ALL BLACKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1924, Page 4

ALL BLACKS.

PROSPECTS'OE THE TEAM. !•’( 11! \VA li I).S TO BEAR Bltl'NT. HACKS CMC FRTAJN. TN.Z. “Tinios."* The t 'mult ami the shouting having died away with the departure of the ilaaitmra last Wednesday. il is now oosdlde to eonsider dispassionately tlm ability i,l' the team wliieh is to represent New Zealand overseas, and its prospects of winning; the thirty mateh- • it will play in England, Wales, Ireland and Fra lire. OPPOSITION I’NKNOWN.

First lei it he said that New Zealanders know little of the strength or weakness of English, WeMt, Irish ttlid Klein h Rugby to-day. Few men qualified to judge have seen Imth I'.ng!i'h iind New Zealand teams within rhe last two years. The opinion of one ni those who have seen Rugby in lioth rotintries was cabled several months non. lie estimated that the New Zealand forwards would he sttnetior to the Foolish, lull that the Heine live-eighths would outclass ottr men. tin the whole, he expected New Zealand to win the international game hy ;i point or two.

Apart from this opinion, there arc

. -i res of in.net's, each hased on know- !(•(!•__ • of |{n;;liv in one country or lii" other. Critics in England are ireimndonsly confident ol the ahilitv oi the Foolish I inwards, and still more of tin* sliced and ( level ness of the hacks. In Nci'. Zealand the Imtd lie lief i' held in many places thin the All Plucks are just about invincible. 111 F INVINCI HI.F TEAM .

The invineihle team is one which can p|av its game ttmier itny conditions, mi a '(round as hard as iron, nr -o suit as to resemble a swamp, with a new bail or ii well battered one, against a team which plays the orthodox or,me, or one which varies its tactics in every movement. .Indeed by these standards the All lilacks have a I i to I 'arn. Their play was ali'eeted hy it new hall in the first Test in Kulnev. They did well mi the dry grounds nil the other

ride, but mi si l iking h.-avy ground in Auckland their performance latt-ed mm It waihtie ami gun-liing <,| teeth. Their ability to adapt themselves to st runite tactics has not yet heen tested. FNCIdSIi CONDITIONS. It is not ton nitteh to assume that after the preparation on hoard ship, and a fe,\ ('nines in England. the All lilacks will develop the conihinaliiin and confidence which i-. at present lacking. After that, their sttecess or failure will lie delermiue.l very largely hy th" (omlitiotts under which they plat their matches. Tl'e All Plaeks o! |!l||-, had it pheminienal run n| luck, and played nearly all their niatehes oil dry ('rounds. Il is not reusnunhle to expect a similar happy exjieriene.' lor the present team. After the All lilacks' visit to Australia hasty critic - told ns that failures in t lie team bad already appeared, that Cooke. I.iicas, Hruiva. Porter ami -M. Brownlie were the "stars,'' and generally that the true merits of every player had heen tested and registered. Sneli judgments weri* nnlair to the public, 'fhe "stars" on Sydney's hard ('rounds may the failures on the wet fields ol England. The men now said to lie too light may he a stone heavier »ix Weeks heme. That happened to t|.,e |‘.l(|.-) players, and will probably happen attain. Nor must it he lorgn tten I hat th" chilli'':' of climate limy adv.'i'S 'ly all'ei l ijliiyers, perhaps for tile whole of the tour. FtJI All CII AN( F FOB M b. In the limit oi these t riisideraiioiis it would lie futile to pick out lillceM lileti. Its the one- likely In coni pose the "Test team' - in England. livery phtycr will have an c<|Ual clmnee ol gaining honours alter tlm team lauds in I'.ughiti'l. and it s'.'tie l ie rope! at ie.a - 'tr*' e, ! re : t.il.li lt' d. ai"| othet Ire Ml I'epuiaiions mad ", u : , i•• • m e.-| be .-nr pri-ed. There need lie little doubt about the I'nrv.ards. Excluding I’mler and I’strker there at" thirteen of them, and pruviding they can repniditee their New Zealand form, it will hr* a phenomenal peek i hat will beat the best -even. or. ird, -ad. wiv tv. 'ii. Their speed, rcsour: in illness, ati.l ability to pass the ball hav • surely net been excelled by an-, elb"r teatn. an I by tl'e time they roach England their serum work, too. s’"ould have leeu improved consider-, ahl.v. Apart from While and Cupplcs, iltibhFng is not their it rent' suit, and il is f|iiile probable that lioth the English iind Irish forwards will show then l .

