Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1929, Page 4

The football ashes of New Zealand have been lost to Australia. This is surely an occasion to congratulate Australia on their victory, all the more creditable because it has been a long uphill stern chase. It is not an occasion for excuses or regrets, really, because Australia evidently so well deserves the win for which they ha\ r e worked so hard. It does not appear to be a case, so much, of New Zealand going 'back, as of Australia coming on —and that fact makes the victory the more creditable because it has been earned in the face of great odds. Rugby has been made essentially the New Zealander’s game, and the All Blacks developed into a wonderful side. Their victories gave them and their country a world reputation. But the best often has to succumb to something hotter. So we saw South Africa after learning its lesson, able to rout the New Zealanders. Now Australia has done likewise. The lesson of it all is that New Zealand cannot longer rely on past

laurels, but must set out to. make fresh ones. Australia tackled the job in the right way when fresh young men were set the task of taking up the duty »,.icre the older players had failed to make the necessary impression. The choice of men in New Zealand must Oe greater now than ever it has been, so that there is a lack of material to work on. The present team sent aoroad was perhaps not selected with the care of ear.ier teams, nor did it nave anything like the best of luck on its tour. Sickness has prevailed and has attacked some of the star players. The luck of the game has been against tbe men, but still there were other deficiencies in the play which assisted to spell defeat, and though there may be some consolation in the knowledge that under more favourable health conditions, a better showing would have been possible, the situation has to he accepted as it is and vairt regrets will not alter results. New Zealand is quite capable of looking lorward to the mture with a confident hope of retrieving the situation, and that is quite the sportsmanlike thing to do. Australia as we have said, deserves the win, and the fortunes of Rugby will-be advanced accordingly in the Great Commonwealth, but there is not any need for New Zealand to be despondent with the material at call here to amply retrieve the position at some future clash.