PREPARING TO MEET THE ALL BLACKS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 84, 3 January 1935, Page 7

PREPARING TO MEET THE ALL BLACKS

Brilliant Back Play In British Rugby STRICT INTERPRETATION OF SCRUMMAGE RULES \ (From Our Own Correspondent.) (By Air Mail.) London, December 11. . . New Zealanders in England are beginning to get very interested in the standard of Rugby here —for the All Blacks will be on their way before many months are oast. We had a good opportunity to-day of seeing something not only of English, but of Scottish . and Welsh standards, for in-tlie university match, Oxford v. Cambridge, at Twickenham, there was a phenomenally large number of international players. We have heard reports from recent arrivals from New Zealand that there is a dearth of brilliant inside backs in the Dominion. There is not exactly a plethora of them in these islands, but after seeing, C. W. Jones, the Cambridge. “stand-off half”—the equivalent of our first five-eighth—play to-day, 1 felt that Wales will have for next year a key player of genius, capable, behind even moderately successful forwards, of penetrating almost any defence. We saw him to-day cut Oxford's defence to ribbons with swift changes of direction dictated by that keen eye for an opening which distinguishes the truly great player. Jones is a worthy follower of the great Welsh half-backs of a generation ago. He is fast and elusive, and I will be much surprised if New Zealanders are not very familiar with his name by this time next year. Another outstanding success in today’s match was W. Woolier, capped for Wales when still at school, and given his “blue” at Cambridge last year. His form at centre three-quarter has not been very consistent, but to-day he came right into his own. He was opposed by P. Cranmer, the English international centre, of whom great t hings are justifiably hoped, and got the better, of the deal. Woolier incidentally dropped, a goal from halfway which will remain for long in the memories of , the many thousands present. Wooller’s partner in the centre of the threequarter Ijne was P. L. Candler, who is regarded as a possible stand-off half for England. Candler proved himself a sterling player, and a master of the cutin. The Cambridge left wing threequarter was K. C. Fyfe, the Scottish international. By very determined running he scored three tries,-and it is doubtful whether New Zealand could produce to-day a better player in the position. The Oxford three-quarter line of internationals and trial players—A. L. Warr, P. Cnanmer, H. D. B. Lorraine, and G. R. Rees-Jones—was paralysed by a comparatively slow service from the scrum, where the Oxford forwards were nearly always successful in getting the ball. Cambridge were great in the loose, and H. P. Dinwiddy, J. H. Bowman, A, M. Rees, and J. R. C. Lord did wonders in neutralising the loss of the ball in. the scrums. The All Blacks of 1924 will not forget their match at Cambridge, and I am inclined to think that if many of this Cambridge side are up again, next year it will > take New Zealand all its time to prevail. M. M. Cooper, the first Rhodes Scholar from Massey College, who distinguished himself by gaining his Oxford “blue” as a freshman, worked very hard throughout the game, and was unlucky on at least two occasions in. not adding to his side’s score. Cambridge’s win by 29 points to 4 was one of the ’ most decisive eyer recorded in the contest. At half-time Cambridge led 6-4, but in the second half, with the wind at their backs, they played irresistible Rugby. It was an exhilarating display, and one which promises well for the standard of this year’s international games. # The referee was exceedingly strict. No less than 25 penalty kicks were awarded, and it is clear that the All Blacks will require careful coaching in the English interpretation of the scrummage rules.