THE ALL BLACKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 December 1924, Page 1

THE ALL BLACKS.

THIRTEENTH WIN. CUMBERLAND MATCH. LONDON, Octolrer 30. According to some prophets, the New Zealand footballers were to have met defeat at the hands of the Cumberland team. It is said the New Zealanders heard this story and. according to the “Athletic News.” “the sequel is told in one of the saddest, chapters ill the R.ugh.v history of the northern county.” “Cumberland,” says “Mercian”, ol the “Athletic News.” “were smitten hip and thigh, run off their feet, outpaced, out-generalled. beaten for cleverness, simply not in the same cla.sse of football. They had the great majority of the side that carried them to the county championship last season. Tucker, of course, has gone hack to India; and Tom Holliday, who should have captained them, developed influenza during the week and had to land down. The experience of this pair of hacks might have made some difference, hut 11 Tuckers or Hollidays could not have saved Cumberland. “These All Blacks showed us what no county was celever enough to do last winter—they showed that the far-famed stamina of a Cumberland pack can he made to collapse. Incessantly battered by a beaver and stronger lot of forwards. the Cumberland eight grew weaker and weaker. It was the same stilly behind, the only dilfereiice being that more than one of the hacks “as not very good to start with. But good, had, or indifferent, they all went the same way. and that way was down : ml under. THE CIUTrCS IMRESSED. “The New Zealanders did more in this game to impress those of us who had only previously seen them at Bradford and Manchester than I. for one, expected. They may not have played perfect football all through, there may have been eases of dropped passes, the place-kicking, certainly was lamentably weak, hut the rather obvious weaknesses. comparative weaknesses, that .’s, which were apparent both against Yorkshire and Lancashire were not there on Saturday.

“Going more out as they did at Carlisle we saw what a finely-balanced • de they are. There is nothing automatic about their attack for although it is generally good enough to succeed on orthodox lilies these men seem to have linir-n-do7.cn others ready if there is a chance of one method breaking down. The cross-kick, too seldom used hy our home players when they are hemmed in or are being forced to touch, is a <-omiiiou weapon of olfenec:' the punt and follow-up is carried out with such exactitude as to remove half the element of doubt which enters into it in England. But these tactics are merely occasional 'variations of the general principle which is the bedrock of tie tourists’ success. They believe in tl e maxim that possession is nine points of the game, and they do not willingly surrender the hall to the god of chance. Sure hands take the hall at top speed, and there is not a mnmeiil’s pause as it Hies from one wing to the other. The slightest hesitation in going tor the man with the hall, the slightest sign of weakness in defence or readiness to ‘buy the dummy,’ and the centre is ihruugh. Cooke, on Saturday, showed an almost uncanny gift o! knowing when to break through .and when to pass on. So line "as his judgment, and over’-' helningly superior "ere •• - inll.-ague.'.. that the .slower Cumberland Packs invariably had one. two. and sometimes three New Zealanders fan ig a solitary ladder. Soundiuies a knock-on or a desperate Tackle would stop tl try. hut. the more usual tale was the successful completion (.!’ a perlecl. piece of work. Another joint that impresses one ahum ||,esc All Blacks is the rapidity with which mistakes arc covered up. H the man who makes the mistake is not id o' to do his own retrieving, it ’nay he tnkcii lor granted that one or more of his colleagues will he on the spot to help him.” A FAIRLY STIFF FIGHT.

The critic of “The Times” is not so hard <m the 'Cuinbet'.ktud players. “As in all their recent games.” says this writer, “the All Blacks had largely to thank the brilliance in attack of Ihfir hacks for their victory. Although a good deal heavier than the.se of Cumberland. the forwards wore given a fairly still' light By the e,unity pack, who not only had a reasonable share of the hall, lint wore particularly good in the loose. Several spirited rushes were made in which the New Aalandors' defence was well tested, but Cumberland had not the speed behind sufficient to drive home any tomjiornry advantage gained hy these rushes Whenever the All Blacks’ hacks had the hall they looked like scoring. 'I he pace at which an attack was developed oroved too much for the county nek", tlm gaps in whose defence were quickly seized upon with a skill and resource for which the visitors have already become famous. Cumberland, hist son•ani's count v champions, were eomphte|v outclassed, the speed and handling „|- the New Zealanders com mg as a complete revelation not only to the Cumberland side themselves, but to the large companv who watched the game. 'Pile actual piny i« descrils',l as lows: --‘The game opened at a- great pace, the tackling of the Cumberland forwards being splendid, for a time the “ante was in the New Zealanders half of the field, but at length Cooke cut out ail opening, and Barker dashed owr tlio Cmnliorlnnd E' vo ~ Zealand their first try. Following that, there was a serum near the Cumberland line. and. with T. Little slipping ard dropping the hall. Mill at -nee pick", „p and scored. A little later. Mill added •mother trv. and then Cooke and Halt cot through. SO that at l.nMime New Zealand led hy five tries to nothing. Cumberland opened the second bait m si roll"’ fashion, and. with Brough .ncki„“ a"'fine length, the game was fairly KvH for a time. After Cass had failed in an attempt to drop a goal, however, New Zealand went further m front. Hart scored three tries in succession, one being converted by Ncpia. and the,, Stewart and Cooke went over Mint placing two goals. Before the cm Nicholls put on another try wilt White converted.” . ,The New Zealand team against Cumberland was: Xepia: Tlavt. Cooke. B>iU.,- Nieholls. Paewni: M,H: Porter; ■Stewart. White. If. Brownlie. Mnsteis. Richardson. Irvine. Donald.)