points in this department. HACKS SOI'NO IN' OFFENCE. Weather and ground eolulit intis will a/i’irt the Lacks more than the forwards. and there is good ground for til" belief that I, liens, Cooke, and Steel may not. on wet grounds, show In the until l advantage ns they have shewn on their native toil. But AF Nicholi., Badeley. ami Sveii.ei! are line d. e.isiie hacks, us we know. Hart, Brown, liohilliaid and .McGregor limy prove to lie equally good. I’aeWni i. mil impressive on defence, but he ha - ll'b valuable "knack” of handling a giva-v ball without error. WEAKNESS INSIDE. The in tide hacks, as wo know I hem now, provide the largest ground for ihntliL. Neither of the half-backs inspire- great coiiiideuee. Dailey has :l great many faults to lie eradicated, hut lie has undoubted ji. siLtlitics. The iinmereii’iil criticism which .Mill rei eivi' l f"r bis iierformances in Kydii"\ and Aneklaiul may do barm by disniiirngiug him. but tin se who have -.I- ii Liu' at hi.- be-t have by no means 10.-i (iinliilenee in hi- ability to retrieve hi- reputation. The position •if first live-eighth provides a stiff problem. Badeley’s form in the preliminary tour did nut satisfy —the manager, but Al. Nieholi-s's performances were most satisfaelory. Nicholls at present lias the best claim to thy position, and unless McGregor or I’aewai develops remarkably the Bet one man may hold it. Cooke, of course, will he unlikely In he superseded liv any other hack ill fhe second live-eighth position. .MATERIAL IN PLENTY. If dig English hacks are found to he as clever and fast ns report- tell us. then the All Blacks forwards will have lo win the games. On the other hand, if the powers of the English hacks have heen over-esi imat ed, the New Zealanders in time will develop into a combination which will hear comparison with the "machine” ol B.Hto. Ihe team now on the water has the material for a good hackling, but which men will eventually form it is impossible to know now.

in England might not justify his inclusion in the "test team,” in which case the All Blacks would be in the position of. having their captain among the spectators in important matches. ITNOINCi A SUCCESSOR. Playing ability, however, is not the only qualification of a skipper, and the displacement of Badeley is a matter for regret as he hits had considerable experience, and in addition possesses certain qualities not conspicuous in other possible canditdates for the position. Having decided that he must he replaced, the union did not have n difficult task in choosing his successor. It is a well established ntaxim in Rugby that the captain should ho in a position to direct both hacks and forwards. as the occasion requires, that is. he should he either the half-hack, the first live-eighth, or the wing-for-ward. With these considerations in mind, the union's choice tell inevitably on Porter. WIND-FORWARDS NOT l-IKFO. Yet there is some ground for doubting the wisdom of the appointment for Porter i- a wing-forward, and wing-forwards are not liked in Fnglaml. Throughout the tour ol the I till.-) All Blacks the late "Dave" Gallaglicr was harassed hy relerecs ttlid adversely criticised by the Press. J hits lie carried a double responsibility. Hew ii'.iieh it ali’eeted his play it is impossible to estimate, hut the ttisk of leading the team alnl at the same time keeping in the good hooks oi the releicr '.and no two referee.-, are the same) must to some extent have prevented him front giving ol his best if not as a captain, then as a wingforward. Dallagher was an older man than Porter, and it is by tt" meant certain that the present captain will carry his responsibility as well as his falilotts predecessor. AN ENTERI.MFNT. Yet, in his favour, it can he said that Porter is personally popular, and lie lias boundless resource ami (lowers of adaptation, while his ability as a player commands for him the respect of every other member of the leant. Ills appointment as captain must he n gat'd-d as an experiment, hut there is some grctiml for confidence that lie it ill lie equal to his responsibilities. THE SURE SIGN. A dull, persistent pain in the hack, tut ache that spoils sleep and is worse in the morning, it sharp cutting pain when bending;, is a sure sign of kidney disease. It is not really the hack aching, but the kidneys, which lie just beneath the small of the hack. Doan’s Backache Kidney Pills quickly relieve the kidneys, and help them to drive out of the body the poisons which cause backache, urinary disorders, rheumatism, gravel, stone. The case here giv- | cu proves that cures are thorough:

Airs IF Dalgie, 151 Romley Street, Westport, says: "It is in the hope that kidney sufferers may benefit by my experience that I give you permission to publish this testimonial for Doan’s Backache Kidney Pills, and I trust it will he the means of bringing relief to many. As the result of a ..•old settling on my kidneys, X was a great stifTerer from backache, urinary trouble and dizzy attacks, for some time, besides always feeling tired and done up. My back was very painful, and T could not stoop or move quickly without enduring torture. A strong recommendation in favour of Doan’s Backache Kidney Bids led me to try Ibis remedy, and 1 am delighted 1 did for live bottles cured me twelve months ngo. and 1 have been in a healthy stale over since.”

Fight years later, Mrs Dalkie says: "l have had no reason to alter my good opinion of Doan’s Backache Kulnev Pills. They cured me nine years ago, but L still take them every now and again so as to prevent a return »f my old complaint. Doan’s Backache Kidney Bills are sold hy all chemists and storekeepers at Bs'per bottle, or will he posted on re.eipl of price by Foster-McClellan to., IT Hamilton Street, Sydney. Hut, he sure you get. DOAN’S.