ENGLISH RUGBY.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 June 1924, Page 4

ENGLISH RUGBY.

TASK OF THE ALL BLACKS

'WELLINGTON, June 25

“To see the English side in action against Scotland was to believe that there were very few teams in the world to defeat it.” In these words, ATr It. H. AY. Lowry. Cambridge Rugby Blue, of Hawke’s Bay, summed up the final match of the international series when England sent Scotland home discomfited. AH' Lowry arrived in New Zealand yesterday, after three years in Britain, lie was much impressed by the sterling football qualities shown by the English fifteen especially by the speed and skill of their forwards. The hack line often i even led wonderful combination. The Scottish forwards had been outclassed, of course, hut they had been a solid lot, nevertheless, and the English win was due to exceptional all-round merit. Beyond question, the stniiJ" ,, d of play was higher than in 1905.

“The people nut here «eem to think that Ihe All Blacks wiil win easily.” continued Afr -Lowry. “But it will lie no easy t'-sk. England just now is the champion nation, and without a doubt .Scotland is not weak. The club football there, is, T suppose, on a higher level than that in England, hut they have few internationals of the tiist rank. I did not see Ireland pl'iv. They arc regarded as a good side, tint unreliable. France, of course, plays its own game, and a Rugby match there is an exciting business. Wales, as von know, has fallen away. AYONDERKCL DRIBBLING.

“In the Scottish match the English side rose 11 iiimphaiit. Their to; wards are unequalled i:i dribbling, and tlici'' backs can do “rest things with the hall. I have seen their forwards at practice, put down a line of objects on the field and dribble in and out through them with reninrUubie j-io:ision am! high speed. Their control ol the hall is woodei'lul, hut they are not particularly fast. Judged by New Zealand standards, they would be on the slow side, and they are not over weighty. T should say tlmt the average weight of the pack would he about llfst and not more than 1 -1 slh at the mcsl. And while the men are excellent dribblers, they do not play tin* passing game. Many of the forwards could not take the ball if it were put in tlieii bands, and they would never dream of picking it up in an attack. “Wakefield is the one exec) lion. He is a fine, all-round forward, and 1

suppose has scored as many tries as anyone in England, lie plays in the second row. and was recently made captain, a post which he deserved because of his wide experience and football brains. Always up with the backs, heavy and fast, he is cue of the most dangerous men in the le.ttu. “Tire halves are a line combination, and are thought by many people io equal, or even excel, that redoubtable pair, Kershaw and Davies, v.hn re] resented England mi long ami so well. 'I heir names are A'oiing and .Alve s. A’oung is captain of the Cambridge team. Mis weight is about list, and he is a solid, nuggety scrum half, very quick ami very game. Hr* gets the hall out from tile very feet of the opposing forwards. Alyers, the ‘standoil’ half, used to play at centre, and lias been a great success in Ids new position.

Oi’KN GAME FLAYED. "There are some very last and d.ngv reus wings, lint tin! contie-thrce-qiinrters, though they are big fellows, handle the hall well, and are fast, art* not of exceptional slandaid. The kicking of ll;e team is scarroly as good as that of New Zealand, hut their tackling is very good. The tendency nowadays is to throw tire hall about more than of old. ami the game is opened up. even under their own goal posts. S| eed figures very largely in ail the work, and is relied lirmu. .Serum work is very good, and llio utmost importance i- iirtaclic'l to it, tin* hacks reiving ii. on possession P;< 111 r the scrum I >;■ many of their most dangerous moves. Though the wing-forward was not I laved when I was there, there veto i'r efi'e't two wing-forwards. Neither of the third-row men put much weight into the scrums, and each is eager to dash round and pounce upon the opposing half-back on the slightest excuse. “The greater number of players in ilie past have conic Irom the southern counties, but this is changed now, and the northern and midland counties are getting nmie men into the team, though Cumberland, wldcli won the t minty clinlnpiunship last year, did r.ot have a man included in the national side."