Newsgroups: rec.sport.rugby
Subject: All Blacks vs Springboks
From: wft@math.canterbury.ac.nz (Bill Taylor)
Date: 17 Aug 92 11:36:26 +1200
Distribution: world
Organization: Department of Mathematics, University of Canterbury

How nice to be allowed to see a game at last ! With a combination of stupidity
from the NZRFU, incompetence by NZTV, and greed by the SARFU, most of New
Zealand have been prevented from seeing their national team playing at their
national sport against their most traditional rivals. I suppose we have to be
grateful for being allowed to see this one !

Anyway, the wait was worth it. A thoroughly entertaining game, with both sets
of supporters having something to be thankful for.
 
As an overall comment, I would say that the All Blacks showed themselves the
better team, but not by as much as had been widely expected. Predictions had
been that it might be close at half time, but that the ABs would stretch away
in the final quarter as bok lack of fitness showed. In the event it proved
almost exactly the reverse. The first half showed clear AB dominance in
most aspects, but a frustrating long period of no scoring was finally broken
only by a cheeky try snapped up by Z Brooke as the boks stood about arguing
with the ref instead of defending. But as later events showed, perhaps it was
lack of confidence that was the key weakness of bok play, rather than 
any lack in talent or commitment.

10-0 at the half didn't seem too big a deficit, but then at 20-3 (after a
masterful break by Bunce had Kirwan in with the bok backs in total disarray),
it looked all over. And then when a Bok try was immediately countered by an
AB one, it seemed as if the ABs had the full measure of their opponents. The distinct feeling in the air was that they could win as and when they liked. And
indeed, I feel this was the true state of affairs. But at the end of a long
tour, tired and at high altitude, troubled with injuries, knowing they had
the game won, the ABs went off the boil and started making some uncharacteristic
lapses to let their opponents back into the game. With little time to do it in,
the boks made full use of their opportunities, and in an inspiring display of
defiance scored two late tries (one so late as to be well beyond most injury
time allowances). Springbok honour was saved, and confidence restored, by
this brave effort from a beaten team. Indeed, it was a glimpse of what
might-have-been, if the questionable Botha had not spent most of the first 
half uselessly kicking the ball away.

The final scoreline rather flattered the boks, I thought. One of their two
final tries came directly from a mile-long knock-on that the ref apparently
didn't see, and so once again the ABs were robbed of a convincing-looking
victory on the scoreboard by a terrible reffing mistake. (This really has been
the unluckiest tour ever for them, in this respect). 27-17 would have been a
very fair reflection of play; and the just result.

That lapse aside though, the ref was very sound throughout the game. As always,
there were a few dodgy interpretations, but they seemed equally awarded. It's
a pity that his one real error had to cost one side 7 points. (It's usual, I
know, for people to shrug off these mistakes with an "Oh well, the ref can't
see everything, it's all part of the game". But that's no longer good enough
in the TV age; when the players put in enormous effort, it's up to the officials
to do the same. Too many games have been marred by clearly wrong decisions).
I expect the Springbok supporters will be wildly up in arms about the ref's
lineout handling. It must seem very unfair to have the laws fully enforced,
when you've gone a whole season ignoring them happily ! The bok lifting was
atrociously blatant, but for the most part was picked up. As a result, their
less athletic forwards were at a grave disadvantage in the lineouts, and got
quite a bath there; this problem will bedevil the boks for a good while yet,
I predict. With domestic refs allowing their players to settle into bad habits,
they will be constantly disadvantaged in internationals. It's a shame that the
laws weren't so effectively enforced in Oz.

For me the standout players for NZ were Timu, rock-solid on defense again; and
Z Brooke for all-round energy and effectiveness. R Brooke and Tuigamala get
hon mentions; and congratulations to Preston for a very competent performance,
having to come on so early, after his disastrous game in Sydney. In spite of
their fine fight-back, and massive pace out wide, the bok backs can't really
be awarded full credit. Too many mistakes; and though it may sound odd to
so chastise a backline that scored three tries, they didn't really seem to
have too many ideas on attack, just relying on pace alone. The bok forwards
did well in the tight, (even winning a crucial tight-head; unheard of against
Fitzpatrick, isn't it?). In the loose, the ABs dominated though, and gave them
a real lesson in the lineouts.

So; a historic win for NZ, the first ever 1st-test away win by either side, and
first win of a series by NZ in SA, [ if one match can be called a series!  ;-) ]
NZ supporters will feel cheated by the narrow margin, and no doubt bok
supporters will feel that they would easily have won with another five minutes.
Still, at least we got the right result.

One must applaud the spirit the game was played in. Very tough, but with no
real spite, apart perhaps from one nasty scrum incident which left a player on
each side bleeding. Apparently a stern talking-to by Loe and Brooke to the
alleged bok crusher settled this down though. Otherwise, credit to both teams 
for sportsmanlike behaviour.

One must also comment on the double-edged behaviour of the South African crowd.
Their politeness and respect for the opposition was a real eye-opener. They
stayed utterly quiet for the NZ anthem and haka; and (apart from a slight raz
the first time), even for Fox's goal kicks ! They put NZ and Oz crowds totally
to shame with this gentlemanly concern. And yet, they spoiled all these good
efforts by deliberately singing through the intended one minute silence in
honour of those killed in the recent troubles. I don't know what the song was;
but this display of spontaneous callousness was a deliberate insult, and showed
what still lurks in the South African soul, the referendum notwithstanding.
Heaven knows how the visitors will be treated if a Samoan team ever tours, with
all colored players AND management !
----------------------. 
                      | Looking to the test against Oz, it's going to be very 
          \           | close, but still with a slight edge to Oz, I'd say.
           \          | 
           \\         | The boks will be playing with far more confidence, but
            \\        | on the other hand Oz will be forewarned as to what to
             )`--')   | expect; and will also be far less likely to cruise
            <  o /    | the last quarter, regardless of score. In the end, it 
             `\  /    | may come down to those line-outs. With a New Zealand
              / /     | ref, the boks will have an even harder time of it, and
         /_,, ~~      | (with Botha's booting), may get too little posession.
        /   )         |=======================================================
        |  /          |
       /  _>    <-------- Bill Taylor         wft@math.canterbury.ac.nz
      /  /            |
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