Jetlag didn't apply for touring sports teams in the 1920s, it was more a case of tourists losing their sea legs as quickly as possible once back on terra firma.
The Springboks didn't have much time to acclimatise after they arrived. Contrary to some histories which claimed they had only one night on New Zealand soil before playing their first game, they had two.
They berthed in Auckland on Monday, July 11, had a run at Victoria Park and then boarded an overnight train to arrive in Wanganui on a Tuesday morning, to play on Wednesday afternoon.
One of the most satisfying aspects of their opening 11-6 win in Wanganui was the refereeing of A.E. Neilson from Wellington. In their games in Australia, on their way to New Zealand, they were unimpressed with some of the decisions against them and they were concerned similar rulings could apply in New Zealand. However, the opposite proved the case.
However, the New Zealand Times felt there was one area of potential conflict.
If the South African forwards insist in the hand-to-hand passing which was particularly noticeable at Wanganui, trouble is bound to arise. The method adopted is new to New Zealand, and it is questionable if the off-side rule is not frequently infringed, although detection is not an easy matter. This passing movement has been brought to a fine art by the team, but opposed to a fast set of forwards it should be difficult, if not impossible, to carry out with any degree of effectiveness.
The forwards seldom pass far out, but each uses his body as a battering-ram to break down the opposition. The first forward on the scene throws the ball in from touch, and the forwards do not specialise in any particular department. The first 'up' is usually the first 'down', and the others pack round him. The word is given to heave, and a mighty effort to walk over the ball is made. Sometimes the opposition is pushed upright, and at others in a heap, and before they can recover, the ball has been walked over, and the halfback has started a passing movement.[1]
The backs did not impress in Wanganui although wing Attie van Heerden demonstrated his speed when scoring the first try of the tour. The home side failed to go low in the tackle allowing him to break through. But they learned quickly and he was contained for the remainder of the game.
Wing Attie van Heerden ducks a tackle when playing NSW en route to New Zealand.
The Springboks did suffer a serious blow, however, when highly-regarded first five-eighths Sas de Kock suffered an ankle injury 16 minutes into the game. It was later in the tour before he was able to play again, but that was only in three games.
The second game, against Taranaki may have been a scoreless draw but it was regarded as one of the finest exhibitions of rugby seen in New Plymouth. South Africa looked to give their backs plenty of chances to run, but Taranaki employed smothering tactics, and accurate tackling, to stymie the visitors.
Occasionally the leather came out to the Springbok backs, and it was then that the game was marked by flashes of pretty passing, the ball sweeping along the advancing line of backs with clockwork precision. The way in which the ball shot out from the ruck was the essence of neatness, nippy handling and swift passing, coupled with splendid co-operation, pulling the backs into action, and several times sweeping the game right down to Taranaki's line. Here the defence of Taranaki was sound, and, by dashing play and clever footwork, the forwards always cleared their line.[2]
By the time they got to Masterton, for their third game, against Wairarapa, it was already apparent the depth of interest in rugby was hitting home to the tourists. Manager Harold Bennett told the crowd that gathered to greet them in Masterton,
When we came to this country we knew we were going to play some hard games, but we never dreamt Rugby was taken so seriously by New Zealanders.[3]
He said that realising what they were up against, the team had been forced to decline many of the invitations they had received. He said with so much proficiency shown by teams, the Springboks would have to be on their watch to keep themselves fit.
Captain Theo Pienaar said they had to play hard in New Plymouth, and would need to play harder still if they were to be successful. He was also surprised at the hold rugby had on New Zealanders. It was South Africa's national game also, but it was not as universal as it was in New Zealand.
Wairarapa were on the receiving end of the Springboks' second-string players hitting out, especially the backs, as they ran in an 18-3 win with comments made in the media afterwards that the home team had been 'perplexed' by the methods of the tourists.
The ball is kept in the field of play as much as possible. Kicking for the line, for the mere gaining of ground, is not one of their plans of attack, as they relied, in the match with Wairarapa, on their own powers of infield attack, to do better.[4]
The Evening Post's 'Dropkick' said the South Africans appeared to have a more 'elastic' formation than New Zealand and they were easier able to adapt to either defence or attack. They were more opportunist. They let the game develop and took advantage of chances as they occurred.
