THE ALL BLACKS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 126, 20 February 1908, Page 9

THE ALL BLACKS.

'THEIR THIRD ONE POINT" DEFEAT. GROUND TOO "SARD'THIS 'TIME. ■■■■■■.■■, £By A. :H. Baskemlle.),. .; On Now, Yoar's Day, ( for the first timo," an international:,, professional Rugby football , match-waa.'played mvWalos, tho AVelsh team winning: by. threovtries to,two. tries, and a goal. For tlio ."reason 'that no other ground holding 'avlargo crowd was 'avail-. ■ match; was de : . Bided ■at .Aberdare,-where hitherto no Northern Union games had. been played. • Remembranco^of"the:.cxciting contest .at . ..Cardiff ; -'two ! yoars -ago; 1 and''no- doubt" a desire to:compare.our;team with the last "All -Blaoksi"; "about 1 12,000 peoplo'.;and):ar-.','gate ? :'. amcnnting to nearly ' £600. The crowd was deligHted: -^viththe■ : exhibition of tho new game. " Luckily, the play. was/ bnghtVaijd' .fast^.iwith; any;ianiduht , of running and fine: passing-riust tho; sort of playiV|that'i.;Wel3h'. and/ -Nov/ ■( Zealand crowds delight to: witness. Not only were tho people. their rather,-lucky ono po|nt.;,victory,: but-, they, irons' loud in theinpraises.of the advantages of the North--em Union;.rules,.:: . . POPUIAR CHANGE OF RULES ' Th'e.Vjipi'jloh" 'fine' objcct-'. losson-rrpno. ib'pt should ' make amateurRugby authorities think vorv hard if it was witnessed,, by, them.: /Even m.< .Wales, whore ' practised .than, anywhere else by.amatcur toams, somo Rugby Union i recogniso that their, rules are antiquated. Thero is a strong under-' current of foeling m favour of'a change that ■ lnll make tho old gamo as attractivo as tho : now.:A few..more converts to Northern . Unionism: and . exhibitions' like vour '• gamo • wouidicauso.:a"rovolution.' s'i,. i I am.mtorined that it is only the "Internationals"..! that.; keep". Wales tied to the I apron,:'Btni)gs-;,of-vtbo "mother'' ' .'English Rugby.Umon. :rl-havo not-tho Elightt'st hesi-, tation ; m.saying'.that'.sentiment orrtraditions ' would not; stand iin tho::W*y- if Now Zealand ; people siwiai.few; of .firstrclass -Northern Union,'igames. i and. players would demand ?a-, changeji as :■ the advantages of :thoVrevised '>iile3:;sre;s.o iapparent.'i.Nearly: - eyerybodyj-will : admit-thiit , ; '.'good : old Rugby.".' . lis the '.times, _and .; in.iisome placcsMS..evcry,'season-bccommg' less ■ attrac-;: tne INJURIES

•The. -Wiftttheriiorstho match-* was; fine,-but: very cold.- L - Tho ground . wa3 frozen to adepth of threo or-four-inches; and conse-quentlyf,was:aa-hard:,as Ji.fpavxng-stono. It rang, like one -when st amped ( upon. >. 'This. was, disastrous; for ns, as<: it.happened; <;A<ifew minutes'siplay.'hadi.-hardly.gone'-whcn llowowas ' rendered i-fpractioallv, : useless byi- boiiig brought;hf»T?ly ■ knees.i -Hor pluokily, •saw -thft-rgamo.-through; inW:. Wvnyard.was broughfclpw;: .and btinjpedrhiS'head ispvorclv which ■ dftMd'-him.for''a--whili)i-.v Johnston; was also tackled low and severely shakon, but. kept,onplacing;;;;'Wright received;,ai knock, and ran*about:dazeditoirards.'the end- of.tthei

