BRITISH RUGBY TEAM

Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1930, Page 5

BRITISH RUGBY TEAM

AUSTRALIAN OPINION,

Footballers in Australia, think that the British Rugby team in New Zealand has done well to have won as many matches as it has. They consider however, that it will not do so well in Australia.,

This is the opinion of Air J. darken, a holiday visitor to New Zealand by the Ulimaroa. He was a Rugby representative of Australia and New South Wales in 1905, and lie toured America in 1912., He.was also a member of the famous A.I.F. team which had the honor, of winning a match from the. New Zealand Army team in the tournament..,-ior the King’s Cup during .the war, _

“Those among the Waratahs who played against some of the present British team in'-(England are of this opinion,” remarked Ml* darken. The team was a young one, and that was a very big factor in its favour. Though the team would have gained considerable experience • in colonial play by the-time, it reached the Commonwealth, Mr darken said, he did not think it would be entirely successful in the latter country. New Zealand probably was the hardest country in the world to tour, because in every place where a match was played hard Rugby was the order of the day. The British team .would be travel-worn by the time it crossed the Tasman.

Rugby was on the increase in the Commonwealth, said Mr darken, and the standard of play was improving. The winning by New South Wales of all three tests when the last All Black team went across had meant a. great ueal to Rugby in Australia. Not onh were those already playing the game move confident, but many recruits had been gained. The League code had suffered in this respect, particulailj in Queensland. , “Yes,” said Air darken, “I think we will have a-strong team to, meet the Britishers when they arrive.”