THE ALL BLACKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 March 1925, Page 4

THE ALL BLACKS.

MEMBERS OF OFFICIAL PARTY RETURN. IMPRESSIONS OF A NOTABLE TOUR.

WELLINGTON, March 3. Some members of the All Blacks official party have returned to New Zealand ahead of the team. Those arriving in Wellington, while glad to be back, are of one mind about the wonderful time that they have had. Mr L. Simpson, the well-known New Zealand referee, Mr G. P. Payne, a member of the management committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union, and Mr AV. S. Dustin, sen., of Wanganui, were among the passengers by the Ulimaroa from Sydney to-day. AA’itli them they brought many interesting mememtoes of the notable tour, some of these being the property of members of the team. Mr Simpson is the possessor of the whistles used by the referees in the All Black tost matches with England, Ireland and Wales. Mr Dustin, who is accompanied by bis wife, suffered from serious illness during the tour, but lie has made complete recovery, and is hoping to completely regain his health and strength under the line climatic conditions obtaining in this country.

“It has been a wonderful trip,” said Mr Simpson. “At first it was thought that a coach would lutvC lieell beneficial. but under the able coaching of the captain. Porter, the forwards were moulded into a fine combination. They worked together excellently. It was left to Mark Nieholls. who acted ns captain of the hacks, to put the rearguard into shape, fie succeeded beyond expectations with the material at his disposal, for it must he admitted that our weakness was in the hacks, especially in the three-quarter line, the centre being the particular weak spot. The half-hacks were really not up to international standard. Dailey gave promise of becoming a lino hall, but as the tour proceeded he laded away. .Mill started badly, but as he improved it was left to hiin to see the hard game through. The live-eights were particularly good, Nieholls, Cooke and M’Gregor playing fine football. Cooke however, had to strengthen the threequarter line by taking Up the centre position which he did with distinction. It was thought that Lucas would have linen more successful than he was. He was not consistent. In one or two games his plav at centre was brilliant, but in other games he was practically a failure.”

Mr Simpson added that the gallic as played in the Home countries was different altogether from that in New Zealand, and it was not of the type that would last long here. I here wore 100 many serums and liile-outs. There was one referee who understood the New Zealanders and thofr play, iilut that was Mr BrOcthey.

Mr A. E. Stephens, of Grevmouth, who arrived two days ahead of the. other members of the party, expressed the opinion that the tourists learned nothing that would he ol much advantage to football in this country, in the matter of entertainment, the hospitality extended -to the New Zealanders by Rugby supporters could not have been better. Much- in the way of entertainment had been oll’ering, and it had boon necessary to tone it down a good deal. The whole result of the tour was simply a confirmation of former tours, showing the superiority of the game in New Zealand to that in other countries which Imd been visited There Imd been some hard games nit this tour, and there had been sonic luekv games, lint nil through the tenia should not have keen beaten. “Nieholls was absolutely the star ol the team,” said Mr Stephens. “In order of merit f would place the players as follows:—Nieholls, Coolie, Nepia, with M. Brownlie and White on a pains great forwards. Masters lias mealed a record for lock in having played in twenty-four matches and ill sticking to the game as he did. Questioned regarding the selection ami management ol the team, Mr Stephens said the team were as good a lot as could lie put together. Tlic-y were really the management them-

selves. They did not need any managing. Selection was done by the manager. Mr Dean, the captain. Porter, and the vice-captain, Richardson. A noteworthv thing reflecting to the credit of Porter was his action in selecting Parker in preference to himself in test matches. Porter showed great broadmindedness, particularly in view of the fact that the people of New Zealand knew how good he was as a player. However, he was not given the opportunity to show his real form. Rulings went against his style of play. As regards Radeley, confidence was lost in this plnver through the form he showed iu Sydney. ITe was tried in two matches at Home, hut the opinion about his play was not improved. .M’Cleary, although probably the fit-t-.;t man iu the team, was also tillable to get a place very often, simply because there were others considered bettor. Mr Stephens further explained that on ocacsions the tourists were somewhat flightened by advanced reports about the teams they were to meet, and in consequence too much alteration of the team was not considered advisable. A matter he thought that should he borne iu mind for future tours was the treatment of New Zealanders abroad in regard to opportunities ol seeing representatives ol their country on the field ’of play. Hundreds of New /Zealanders could mot get into Twickenham to see the test there. ' travelling arrangements.

