ALL BLACKS’ TOUR

Hokitika Guardian, 7 August 1929, Page 6

ALL BLACKS’ TOUR

MANAGER’S COMMENT,

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

AUCKLAND, Aug. 6,

“The New Zealanders might have won the Rugby tests -in Australia if they had been able to held the best team available from the players on the tour,’’ declared the Manager, Mr J. McLeod, when the 1929 All Blacks disembarked from the Ulimaroa this afternoon.

■ He said: “There might have been a different story to tell had Nepia, Carlton, Oliver, Lilburne;' Dailey 1 arid Porter been able to play throughout the tour. At the same time, Rugby lias improved tremendously over in New South Wales. Mi 1 McLeod said that Lilburne was the real hero of the tour, in his opinion. He. was just starting to be a New Zealand captain, and had played wonderful football. The Australians had shown a distinct improvement, and the New Zealand selectors would have to realise that. “This team was’chosen without trial matches. Oliver was .very clever, and did fine work in defence. Dailey was a real star in the only game he played, but the whole trouble was that, after losing him, the team had no half-back of real class. Tuck was a good player, • but he was ■ not a half-back, and Leys was not up to standard. The main cause of the loss of the tests was that the team liad •no safety link between forwards and backs. . Stringfellow made a very fine job of the full back position, and played well all through. Hook was very erratic. McWilliams played fine football, and was very popular with the crowd. Palmer and Snow also did well. The most improved and most promising player was Cotterill, the, Canterbury hooker. Mahoney, the youngster of the team, a real giant, had great possibilities. It was a pity the team had to travel the long journey to. Melbourne after the first test, and then go back to Brisbane for the second and play the third at Sydney on the Saturday. That was a great mistake, and was the only thing about the whole tour that was badly arranged. Most of the injured' players had shown great improvement on the trip to Auckland, but unfortunately Dailey might not be able to play again this season.” TEAM A CREDIT TO DOMINION. The Hon E. H. Farrar, Minister of Labour and Industries and Commerce in New South Wales, who arrived by the Ulimaroa, said the New Zealand' team was a fine manly lot, and had done much credit to the Dominion both on and off the field.