Sandman (Canterbury); P. Davidson (Otago), W. Duncan (Otago), E.W. Hasell (Canterbury), C. Hall (West Coast), F. McLean (Buller), D.T. Baird (Southland), H. Harty (Dunedin), L. O'Leary (South Canterbury).
Front rower E. 'Ned' Hughes had a field day in the game in scoring three tries. His was an interesting case. From Southland, where he made 23 appearances between 1903 and 1908, he made his debut for the All Blacks in 1907 on their tour of Australia, and played the first Test against the Anglo-Welsh in 1908. But, before the series was completed, he was part of the Britannia club of Invercargill who, due to play a club game with Pirates, refused to play because of the appalling weather conditions. The Southland Rugby Football Union demanded the players go out to play despite the atrocious conditions. Again, both sides refused, and the game never took place. The sides were suspended by the SRFU and in order to keep their fitness up they played an unofficial game of rugby league. The already upset SRFU was in no mood to be crossed and the players were banned from rugby. Hughes went on to play league for New Zealand in 1910. He was reinstated to rugby during the First World War and, before returning to New Zealand after the war, played soccer in Australia. He settled in Wellington where he played for Poneke and then played four games for the province in 1920-21. He became the oldest player to play for the All Blacks when aged 40 years and 123 days.
Ted Roberts was another who performed well, one break securing an easy try for first five-eighths Ces Badeley. The Aucklander, Badeley, made a strong break just after halftime and while he lost the ball over the line Moffitt was supporting and he dived on the ball to score. Another break saw Roberts pass a long ball which was taken by George Aitken who passed on to Hughes who scored.
North claimed a 28-13 win.
The Possibles v Probables trial was played in Wellington four days after the inter-island game. But several players named to take part withdrew as a result of injuries including, Beethoven Algar, Dan McCormick and Ned Hughes while Jim Moffitt was unavailable.
The sides were:
Possibles: C.N. 'Nap' Kingstone (Taranaki); P.W. 'Percy' Storey (South Canterbury), M.R.Grierson (Auckland) G.G. Aitken (Wellington), M.F. Nicholls (Wellington), C.E.O. Badeley (Auckland); B. Pitman (Auckland); J.G. Donald (Wairarapa); A.J. Carroll (Manawatu), W.D. Duncan (Otago), E.A.P. Cockroft (Southland), A.H. West (Taranaki), E.A. 'Moke' Bellis (Wanganui), J. Richardson (Otago), E.M. Snow (Nelson).
Probables: J. Murphy (Wellington); J. Steel (West Coast), K.S. Svenson (Wanganui), W.A. 'Jockey' Ford (Canterbury); S.A. Jeffs (Otago), E.J. 'Teddy' Roberts (Wellington); H.E. Nicholls (Wellington); P.S. de Q. Cabot (Otago); Standen (Wellington), Masters (Taranaki), J. Brownlie (Hawke's Bay), A. 'Son' White (Southland), R. Fogarty (Taranaki), W.T.C. Sonntag (Otago), J.D. Shearer (Wellington), S.D. Shearer (Wellington).
The trial was notable for the showing of George Aitken, who started on the wing, where he scored a fine try to give his Possibles their only try of the first half in which the Probables claimed a 14-5 lead at half. But after the break, Roberts, the captain, moved Aitken to centre with Grierson moving to the wing. Aitken scored a second try later in the game which developed into a free-running contest with Roberts spearheading the recovery by the Probables to claim a 30-22 win. On the wing Jack Steel and Storey, one of the stars of the New Zealand Army team in South Africa, had a fascinating contest that resulted in both of them being selected for the first Test. It was similar in the forwards where the two southern men, Jock Richardson from Otago and Son White from Southland, although on opposite sides, showed out with impressive displays.
