THE ALL BLACKS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18235, 20 November 1924, Page 9

THE ALL BLACKS.

OXFORD MATCH TODAY.

Q A hard task is likely to confront the All Blacks this afternoon, when they will line out against Oxford University. Short of an International side, there aro few better baek teams in Britain :st the present, time than that which Oxford can put in the field. Of 2G matches played last year, the University lost only two, while another two were drawn. There was admitted to be room for improvement in the pack last seuson, but the general team work was of a high standard. It is possible that 1G All Blacks may t;.ke part in to-day's game, for 0. G. Aitken, who led New Zealand to victory iu the lirst Test against the Springboks in 1921, is one of seven Internationals whom Oxford has to draw upon for her three-quarter line. However, Aitken's loyalty to his native country may prompt him to stand down rather than run the risk of contributing to the All Blacks' defeat.

The 1905 New Zealanders beat Ox ford by 47 points to 0.

THREE AUSTRALIANS IN DARK BLUE TEAM. (BT CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION— COrißiaiT) (AUSTRALIAN AND N. 55. CABLE ASItOCIATIOK.) LONDON, November 18. Tho New South Wales Rhodes Scholars A. C. Wallace and R. L. Raymond, also Wcsche, another Sydney player, will be included in Oxford's team against tho New Zealanders on Thursday. TROUBLE WITH SCOTLAND. POSSIBLE GAME WITH LONDON SCOTTISH. (AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, November 18. The "Evening Standard" states that there is some probability cf tho All Blacks playing a London Scottish side by way of compensation for no games in Scotland.

As a result of tho ban, it is believed the Now Zcalanders will object to the appointment of Scottish officials. It is also hinted that New Zealand may ban tho inclusion of Scottish Union playors in future British touring teams. LScots aro particularly prominent in tho Rugby game in London, and tho London Scottish have four teams playing regularly.] NO FRICTION WITH WALES. (itEUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) LONDON, November 18. It appears tho report of the deadlock between tho All Blacks and the Welsh Rugby Union was exaggerated. The Union decided that the request regarding referees was reasonable, and. there is no friction.. It is not likely the New Zealanders will object to any of the names, which the Union submits. TEA AT THE HOUSE OF LORDS. (AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CAfeLS ASSOCIATION.) (Received November 19th, 8.40 p.m.) LONDON, November 19. The New Zealand footballers yesterday visited the Houses of Parliament. They were entertained at tea in the House of' Lords. ' SOMERSET AND LEICESTER MATCHES. CHRISTCHURCH MEN'S VIEWS. "1 saw the All Blacks v. Somerset match." said Mr H. C. (Bert) Harrison, for many years- secretary of the Sydenham Football Club, who lias just returned from a visit to England. "It was played under the usual conditions — rain—and the ground practically under water. I saw the boys afterwards at their hotel. The match itself was a tight go, but the way our chaps handled the wet ball showed that, as compared with their opponents, they were quite a clever crowd. They did not strike one as being quite as brainy a crowd as the original All Blacks—thetf are a younger team, and haven't had the experience of the original team. It is quite a good team, but it doesn't manifest altogether the brainy tactics that were such a strong point in old Duncan's day. The refereeing I saw during the match with Somerset, no/one could take exception to. It did seem to me that the referee didn't allow a free-kick for tho off-side penalty 5 time after time a scrummage was given. I had a talk with tho referee after tho match, and he told me that in all cases where the off-side could not bo helped, he gave it a scrummage." Mr A. S. Taylor, chairman or the Christ-church Tramway Board, in a letter from London, dated October 9th, to Mr Frank Thompson (general manager of the tramways'), writes:— "On the 4th we went to Leicester'to seo the All Blacks play that city. A fine day and a good win for our men, 27 to nil. About 70 New Zealanders went up by train, and a number of others by car. There was a crowd of 40,000 —you can imagine the excitement. Our men started badly, but after about ten minutes settled down. The forwards came to light properly really for;the first time during the tonr. We were delighted when they scored twice within five minutes. The rest Was plain sailing. The weather here is really dreadful. It rains oil and, on all the time, so that out of seven matches played, five have been under wretched weather conditions."