ALL BLACKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 October 1924, Page 1

ALL BLACKS.

tCBTUALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. I.FICKSTF.It DKFKATKD. BONBON, Oct. I. The conditions were perfect lor the All Blacks' match against Leicester, which the visitors won by -7 0. The weather was faulth-s and the ground was in excellent order. The attendance totalled JIM):»>. The New Zealand team was at- its best, and gave its finest all round display yet provided on the tour. Their passing was superb, and their hacking up unfailing. With their height, speed and stamina, they were overwhelmingly superior to Leicester. The home team adopted the New Zealand serum 2-11-2 I'nrnintioi!, hut in tiiis they failed, mainly on account of insufficient weight in the side and hack rows to give their honkers an opnortuuiv to heat the .New Zealand pair for the hall. After the interval they occasionally had three men in the front, row*, Leicester’s passing move*incuts were weak, their exchanges being of the low single-banded, lobbed stvle and vastly different from the fast low style characterising the play of their onponenfs. prom the actual kick-off. Da I lev secured the hall and set, the New Zealanders’ attacking machine in motion. Leicester strove hard to keep their line intact, hut the Black forwards supported the attack with last, dribbling rushes which enabled (hippies to score the first try of the day from the ruck. Nicholls failed to ((invert the try. which was scored twelve iuinnl.es alter the start. All lilacks ... Leicester ... 11

The All Black forwards and hacks (outiuiied to combine well in attack. First, there was a dribbling rush, and then a speedy passing movement, the visitors threatening to add to their score at any minute. Nor was there Jong to wait for M minutes alter the first, score Itichardson dived over near the posts to secure his first, trv ill ■KugVind. Nicholls converted, giving the team an .8 points lead. All Blacks ' ... S Leicester ... O

Leicester, for a while, looked like evening matters to some extent pressing the visitors hack into their mvn territory, from where a homo player was almost successful in an attempt, to drop kick a. goal, hut they could not long suppress the sparkling play of llu* New Zealanders, who retaliated with a beaut it ill passing movement, w hich was commenced by Lucas on tin* Iclt wing. The dashing Aucklander raced into an attacking position in the centre of the field, from which lie initiated a passing movement in which all the hacks participated. The ball cvenually was transferred to Steel's wing, and at once the powerful West, Coaster was away on one of his most formidable efforts. Ilis pace and weight saw him through, and humping past tlit* opposing wing and full-hack, he scored in a convenient post ion from which Nicholls easily eon verted. All lilacks ... II Leicester ... (I

The All Blacks were not. to he satisfied with tin* success already gained, hut. continued to hammer relentlessly at the home team’s door. They swung into attack magnificently, and passed llawlessly. Leicester fought hack for a while, but soon all tin* All Blacks wen* over again, after the hall had traversed from Dailey through the hands of the hacks to Lucas, who sped down the line, outpacing tin* opposition, and scoring in the 111 rtier. A diHicnll task to ioiivi*rt confronted Nicholls who ilist, failed in pulling the hall over. All Blacks ... Hi Leicester ... 0

fn the lace of a sixteen point lead lor New Zealand. Leicester fought a dogged battle in the rinsing stage of lhe first spell. Tw ice 1 lies menaced the N< n Zealand line, lull N’eiiia was nil lid. am I repulsed I lie nppo-illg Ini', uarils willi w I'll-iudged line kicking, and half-time was called with a margin of sixteen [mints still ill New Zeeland's favour.

A remarkable improvement in the home team’s form was the surprise ol l|).. second spell. The'battle was much more even, and Leicester's recovery was truly wonderful, thoiiyh due mainly to the forwards, who asserted themselves and at times carried all belore them. Swoopiny down on the New Zealand line, they twice compelled the visitors to resort, to a lone down, and provided some anxious moments lor their defence. However. the All Itlacks. on tin* day. showed weakness in no depart meidi ol tin* name. and their variety of method in yelliny out of liyht' corners pleased the spectators. Now Hi” forwards sped away with the ball; then, when Leicester had returned pei'serverint'ly to the proximity of the New Zealand line, the hacks broke away like a Hash, passion and reverse passiny delinlitfully'. Lucas and Dailey especially were arousing the crowd’s enthusiasm. A troublesome period lor the visitors terminaled when Porter yot out into the open with the ball, and after a line run. transferred lo I? ielui rdsou. ’lhe Black lorwards chained on irresistibly. with the two Soiitldanders. Itichardson and White at Ihe fore, the latter get ling across. Nieholls converted, increasing the New Zealand score to twenty-one. All lilac.ks ... ’-’I Leicester ... H With the (yame drawing to a close the All Itlacks did not lei, up in the slinkiest., lint the opposition was still elfeeli ve.

The finest passiny limit of the day was now seen, hut, Steel I rust rated it tlirout'll knocking on. and almost immediately ;iltcer Nieholls made a similar error. Continuing to yet plenty ol the hall, the All lihuk hacks were sent away time and ayaiu. and at, last Svenmiii raced across tin* line, but his success was not shared by Nieholls who failed wit h ihe kick. All Itlacks ••• -I Leicester 0 An injury lo tin 1 ley compelled Minim's retirement. The yame continued hriyht 1 v to the last, hut the only other score came when an infringement, hv the home team resulted in Nieholls kickiny a penalty yoal. and makiny the score All itlacks ... Leicester 0 TKAMS AND PLAYEILS. BLOKAII'O.NTKLN. Any. ‘.M. Points of interest in view of the tour of (1,,. All liliuks liavt* Ikh‘H I'rnni memhers of the British touring team. Ali Packer, the manayer of the ,ei u who is an ex-Newport and Welsh international player, said that tile A\e:m (luh teams compared quite lavournhly with the Knylish (ouaty sides. Wales at present relied mainly on forward plav. and had tin yreat hack teams, such as the All Plucks met in Powe Harding will not he hack iiom ■south Africa in time to represent Swansea, as the British team does *ol arrive Home again until the second week in October.

Oaisford, a member of the team, expressed the opinion that one of the hardest matches during the first half of the All Blacks’ tour would he on October k’otli.. against the c • •oipmn county. Cumberland. Sonierot me the riinmpion county lor dm 1. season, hat had not a >e:\ r V"" team at present, (ilo i-e.ter ” I |' s ilie “host forward in tuiyhmd. A 1 Voyee. Cheshire will*lose Maxwell, ami Somerset will lie minus (laisfnrd. Newport, vnm otherwise would he \li Blacks' stronyest opponents up till November, are considerably weakened b v the absence of such tine players as Neil Alnephersoii ami Dr Boclie norwards) Harold Davies (centre-three-ouarter). and Will Griffiths (fly-half). Leicestershire plav a winy-forward, as in New Zealand, and is the only

county to do so regularly. This country team is generally comprised of Lc - tester club men. and has better combination than is usual in a countv side. RESULTS TO BATE.

Following are the results to date (With scores of 1005 team for purposes of comparison) and matches to he pla>-

COMI.NC MATCHES. 0(1. 8. —v. North .Midlands (“l-"). Oct. 11.—v. Cheshire (11-0). Oct. In. —v. Durham (1(5-15).

ed l»v tlie All Blacks: — 190-j. 1921. v. Devon . ... 11-0 on 1 v. C'oniiva.11 ‘29—0 41—0 v. Somerset ... 0-0 23-0 v. (Homester G—0 •11—0 v. Swansea ... 39-1? 1—3 v. Xe\v].oit ... 13—10 G—3 v. I.eieester ... 27-0 28—0