30 June 76 - Border, North-Eastern Cape 0 / All Blacks 24

The match was played in perfect weather conditions at the Buller Rugby Union Ground in East Londen and attended by a crowd of 10 000 people.

The referee was Gert Bezuidenhout (Transvaal).

The Border combined team was: 15 : Bernard Morrell; 14: Alan Stephenson; 11: Rob Taylor; 13: Henry Stewart ; 12: Bennie Rens; 10: Kevin Barnard; 9: Johan Streicher; 8: François van der Merwe; 7: Roy Solomon; 6: Derek Barter (Captain); 5: George Wilson; 4: Greg Barter; 3: Johnny Wood; 2: Garth Summers; 1: Bobby Joubert.

The All Black team was: 15: Kit Fawcett; 14: Bryan Williams; 11: Neil Purvis; 13: Bruce Robertson; 12: Joe Morgan; 10: Doug Bruce; 9: Sid Going; 8: Andy Leslie (Captain); 7: Kevin Eveleigh; 6: Ian Kirkpatrick; 5: Gary Seear; 4: Hamish Macdonald; 3: Kent Lambert; 2: Graeme Grossman; 1: Kerry Tanner.

Run of the game

Before the game incidents/issues/stuff

The All Blacks were received at East Londen airport with lots of cheering and with a hand clapping chant of: “Welcome, All Blacks, welcome, All Blacks”.

An editorial in the local newspaper the Daily Dispatch regretted that the tour was taking place before the Vorster Government was prepared to concede mixed sport. The mayor Joe Yazbek told the All Blacks at the civic cocktail party that surveys indicate that the majority of all races are in favor of mixed sport and that it only remains for the Government to catch up.

When the All Blacks entered the rugby stadium on match day the reception by the two to three thousand Africans was rapturous. The match was also attended by Transkei chief Kaizer Matanzima.

About the match

The game started slow but the All Blacks hit their straps late in the second half and eventually scored 6 tries with Williams scoring three and Going two.

Border’s famous scrumhalf Chicken Gendell didn’t play as a result of the combined selection process and Bennie Rens on 12 apparently also didn’t had a great day as he kept holding on to the ball while running full tilt into the All Black defense. The Border combined team forwards had a reasonable game but was no match for the All Blacks’ powerful eight-man shoves in some of the many scrums in the second half. Bobby Joubert the 38 year old Border prop was a survivor of the Border team that played against the 1960 All Blacks.

The All Black goal kickers did not have a happy day and between Fawcett and Williams they missed 10 kicks at goal.

Bryan Williams place kicking. At this stage the tourists still struggled with their place kicking and Williams was tried as an option without major success.

The New Zealand backline looked willing to run with the ball but not all was well in the backline; Fawcett in particular appeared head strong and inclined to do his own -and mostly not entirely satisfactory- thing. Bruce on 10 appeared a little tentative and slow to see or exploit gaps when they appear. Joe Morgan, Bryan Williams and Sid Going did however take control as the game progressed and Williams in particular was dynamic.

Sid Going passing the ball from behind the scrum. He was one of the senior players who took charge when All Blacks were struggling to find their rhythm in the first match. Super Sid had a great game and scored two tries and was also instrumental in at least one of the three Bryan Williams tries.

McLean describing the third Bryan Williams try:

Going had made a sensational break; the ball was rooted beyond halfway, where Purvis and Fawcett began to run. Osborne took the pass and with perfect judgment gave “Bee Gee” room to run at Morrell. Morrell, you might say never gave Williams room to move. He jerked off his left foot in a stupendous sidestep and dashed in at the corner for his 51st try for New Zealand.

Bryan Williams was dynamic and scored three tries in the first match in spite of the fact that his knee and ankle were heavily strapped and it was obvious that he was playing with some injuries. Top picture shows Williams scoring one of his three tries.

Eveleigh on flank was strikingly fast in raiding into the Border backline and Kirkpatrick –fighting his way out of all kinds of tackles- impressed as a ball-carrier. Kent Lambert on 3 had a few break-way runs.

Doug Bruce playing flyhalf throwing a one hand pass in the match against Border. In the background Gary Sears, Solomon of Border and Andy Leslie. 

Ian Kirkpatrick had a few good runs against Border. Here he breaks away with the ball with him is Kevin Eveleigh (No7) and Andy Leslie.

After the game reactions/occurrences

The All Blacks were perplexed by the referee's rullings on put-in to the scrum after ruck and maul's that came to nothing. The rule was that the put-in should go to the advancing side but the referee gave it to the defending side. This inconsistancy prompted coach John Stewart to call for a meeting with the South African referee management group to discuss interpretations. There was also concern about the place kicking.