THE TEAMS CONTRASTED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 260, 27 July 1908, Page 9

THE TEAMS CONTRASTED.

. . A TAME DISPLAY. . (ni TEI.EGIUrn.—SI'ECIAI. COIIHESrONDENT.) Auckland, July 25. At "no stage of tho . contest did ono feel .that one was looking on ;_at an historic strugglo between two great, sides.", This' was intensified when it wai recognised that Britain was taking tho fiold with ft. comparatively weak'team. " "\Vhat ;it-meant to havo three international players: Jiko.Gibbs, J. L. William's, and Davey, ; standuig : .;down only .the British players thomselves. knew' and realised. The bad', luck tho Britishers throughout, thpjr' : '.toui:,.did not desert, thehv in the. third :-tqst,"';. and onco again Britain played- the' opposition "with fourteen men against-fifteen;,' Captain. Harding was seriously injured during,, the _first lino-out after the kick-off, and'some, mimitcs elapsed before he was' able to walk off the field. Later en, he tried to take his place, but found it impossible to resume, and, after another attempt to take the field, gave up altogether;. The Britishers wero disheartened by their bad luck,' tiul disorganised for want of such an able leader and general as Captain Harding who, by example and exhortation, keeps his men going up to the highest pitch in tlio most desperate game —not that to-day's game was desperate. Truth to tell, tho contest was tame to the degree of. weariness;' This was owing to tho weak opposition tho Britishers offered. Tho New Zealanders displayed evidence of tho value of tlio week's training in Auckland- under Captain Gallagher, of "All Black" fame. A STRAGGLING HAND. On the other hand, the week's sightseeing in tho Wonderland of Itotorua ,seemed to have got into tho Britishers' blood, making thorn sluggish in their movements. Contrasted with, tho swift and alert "All Blacks," the Britishers were a demoralised, straggling band, battling half-heartedly against overwhelming odds. The story of tho third test is easily told:—lt was a caso of Now Zealand first and Britain nowhore. In every department of the gamo, ruck, line, anil loose, and in securing from tho scrum, in which department they had' in tlio early stage of tho tour succcodcd so well—tho Britishers wero outclassed. With tho Brit-

ish defcnco gradually • weakening, try after try w.as scored by thn "All Blacks" in ridiculous and simplo fashion. There is littlo to tell about a gamo in which ono sido was doing all the attacking. The British forwards lacked devil, mid tho backs resource and ininiative. It was a poor struggle at tho host, and, as a test match between two groat sides, was tho shallowest of farces. Tho New Zealand ■ backs handled the ball superbly, and •their-passing and running'was good to see, while tho forwards maintained a strong pacu throughout. Individual Play. • Coleman at full-back was a great success. Ho was not, however, called upon to display his ability to defend. His line-kicking was powerful to a degree. All. the New Zealand three-quarters played well. Mitehinson made fine dashes for the lino, "Bob" Deans, tho "All Black," showed a' rare'turn of speed, and Cameron was prominent with elusive runs. Roberts behind tho scrum was a "star" and played up to his best form, while Huntor and Stead made an ideal pair of fiveeighths. Of tho forwards, nono played better 'than Francis and Seeling (of Auckland) and Patterson (of Otago). On the British sido, Jackett was much in tho public oyo. Ho'had much hot defcnco to do. Tho threc-quartor lino was disappointing. ■ "Ponty" Jones alono played up to form.. Chapman, Vassal!, and M'Evedy woro "off colour." Morgan played splendidly behind tho scrum, but- "Tuan" J ones was greatly handicapped by tho attentions of Gillett. Of tho British pack, none in particular showed out above his fellows. The. match was played in excellent spirit, and was devoid of rough play.