Confirmation of cabled reports someweeks ago about tbe ATI blacks’ dissatisfaction with the travelling arrangements iu the Old Country was obtained to-day in remarks made by Mr L. Simpson, who travelled with the team as a member of the official party. “In all respects except railway and minor other arrangements, the tour has been a remarkable one,” said Mr Simpson. “With regard to comforts of the team, it must he admitted that the English Rugby Union cannot be flattered for anything it did in this direction. Hotel accommodation was, on the whole, fairly good, but the food supply was not suited to men playing football.

1 “ A most disgraceful feature of tbe tour was the wretched railway accommodation. the New Zealanders having to travel third-class everywhere except in France, where the arrangements made bv the French Rugby officials provided for first-class travelling and accommodation. On some occasions in England members of the team and party had to sic in a dining car, as no carriage had been provided for them. The seats were stiff-backed, and those same seats were none too soft. The players and party seated themselves or lay down as best they could. Under these circumstances, which were bad, especially after hard games, for five hours from Swansea to London after the Llanelly match they were subjected to this disgraceful treatment, ft was disgraceful, really. On a number of trips they were assembled in a carriage in which there were two long seats and a table in the centre. Some of the players were compelled to use the table as a resting place.”

“Naturally the first game of the tour . left a very strong impression on my mind. It was n vividly interesting scone when the All Blacks were due to make their first appearance. The ground at Devonport was packed bv a highly excited crowd, eager to see the New Zealanders and compare them with their predecessors. The game provided perhaps as great a shock as did the victory of 55 points to 4 in 1905. The Devon forwards played ad--mirably, and continuous ruin in the second half assisted to keep the score down to eleven points. The result had the good effect of showing the team that their task was no easy one. Unfortunately it had another less desirable effect in inducing English Rugby critics to forecast the defeat of the All I’| ;K ks in international matches, and particularly at Twickenham. ‘Wait till Twickenham!” win the critics’ slogan in September and October. Gradually, however, they were forced to climb down, until in December there was not one critic who Could envisage an English victory. I attribute to the irritation produced by the falseness of their prophecies much of the bitterness of the attacks on the All Blacks, which will cause New Zealanders who saw the games to have a low opinion ul Years to come. The pompous periods of Mr F. J. Scliiclis ill tile “Morning Post" aiiil the invented interviews of the “People” will lie the chief themes when newspaper criticism comes up for discussion, but clippings from many sources will he produced to show wluit the team had to endure. In England it appears to be the practice for eveijIjody connected with any game, from the than who marks the lines and sweeps the ground down to the referee to give opinions lor publieati in. The All Blacks did not indulge in this, and their opinions were imagined for tlictn,”

In view of Mr Harrops relerenee to the attitude of a certain section of the British press it may he of interest to quote a reference to the 1905 All Blacks and the attitude of the press with regard to them. A writer m an English journal 15 years ago (Sept. 10th 191 C) in an article on “British Sportsmanship,” after severely criticising the ]>?n cricketers and footballers, and j mentioning the power ol the press lit making or breaking a player goes on to sny:—“There is far too much of this kind of thing in British “sport.” Perhaps, however, the worst instance ol had losing that I can call to mind is that of the celebrated All Blacks’ series of victories in England. 'I hey wei’o patronised by the papers at first, one paper even went so lar as to say that theV ought to lie encouraged. When the scores were 204 to -I against England. “Punch republished the paragraph with the terse comment, “They arc being encouraged.” I cannot remember any team being more written down than this team, yet, probably a lairer side never stepped on to a field.”