Theirs seems an easier, more facile, a more open style of play than our grim serious Rugby machine, the product of many years' hard thinking on the possibilities of the game within the rules. There appears to be no doubt in the minds of unbiased observers that New Zealand Rugby has become somewhat stereotyped in these later years since it was elaborated by the genius of 'Jimmie' Duncan, 'Off-side' McKenzie and other pioneers, and perfected by the practice of the All Blacks. One might compare it with the old Greek phalanx, which was the perfect engine of way and made a 'triumphant tour' until the Romans got into it with their short swords and put it out of action. During the last ten years there has been little or no development in the game here, and now a new set of conditions has to be faced.[5]
When the team's train pulled into Wellington Station from Masterton, it was greeted by enthusiastic administrators and fans. A passenger on the train was 1905-06 All Black Fred Roberts, who was coaching Wellington. He had watched South Africa play Wairarapa and said of their play,
They take chances. They do more. They exploit the game to its utmost, besides promptly seizing upon the skirts of happy chance. They will give you eager, sparkling efforts that will arouse enthusiasm; they will exhibit individual improvisation at one time, and concerted work, with a plan and a purpose in it, at another; and their game will be clean, if one may judge by their matches against the three North Island teams they have met. One is not inclined to look at the prospects of the big games through All Black glasses, but against the hard-fighting forward division that New Zealand will put in the field every ounce of the Springboks' great bulk will be needed, if their sure-handling backs are to give the spectacular displays that have delighted the spectators at Wanganui, New Plymouth and Masterton.[6]
Wellington's Mayor R.A. Wright, in speaking at the official welcome to the Springboks in the capital, remarked that a comment had been made 20 years earlier, (presumably while in South Africa during the Boer War) by a rugby enthusiast looking at South African rugby. He said that if ever New Zealand were beaten at football, it would be by a South African team.
The history of the game in both countries has developed around trying to ensure the fulfilment of that unknown observer's comment. The public of both countries have happily watched on.
Bennett said that finally having arrived in Wellington, after what seemed to have been months, they had been given wonderful receptions at every previous venue they had played.
We have met a large number of gentlemen and a very large percentage of those gentlemen have been introduced to us as 'reps' [first-class representative players]. We have met a fair number of ladies, and they have been introduced to us as the wives or sisters of 'reps'. Everybody in New Zealand seems to have played football, or been prominent in the game.[7]
Pienaar told the audience that they were well aware of the challenge they faced against a Wellington team that had built up such a fine record in previous seasons during their Ranfurly Shield era.
That does not mean that we have the wind up. Because we are looking forward to that test of strength tomorrow. We have heard much of the standard of football here, particularly back play. I will be very frank with you; we have not met very good backs yet. We know that New Zealand specialises in forward play, but I believe you are putting a team in the field that is just 'it'. But we intend to do our best to 'put it across you'. If you beat us, it will only nerve us to fresh efforts in the test matches; we regard the Wellington match as a sort of unofficial test – a preliminary skirmish before the big battle.[8]
Wellington had been the premier side in New Zealand since two months before the end of the First World War. They took the Ranfurly Shield from Taranaki at Stratford on September 10, 1918 winning 12-6. They had five successful defences in 1919, including an away game with Canterbury, and 10 more in 1920 including home and away defences against Taranaki and Auckland. They also took the Shield on tour to the South Island with successes against South Canterbury and Otago. But in Invercargill, they lost to Southland 6-17, the first time a South Island side had won the Shield, part of the blame being attributed to trips on oyster boats on Foveaux Strait the day before the game. According to southern records, the players were eating oysters from the shells as soon as they were dredged and opened. It proved a salty experience that produced some sustained thirsts. Beer was provided as a source of quenching the thirst with dire consequences the following day.
It was unfortunate that South Africa's much-awaited Wellington game (dubbed the fourth Test) was played in a strong southerly wind that blew up five minutes before the game started. There been heavy showers all morning. A record crowd of 32,000 watched the game confined to the two forward packs although Wellington had chances, twice when Mark Nicholls missed penalty goal opportunities with the wind at his back, while he knocked on a ball in a play that could have tested the Springboks. Captain Teddy Roberts eventually handed the goal-kicking duties to Petone's wing-forward Ted King who landed a goal that saw the teams go to the break at 3-3. Wing George Aitken impressed in his battle with van Heerden, generally coping with his speed while showing out when entering the backline.
