By the time this article appears in print the third and final Rugby test match between New Zealand and South Africa will have been decided. It is not my intention to prophesy the result of that match; too many competent critics have been all at sea in forecasting results of test matches this season. But it must be placed on record that New Zealand's representatives played superlative football to defeat the Springboks in the first test and raised our prestige to the crest of the wave once more.

Fourteen men played against fifteen men for the greater part of this match and triumphed by 13 points to 7. It was a performance that ranks with the match against England at Twickenham in 1924 and the gallant fight by the British team against New Zealand at Christchurch in 1930.

That win at Wellington converted pessimism into optimism and the Springboks, playing the crucial second test at Christchurch, did not go on the field as favourites. Weather conditions did not favour our visitors but the team was strengthened by the inclusion of Nel (who set a glorious example of team-spirit by leaving himself out of the first test team when he considered himself not worthy of a place—an example set by Cliff Porter in 1924)—Tony Harris and Gerry Brand, perhaps the greatest full-back ever to visit New Zealand.

Down six points to nil with thirty minutes of play left, the Springboks rallied with desperation born of despair and not only pulled the game out of the fire but clinched the result beyond doubt.

It was a popular win. The Springboks had been great in defeat, made no excuses but congratulated the winners, and this was the spirit in which the New Zealanders took the second test defeat.

Football is only a game and the game as played by the Springboks is the type that will never lack in appeal. It was feared that Benny Osier's influence on South African football—he used the side-lines to a marked degree—would detract from the spectacularity of. the visitors' play but throughout the tour open play was indulged in to a point that sometimes bordered on the reckless.

What a pity that we will have to wait many years before we have another visit from such a fine band of sportsmen!

The Olympic Games.

When great men die some have monuments erected to their honour; others have hospitals named after them. But Baron Pierre de Coubertin, whose death was announced a short time ago, will have his name indelibly inscribed on the memory of young sportsmen by a monument unique in history.

It is not a graven image, nor is it a handsome edifice towering above all others—it is the Olympic Games!

The revival of the modern Olympic Games, the first of which were held at Athens in 1896, was due almost entirely to the energy of Baron Pierre de Coubertin.

It is said that the desire for international athletics arose in his mind when, at the age of seventeen years, he began to scrutinise the weaknesses of the French people and the discouragements under which they were recovering hope and self-respect after the disastrous Franco-Prussian War. His life as a student was so gloomy, so narrow and so repellent, that he entered on a course of thorough self-examination.

He came to the conclusion that three Monarchies, two Empires and three Republics during a single century were hardly indicative of stability and he felt that somewhere in the growing youth there were faculties repressed and powers stunted, which, if properly developed, would assist in the solution of the problem of French regeneration. At this time he was a cadet at St. Cyr, with a wholly unattractive future in prospect. Accordingly, he resigned, and became a pupil in the Free School of Political Science.

For a time he contemplated a political future, but within a few years he determined to devote his life and resources to the introduction of sport into the French education. To this end he travelled widely in America and England, and felt convinced that the organisation of sport in these two English-speaking countries was of real importance to the life of the people.

It was in 1892 that Baron de Cour-bertin first propounded his desire for a new era in international sport. On November 25th of that year, at a meeting of the Union des Sports Athletiques in France, he made his first public announcement as follows:—

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“Let us export our oarsmen, our runners, our fencers, into other lands. That is the true Free Trade of the future; and the day it is introduced into Europe the cause of Peace will have received a new and strong ally. It inspires me to touch upon the further step I now propose, and in it I shall ask that the help you have given me hitherto you will extend again, so that together we may attempt to realise, upon a basis suitable to the conditions of our modern life, the splendid and bene-ficient task of reviving the Olympic Games.”

But it was not until the congress in 1894 that something definite was arrived at and when Baron de Coubertin proposed that the first of the modern Olympic Games be given to Athens and received the support of the King of Greece and the Duke of Sparta, the Games became a step nearer.

It is not my intention to trace the gradual growth of the Olympic movement from its small beginning in 1896 to the perfectly organised meeting which was held in Berlin in 1936, but I cannot conclude this note on Baron de Coubertin without making references to his inspiring work in framing the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies.

He wrote the Olympic oath: “We swear that we will take part in the Olympic Games in loyal competition, respecting the regulations which govern them and desirous of participating in them in the true spirit of sportmanship for the honour of our country and for the glory of sport.”

Baron Pierre de Coubertin's dream has become a reality and every four years, when the athletes of the world gather in a foreign land, his name will be revered as the man who made a fine contribution to the Peace of the World! What finer monument could a man have?

Cricket in New Zealand.

New Zealand's cricketers left their best performances to the concluding stages of the English tour and did much to remove any suggestion that the team was far removed from the standards of the two teams that had previously toured England. The bowling of Cowie, the batting of Donnelly, and the wicket-keeping of the Rugby-cricketer Tindall, were three features which impressed English critics. But the unanimous opinion is that our cricketers must have more first-class match play before we may hope to hold our own with representative English or Australian elevens. The New Zealand Rugby Union did much to popularise Rugby in Australia by the regular despatch of All Black teams and it is sincerely hoped that the Australian Board of Cricket Control will reciprocate this gesture by sending Australian cricketers to New Zealand at more regular intervals.

New Zealand Representative Basketball.

It is pleasing to record that a representative team of New Zealand basketball players will be sent to Australia next season. Although the two countries play different codes—neither of which is strictly in accordance with the international rules—it is considered that the time has arrived when a visit should be paid and with Mrs. H. D. Muir in charge of the New Zealand girls the Australians should see first-class displays.

World's Heavyweight Boxing Title.

History was made in world championship boxing when Joe Louis defended his heavyweight crown within a few weeks of winning it from James Brad-dock. Although the Welshman, Tommy Farr, did not succeed in defeating the negro he did, at least, have the satisfaction of knowing that his performance, of going the full fifteen rounds and fighting all the way, has set the critics talking. He has done a great piece of work in re-establishing the reputation of British heavyweights And, a word of praise to the New Zealander, Strickland, who is steadily climbing the fistic ladder. He is ranked among the best in America and a title match with Louis is not beyond the bounds of possibility.