THE ALL BLACKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 January 1925, Page 2

THE ALL BLACKS.

FLEET FORWARDS. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 18. Interesting impressions of the Blacks’ play from a New Zealand**, standpoint are given by Air 11. C. D. van Aseh, at Christchurch, who returned recently after an extended tour of the British Isles’and Die Continent. During the trip he saw the matches with Somerset. Gloucester. Leicester, Newport, Swansea. Ireland and Cambridge. “The outstanding feature of the team, in my opinion,” said Air van Ascii, “is tiie fleetness of their forwards, who are a much faster set than the 1905 team. When they were sent away I was playing for Old Boys and knew .several of the All Blacks of that time.

“I think that the English people mistake this fastness of the forwards for roughness. Certainly they, play very hard game, but in mv opiltionH.the critics on the papers at Home were absolutely unjust towards the New Zealanders. They gave one the impression that they knew very little of Rugby football. On every occasion I had an excellent view of the game, and in not one instance did T see any roughness on the part of the New Zealanders. On the contrary, on one occasion--! think it was Swansea—after Cooke had K ot rid of the ball for at least a second, he was knocked Hat by one of the opposing team and carried off the ground on a "stretcher. T must say that the Welsh crowd of 10.000 hooted the manywho did this and called loudly tor his ■ removal from the field. Cooke v.as able to return in half an hour, very much to the joy of the spectators. ‘he only critic who could he taken notice of was Colonel Trevor.” “What, was the best match you s:l w?” Air van A seh was asked. “From the specaoular point of t >ew the host game was Swansea,” lie replied. This was due to the fact that tkev played on a dry ground, and a beautiful ground? The All Blacks simply left the other side standing. In iminv instances they Imd two men waiting for the hall on the outside of the mail who scored. Tt was a great match, and it was the only time I saw them on a dry ground. In Ireland, of course they had very hard hick. On the dav there was at least 15 points 'y. difference between the teams. At no • time did the Irish team look dangerous, and in ray opinion if they had gone on for a fortnight they would not have scored. New Zealand on a fine day would have been twenty-five points. The. All Blacks went straight up to Ulster, a .ml against a team that was •raetiellv the same, with the exception of three or lour men, they won by 28 to 6.

“The Newport match was very exciting. About seven minutes before time was called Newport scored what 1 consider was a very doubt ltd try and converted it. "Ibis put the New Zealanders down one point. I was there with other New Zealanders who were from Cambridge and there was great excitement. Then Svonson got the null 0 „ tin- wing, (lodged two men and scored. Nicliolis kicked a beautiful goal from near the line. 'The New Zealanders seemed to have a day off m that match, they could do nothing right. All the English people, with whom 1 snokc thought that the English team was going to down our hoys on Jan. 3rd. “Parker shows tremendous speed as wing forward-of course they call him a half-hack in England. Cooke and NTpia were very brilliant, too. refereeing generally was not. very impressive and 1 think that was the w. - ion of ether New Zealanders.” Among many New Zealanders whom Air van Ascii met at various matches acre Messrs P. Aiacfarlane, Stuart Rutherford, AI. Barnett (Wellington),. I). Tripe (Wellington), and Dr Withers (Kaikoura). A SOUTHERN CRITIC. NOTES ON PLAYERS. AIASTERTON. Jan. M. A prominent South Island member of the All Blacks, who occupies an official rapacity, in the course of a letter to a local Rugby official, states that H. \Y. Brown, Taranaki, is the great disappointment of the tour. He has the l ad habit of drooping (lasses when in a scoring position. Mill has come into li is own. and is easily on level terms with Dailey. Until hall-hacks have done well. .Parker is playing great I’oothall, and displaced Porter in I lie Welsh international. 'The play of Dorter has not come up to expectations, the Altered conditions appearing to have upset him. He has also been nursing a ban knee. Al’Cleary has failed to show anything like his New Zealand form, and lias not hern too good at hooking. Wakefield, the English captain, who is said to he the best forwards in England. would fail to find a place in the All Blacks scrum. li. .Stewart was nicked for the Irish test, hut Imd an attack of pleurisy, and had to stand down. He was to have played in Loudon later, hut the trouble showed signs of returning, and the doctors ordered a further rest. Stewing has made good, and will keep for next

season. White (Southland) is playing better football than ever. AI. Brownlie is New Zealand’s best forward, hut spoils his work aL times by hanging on too long, and ge-od'open-ings were often spoilt by this mistake.

Hart, the speedy Taranaki wing three-quarter, has improved in defensive play, hut when opposed by a player as fast as himself does not appear to do his best. The Xew Zealand forwards find the scrummaging hard,' as another scrum is given for foot-up- in the scrum and for offside 1 in some cases. The All Blacks would seiner have a free kick given against them in nre fe rente to a scrum, as it helps to keep the game open, which suits them better. 1 Although same of th' games were won by small margins, the All Blacks always held their opponents safe. t’:> to the date of the* Welsh game several of the teams met by the All Blacks would have beaten Xew South Wales. The All Blacks had not. up to this time, produced, the form shown ill the two linal gomes in Sydney, and the side would develop into a line combination. ,