THE ALL BLACKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 March 1925, Page 1

THE ALL BLACKS.

A! WAGER INTERVIEWED.

WELLINGTON, March ]«

Interviewed on arrival. Air S. >S. Dean, manager of the All Blacks, said he was very pleased with the tour right through. “The hospitality lias been wonderi'ul, and 1 have to express our thanks to the English Rugby Union, who were our hosts, and to the British Olympic Association, and Lord Docics, Lord Cauipdeu and General Kentish, who arranged and sportsmen’s dinner on our behalf. That was the greatest dinner we were ever at. I would like also to express thanks to the Canadian Pacific Railway authorities for the facilities given us in travelling across Canada. The people of Canada were most hospitable to us, and the people of France were wonderful. The people of France have very happy recollections ol our soldiers in Franco, and to these General Goiiraud, Commander of Raris, made relerenee at a reception to Ihe Loam at Los Invalided.

“Wo found overseas sportsmanship quite good. The main body oi crilicx was good, and our successes were well received. Right throughout the tour the conduct of the team lias been splendid. The members have pulled together wonderfully, and they have left a record of sportsmanship that will be hard Ip heat, it was very satisfactory to hear splendid remarks passed regarding the team’s behaviour wheroover we weld .

“A most satisfactory point about the tour lias been found in the excellent reports and excellent impressions that, the team left everywhere.”

Throughout the tour the team had trained every morning. Of the opposition strength at Home, the manager said: “Wo laid nothing to come and go on as to the standard of football in England, but the general opinion in England was that football there bad improved 30 per cent since the visit of the U)!)o All Blacks. Their play all through is more stereotyped than ours. AYe found ‘scrummaging a very had feature of their game.” Asked if the Lour had produced anything in regard to play that would he of benefit to New Zealand, Mr Dean said: “Haile a lot has been learned. You could not help but learn on a lour like this,”

In several games solid opposition had been encountered, and tile game with Oxford was a very hard one. particularly when the score stood at JO-175. Raymond was then brought up Iroin full back to a three-quarter position, and with that change, anything might have happened. hut the All Blacks got into it and won hy 33 1o to. Newport was .another hard, game. “We had beaten Swansea -n easily ill the previous week, and were told that Newprot were about the same as Swansea, that we took them rather ton cheaply,” said Air Dean. “The refereeing was very bail in the early matches,” lie said. “To some extent this was due to ineoinpeleney. A number of relerees were so keen to see the All Blacks’ play that they overlooked the faults of the Home side.” ROISTER INTERVIEWED. C. Porter, captain of the team, on being interviewed, said that they lotind the "forwards in Kngland better than was anticipated, but the backs were not nearly so good as the forwards.

‘ Their forwards really surprised us.” he said, “but tile backs were disappointing. generally speaking. Rugby in the <)d Country was of a high standard. The rearguards seemed to try to get. rid of the hull as quickly as possible, leaving U>e scoring to the wings. All the players at Home were favourable to adopting the kiek-in-to-louch rule, but l do not think the English Union is.” “ NOT A FAIR Ol). “ Neither Badeley nor A! 'Cleary got a fair go.” said one member ol I lie ” The Selection Committee mold not altogether lie blamed for this. They were windy. AYe would arrive at, a place thinking wo had an easy viclorv, but always met a crowd who would snv : “They’ll heal you.” and so the selectors get, the wood up. hi I games in win,!, Bnde- || v played I lie team worn hy forty odd points.' In AR Leary’s games the side scrims! just as much hall as their upp,meats, except at Llanelly, which was ~laved oil the Tuesday following the Welsh inaleh when all the players wore a Hit stale. It- is hard to sav that the soluei'ioii comini tie* 1 wore in view of the record, but seeing that every player bad got into the team on t lie merits of the trial game, the selectors could well have taken t isl.s. M’Learv was the best forward on the field at Victoria. Vancouver." < Ail members of the team practically admit that Badeley and AR Leary did not get a lair go. In the two games in which Badeley played, he was second live-eighth, whereas his proper position is first. He was fit, and training all the time. , , ~ When questioned. Badeley natiirall) would not sav mimh beyond the tael (!,.,( early in the tour an injury to Ids knee caused him to slop training, but lie got lit again and was supposed to play in at least two other matches, when in Vancouver lie sustained an injure to bis good knee.- . Ronald Stewart lmd a bad spin and was in hospital twice. He played too soon after Hie first illness and consequently felt very seedy for some time afterwards. Mr E. Alaekenzie. chairman of the New Zealand ,Select ion Conmiitee. said that although a very much criticised bodv when the team originally scleeteo was published results had proved tha their judgment was founded on a solid basis. They went for youth, the wisdom of w-liiclrcour.se had been proved, because the team never at any stage had shown signs of stateness. Ids should lie a guide to Hie selection ol future overseas teams. M hen the selectors made the team known their declaration was that all criticism would be answered on the playing fields ot Britain. This had been done and at ill,. ~rides both here and at Home bad been silenced. All the selectors were present to-day to welcome the team, except Air A. Guy Taranaki, and nobody was more i,leased with the ie-.nl l of the tour than the selectors.