ALL BLACKS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18218, 31 October 1924, Page 10

ALL BLACKS.

THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL

SEVENTEEN MEN IN TRAINING

(ST CABI/E—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPTHIGHT) (AcsraALiAy asd n ". cable associatio*.) LONDON. October CO. The following Now Zealand Rugby pin vers have been sequestered at the seaside near Dublin for special training in preparation for Saturday's match—the Irish International: — Full-back: Nepia. Three-quarters: Steel. Svenson, Lucas, Hart. (One to be eliminated.) Five-eighths: Nitholls, Cooke. Half-back: Dalley. Wing-forward: Porter. Forwards: Richardson. Stewart, White. Cupples, Masters, XT. Brownlie. Donald. Irvine. (One to be eliminated.) The New Zealanders' chances are freatlv- favoured. [The names as announced in the Old Country will not be grouped just as rhese arc. Dalley and Porter will be coupled as "halves," for the All Blacks in Britain are not playing a "wing-forward" —at any rate the rose has been given another name.]

"MUD AND SUPER-MUD."

ALL BLACKS V. SOMERSET

(By A. J. Harrop.)

(Special Representative of "The Press.")

LONDON, September 21

Weston-super-Mare was the scene of the All Blacks-Somerset match. Unfortunately, it justified the name given to it by envious rivals—"Weston-super-Mud." If one could have induced Mr G. B. Shaw to report the match, lie would possibly have headed his prologue (which would naturally have been longer than the report) "Mud and Super-Mud." The prologue to the match itself was a continuous downpour, which left the ground looking like a collection of miniature lakes. Drilling holes in the ground was attempted as a remedy, with no very great success.

In spite of the terrible conditions there was a very large crowd at the match. There were no preliminaries, and the All Blacks attacked from the start. Paewai spoiled two or three promising movements by failing to gather the wet ball. Parker, playing with his customary vigour, got away on his own, but Somerset forced. The County forwards, following up quickly rushe'd the ball down to Nepia, who was in trouble through the ball landiug in a pool of water and failing to bounce. The full-back, however, just managed to secure and kick out in time. The All Blacks carried the lineout, and Cooke went away at a, great pace. He found the Somerset defence solid, and the County men swept back in a .splendid attack, which appeared certain to succeed. However, Gibbs, their fast three-quarter, was forced out at the corner, and the All Blacks again relieved from the line-out. Paewai received from Mill, and went for a straight dash, accompanied by several of the New Zealand forwards. Richardson nearly got over, but the Somerset forwards were tackling fiercely. Thomson, the Somerset full-back, who made no mistake throughout the game, tackled Svenso'n beautifully when the New Zealander got away on his own. Parker was the next to threaten the Somerset line with a characteristic dash, but he was soon held up. A penalty was given against the Somerset forwards, and Nepia made a good attempt at goal, but. did not allow sufficiently for the rather strong wind.

The Somerset forwards now initiated a determined attack, and Cooke and Svenaon again showed their ability in defence. The New Zealand forwards, headed by Parker, While, and Richardson, rushed play to the .Somerset half, where it remained for a long time, but half-time came without any score. Svenson had been off the field for nearly twenty minutes, owing to an injury,' but resumed pluckily after the interval. N.Z. Forwards Improve.

Somerset now had the wind behind them, and they, set off with great dash to take advantage of it. Their rushes were stopped by Lucas, Cooke, Nepia, and Parker in turn, before Munro headed a forward rush, which transferred play to Somerset territory, where it remained for most of the rest of the game. The New Zealand forwards got better and better, their dribbling rushes being very fine. Ultimately, Cooke, apparently giving up the passing method in disgust owing to the state of the ball, kicked straight ahead, and followed up fast, to score a try which was a credit to his football ' sense. Nepia failed with the The New Zealand forwards continued to dominate the game, though they were never able to finish off their rushes by scoring. Mill, getting the ball from a scrum, went over on his own for a good try. There was no further score, and the All Blacks had thus survived their third match without conceding a point. Their six points' margin on such a ground would have been worth twice as much at least on a fine day. The Somerset forwards, perhaps the best Countv pack in England, gave our men a strenuous time, and the game was played in the best possible spirit Richardson was perhaps the best of our forwards, but all did well. The backs were handicapped by the state of the ball, which seemed to affect Paewai particularly. Nepia got through an anxious aftcruoou with considerable credit.