South Africa sealed the win when halfback Mannetjies Michau ran from the scrum, just 15 yards out from Wellington's line to embarrass the home defence as he side-stepped his way through then ran round to score behind the posts. With the conversion the game was all but complete.
Pienaar, who had been carried from the field by Wellington fans, commented after the game:
Your people are the best sports in the world. Where in the world could you meet people that would cheer every bit of good play by a visiting team, even though it was winning against their own? Where in the world could you get people that, their own team having lost, would not only not show the bitterness one often meets in such cases, but actually carries the captain of the visitors' winning team off the field? It has astonished us, I can tell you.[9]
Roberts said Wellington was beaten by a better team in a game ruined by the wind. A former All Black interviewed by the NZ Times said the margin was so slight between the two teams that if the game was played again Wellington would probably win.
A lot of mistakes were made. Wellington did most of the attacking in each half of the game; the forwards got the ball from most of the scrums, and, to my mind, several tries were lost in the first spell, by the failure of the backs to do the correct thing when an opening was made. It is easy to be wise after an event, but there were three noted instances, where certain tries were absolutely thrown away. When on the Springboks' line, H. Nicholls tried to work the 'dummy' and failed when the Wellington backs had the simplest of openings to cross. On two other occasions, Roberts, I contend, was at fault, in kicking when splendid openings presented themselves for a few yards' dash by the wing three-quarter.[10]
One veteran was quoted as saying Roberts was playing under 'an extra load of responsibility in the match'. He didn't reveal what it was and merely said,
Those who follow the game well know what I mean; to those who don't follow the game closely it doesn't matter. Everything was against the popular Athletic player, and on a different day he would, I am sure, have given a better account of himself.[11]
The comments suggest, perhaps, some inter-club rival may well have been at play, especially given the preference by the national selectors for Ginger Nicholls at halfback instead of Roberts, who played first five-eighths in the game.
So far as the Springboks were concerned it was felt their backs were not a good scoring combination, but they were more than capable in defence and spoiling tactics. Their solidarity on defence was hard to break but the critic noted the only 'instance of real brain work' they exhibited was when Michau threw the dummy that outwitted Roberts. However, there was a feeling among some in the Wellington, and New Zealand, hierarchy that the Springboks had enough ability to carry the honours in the forthcoming Test series.
'Drop-kick' focused his blame on Mark Nicholls. He hadn't played to the level, often brilliant, that he had shown at club and provincial level.
He is one of the youngest representative footballers in New Zealand, with a great future before him; but his promotion, in view of Saturday's performance, would seem to have been a little premature. He could well afford to wait for All Black honours. His failure in the field interfered with his place-kicking, which was not good.[12]
South Africa won by smothering Wellington's passing rushes and their bigger forwards had dominated the home pack. With that advantage they gave Theuns Kruger a roving commission in defence where he put his speed to use in proving a deadly tackler, only called into the pack when he was required. The Springboks demonstrated they had seen enough of New Zealand's rugby to know what they required. They were the best team to have visited since the 1904 British side, according to Drop-kick. He added,
It does not, of course, follow that because Wellington were badly beaten, New Zealand will follow suit in the first Test. But it does follow that New Zealand must look shrewdly to its laurels if it is going to retain them. The South Africans are sportsmen after our own hearts; they are after the game for all they are worth.[13]
References:
[1] New Zealand Times, 16 July 1921
[2] ibid, 18 July 1921
[3] H.C. Bennett, New Zealand Times, 20 July 1921
[4] New Zealand Times, 21 July 1921
[5] Drop-kick, The Evening Post, 25 July, 1921, p.10
[6] Fred Roberts, New Zealand Times, 22 July 1921
[7] H.C. Bennett, New Zealand Times, 23 July 1921
[8] T.B, Pienaar, ibid [9] New Zealand Times, 25 July, 1921
[10] Unnamed All Black, New Zealand Times, 26 July, 1921
[11] NZ Times, ibid
[12] Drop-kick ibid[13] ibid