They were fast in the loose, and used their weight to best effect in the scrum. Whyte [sic] is a particularly sound tackler. Bellis, playing in the back row alongside Richardson, was a strong factor in the forward rushes, combining plenty of pace with sound passing…Among the backs, Roberts was easily the best. He repeated his remarkable performance in the inter-Island match, and either opened up, or participated in, every attack by the blacks' back division. He topped-off his Christchurch record by kicking no fewer than five goals. His action in changing his formation of attack in the second half showed sound generalship, and was the chief means of changing defeat to victory…Storey signalled his recovery from injury by a masterly game at wing three-quarter, joining high speed with the methods of attack and defence…Aitken and Grierson won frequent applause for their passing; each showed a high turn of speed in attack, as well as sound tackling. Mark Nicholls was in excellent form at five-eighths.[10]
The selectors Alf Griffiths (Wellington), George Nicholson (Auckland) and Donald Stuart (Otago) deliberated and produced their first Test team. It was: Kingstone; Storey, Aitken, Steel; Badeley, M Nicholls; H Nicholls; Donald; Hughes, Duncan, Moffitt, McLean, Richardson, White, Bellis. Emergencies: Roberts, Algar, Fogarty, S Shearer.
With the comments above in mind, it was interesting that the exclusion of Roberts was the talking point of the team named after the trial. Roberts was the most experienced player in the game at the time, having made his debut for Wellington in 1910, he played five Tests on either side of the First World War. Astonishment was felt on all sides, according to one reaction. A New Zealand player (unnamed) said,
It is a public disgrace. Roberts won his place in the New Zealand team in the South-North match, and he won it again today. He was the chief cause of the Probables' win today. His exclusion will be a shock to football lovers all over New Zealand, and in Australia as well. Perhaps the only ones to rejoice will be the Springboks, and they will have good reason to be glad. Roberts's place is half to the All Blacks team. There is no footballer playing today that possesses his qualifications to lead the team.[11]
One letter to the editor, written by E.J. Byrne made the surprise clear.
Sir,-To say that I was astounded, or that I was stunned by a five-nine, when the New Zealand team to meet the South Africans was selected, is to mildly depict my condition. Anyone waking up in the morning to be told that 'Teddie' Roberts was left out of the first New Zealand fifteen, would naturally conclude that he was dreaming – that, possibly, some covering had escaped his shoulders – and he would turn over and go to sleep again. A man, when drunk, sees many things, but could anyone see West being left out of the team? A man badly gassed imagines various things, but is not guilty of imagining Ned Hughes a better man than 'Ginger' Carroll. The selection of the team condemns for all time the efficacy of employing three men to select the best fifteen available. I do not know the man personally, in fact I have never spoken to him, but the man whose ability to pick the very best talent available is Teddie Roberts. The man behind the scrum as a unique advantage in gauging the strength of either back or forward, and Roberts has battled against teams in every Rugby playing country.
Sir, the team (for I do not wish to occupy too much of your space) which I think would do New Zealand the greatest honour in any test would be:- Full, Ifwerson; three-quarters, Steele [sic] Svenson, Storey; five-eighths, Baddeley [sic], Roberts; half, Nicholls; wing-forward, Donald; front row, Carroll, Duncan; lock Moffitt; sides, Richardson, White; backs, West, McLean.[12]
Such debates tend to be the way of rugby through time immemorial. But the opinions of all were soon to be put to the test.
References:
[1] E.E. Booth, Two Schools of Football Philosophy, The Star (Christchurch), 23 July 1921
[2] ibid
[3] ibid
[4] Unidentified South African interviewed, New Zealand Times, 30 June 1921
[5] ibid
[6] Tokkie Shotz, contributor to The History of South African Rugby Football (1875-1932), Ivor Difford, The Speciality Press of S.A. Ltd, Wynberg
[7] G.V. Portus, The Sydney Mail, 19 June, 1921, p.11
[8] J.C. Davis, The Cynic, Referee, 29 June 1921
[9] Portus, Sydney Mail, 20 July, 1921, p.14
[10] New Zealand Times, 7 July, 1921
[11] ibid
[12] Letter to the Editor, N.Z. Times, 7 July, 1921