game. ' . ' 1 - i 1 !Tho 1 Now-i'Zcaland - ftoaji Turtill,', Kelly, Rowe, Messengor. Wngley,' 'W; Wyn-i : yard,'R. Wynyard,. Gilclirist, Poarce, -Maokroll, Wrights-Cross, .and; Johnston. -> , : . • The .Welsh team was: ;C. Jenkins, D: Thomas, -.lilewellyny B. •' Jenkins, Treharne, , Beynon-,» 'J. 1 Thomas,; Di Jones, • Davies,-' Thomas, Rees, and - Frhncis. • New-^Zealand'had- a'slight ndvantago with the windjjn'tho; first spoil.. 'After' Wales had pressed; ihth: tho'kick-off for,.a fen- minutes, . the.Now 'Zealand forwards worked up to tho' Homo v;'W'.- ;Wynyard : was seen . in a.fine nmv'-H<£-passed:to Messenger, who: was tackled close to the line. : : Another : passing :< rush, iWngley-r-Rowo—Messenger, : looked'dangerous:' -Rowo'again secured and cross-kickedjto tho-right lyiho;. - .The ball was flashed .about 1 : ampng, several. Now .'.Zealand backs, ,axid ■ Wynyard 'rdn over near -the . oorncrjlag." If ossenger. failed,to eonvirt.the i trr ' SPRINTER THOMAS A few/ifiinptosVilater.-Wales ■ attacked, 'and secured from. a scrum > jin;..Qur..v.twenty-fiv'e: The ball was rapidly 5 passed- out to Dai Lhomasf--the r Haiifax-''spttnter; j ■ who scored twice' againstr us -in S'tlut 'chib'.match.': ':He aiade .'good < uso 'ofhis-Tdrofpace, and "scored' .in unconTcrfced'' trr--on''tho .cornorsflag> , i'' " 1; Wales••'soeft-'lost their l advantage;Tho i 'All -Blacks," though 'the > ground. r waS , uii- :: • tind'and-strange ■ta i thom on;:account 'of its :oncroto Wfire plavingvbeautifullyITieir lidding and tackling was superb, particularly Turtill's.: . Their forwards wero taking ; risks, and,soon.-rushed down, to tho Home half again. A fow neat passos, bewildering to/th6'Homo 1 <sido apparently, saw .W;.-.Wynyard J run<over- agaiiv r and ; scoro a . prettily-worked/'try; - Ho had several coinrades ;at .hand" tov:pass ,to :if ho ■ had " been threatened? ato all;' "converted;' Rnd'.raisedsthQi'scoroi'Ncw.'Zealand '8, Wales' 8. Thusut remained '.until half-time; in- spite of a strong Welsh attack during tho re--Kainder of the first spell.' : ■ V; ' StiCOND' HALF. Wales-assumed'tho aggressive when they started v/ith the; wind, :■ and kept'up ; a prolonged - attack., v Francis scored- ''an' uiicon v verted- try for Hherii-from -a 1 forward : -"rush* i after a quarter of an hour's hard play: This .seemed to rouso-tho ■ "All• Blacks'' / fbr ./a , ''tini£ The;, Welsh; Imd was in 'jeopardy for a long . .. while.v 'Thp 'gamp: developed 'into ' a tug-of-war. between tho two forward teams, usually about. thftrhalfway^line. Towards the end of the time tho New Zealanders were attacking. It seemed all'-over, and a victory secured. .; Only-j-.a ,jfew-; minutes :• romained ■when tho_ .Welsh forwards/ rushed to our line.. ;:A scrainblo ensued, near tho corner flag, and. Di Jones, tho ex-amateur inter-national,'was'-awarded a doubtful try.' -This was not converted. THE LAST CHANCE. Tho New.;,Zealanders,kicked .off in haste, trying .to. wipe, out th©,ono point deficiency.' ; They.; rushed to .the ...Welsh 'lino,. and there R. Wynyard, with ; a clear.,field- in front, and only, two yards, to go, kriookoS' on and unfortunately spoiled- the'"-'last chance■ of enatchuig a victory. The whistlo sounded' limnwliately after: : Wales 9, New Zealand 8. Though all the Now Zealand backs did . rcry- well, thore is-no doubt "Todd 'and' Smith's absence was severely felt. Tho lat- ' ter was tho very man required on the trend : pf 'the:.day , s.play;:; Jn;;fact,!,the -play .would have suited both ominently.. - '}■ Gilchrist :and Pearcei were often; conspicuous,and; both- Wright and Johnston played sterling - until..;.they ; wero >. injured; Cross also worked, hard in his old sweet way. The/ general opinion from peoplo 'Press''.'after !• the match' was" .that -if they' could be assured ofifast;. open; play, such as they ' had seen: in that , international, they wouldtpatronise '.and' foster buri''gamo 'whe--thcnvthe plftyors'.wero amateurs 1 orprofes«ioDals. :-/j y.\, i y y