ALL BLACKS DEFEAT LONDON COUNTIES

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2812, 18 November 1924, Page 3

ALL BLACKS DEFEAT LONDON COUNTIES

BY 31 TO 6. Forty thousand spectators witnessed the All Blacks-London Counties match at Twickenham on •Saturday. The weather was fine though dull and the turf soft. The -'•11 Blacks were represented by the following:— Full back: G. Nepia; three-quar-ters: A. H. Hart, A. E. Cooke (centre), K. S. Svenson; fve-eighths: N. P. McGregor (2), M. F. Nicholls (1); half: J. Mill; rover: J. 11. Parker; hack row: A. White, R. L. Stewart; supports: J. Richardson, capt. and M. J. Brownlie; lock: I. R, Masters; hookers: W, R. Irvine, and Q. Donald.

Early in the game London showed out in strong 1 attack, the forwards making headway with fast dribbling rushes. The New Zealanders retaliated with some effective hack play but the County men were soon within striking distance again and it was only by a narrow margin that Richardson (London) missed scoring with a drop kick which he slightly misjudged. Nepia relieved the position and with play transferred to London territory, the All Blacks sorely tried the home team’s defence. Then Hart cleverly marked near the corner from a centering kick, and initiated an attack in which M. Brownlie, dashed over by sheer pace and weight. Nicholls convert ed. N.Z. 5, London nil. From the kick-off, Lawton, the Queenslander, started a fine passing bout for London, which finished in Millar crossing at the corner, but the try was not converted. N.Z. 5, London 3.

Not long afterwards, Wakefield picked up in the loose and passed to the three-quarters, the movement again ending with Millar, who put London ahead by means of a fine piece of work. His try was unconverted. London 6, N.Z. 5.

This was only the second occasion in which the visitors have been behind at any stage of a game, the other time being in the match against Newport. Li this latter case the lead was not held long, as the New Zealanders, by bard forward play, transferred action to London’s territory, where Brownlie crossed under the posts. Nicholls easily converted. N.Z. 10, London 6. There was no further score by half time, but each moment the superiority of the New Zealanders combination was becoming more and more apparent. The backs were playing with beautiful precision, though the torn ards were still faced by vigorous resistance, both in the serums and in the loose. After the interval Parker played right wing three-quarter, improving matters materially by checking and defeating London’s efforts to score with their fleet backs. The visitors scoring commenced almost immediately. Cooke secured and transferred to Svenson, who finally passed back to Cooke, and after the finest piece of combination work, tire fast Aucklander scored —it was the gem of the match. Nicholls failed with the kick. N.Z. 13, London 6. Richardson (All Black) then fielded near the line and passed inwards. Parker scoring after Brownlie, McGregor and Svenson had all handled. Nicholls again failed. N.Z. 16, London 6.

The next try was Richardson’s as the result of excellent opening work by Mill, McGregor and Nieholls, the last named converting. N.Z. 21, London 6. The visitors were now in charge of the game, and it was only a matter of how many points they would win by. London, however, did not let up, the visitors vastly Improved style of play was too much for them. Taking a flying pass at top speed, Nicholls cut through and ran almost to the line before letting Cooke in to finish under the posts. Nicholls goaled. N.Z. 26, London 6.

From a weak kick by Lawton, Parker secured and from half-way started a run which he finished under the posts for Nicholls to convert. There was no further score, and the ganie, in which delightful form was shown by the All Blacks, ended: N.Z. 31, London 6.