Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 10 September 1938, page 16


GERRY BRAND.

GREAT TEST DISPLAY.

"FAR SUPERIOR TO NEPIA."

The breakdown, while training, of Gerry Brand, the famous South African Rugby Union full-back, who has announced his retire-ment from the game, followed upon his mag

nificent display against Great Britain In the first of the season's three test matches at Johannesburg last month.

Writing about that match in the Johannes-burg "Sunday Times," Jim Brough, who played full-back for England against the 1924 Rugby Union All Blacks, and who toured Australia with English Rugby League teams in 1928 and 1936, bestows high praise on Brand.

He writes "I have played against George Nepla, of All Black fame, three times, twice under Rugby Union rules, and in 1936, after he had turned professional. Gerry Brand, in my opinion, is far superior to Nepia. His fielding is faultless and his kicking uncanny. I have never seen better goal kicking,"

Latest files from South Africa show that, in the test at Johannesburg, the Springbok side, the strength of which had been doubted by

many critics, proved what a formidable com-bination was built up on last year's tour of Australia and New Zealand. De Wet, a centre, was the only member of the test team who did not tour last year

The forwards-the Louw brothers. Lotz, Bastard, Bergh, Sheriff, du Toit, and Strachan-soon mastered the opposing pack, and gave a great display of short-passing, du Toit being outstanding. On this phase of the play, Brough comments: "The Spring-bok forwards played the short-passing game as well as any I have ever seen, including pro-fessionals "

REMARKABLE GOALS.

Two of the most remarkable goals ever kicked in Rugby football were recorded in this match, the full-backs, Jenkins (Great Britain) and Brand being responsible. Jenkins, when he kicked his second penalty goal, placed the ball eight yards beyond the half-way line, while the crowd made facetious remarks. From 63 yards out he sent the ball sailing hard and true between the uprights. Brand drop-kicked a penalty goal from the half-way line, and almost on the touch-line, the length being estimated as at least 60 yards.