ALL BLACKS UNBEATEN RECORD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2830, 6 January 1925, Page 3

ALL BLACKS UNBEATEN RECORD.

ENGLAND DEFEATED BY 17. TO 11. CYRIL BROWNLIE ORDERED OFF. Fifty thousand people witnessed the filial game of the English tour at Twickenham, on Saturday, when the All Blacks defeated the English International team By 17 points to 11. Both teams received a rousing welcome, and cheers were renewed in tremendous volume when the Prince of Wales appeared, accompanied by Prince George. The Prime Minister (Mr Stanley Baldwin) was also present and officially received the two teams on the ground.

Seven minutes after the start, a desperate fight raged' among the forwards, England striving to break through and New Zealand as strenuously defending. Unfortunately the vigour occasionally degenerated into heat, and following one warm encounter Cyril Brownlie was ordered off. This was only seven minutes after the start, and consequently New Zealand had to play the most important match of the whole tour with only fourteen men to fifteen a very serious handicap indeed against an international side. Cove Smith beat Nepia for the ball and scored, first blood after twenty minutes’ play. Svenson evened up the score by crossing England’s line well out. Steel, by main force, again crossed the English line and for off-side play Nicholls landed a goal, the first spell ending All Blacks 9, England 3. M. Brownlie forced his way over and Nicholls converted. Svenson took a long pass from White and dived across at the corner, but Nicholls failed to increase the score. All Blacks 17. England 3. All Blacks being off-side, Corbett dropped a very fine goal, increasing England's score to six.

Hamilton-Wickes secured the ball from a patch of loose play and after a sensational run, reached Nepia, with Kittermaster, fiy-half, in attendance. The latter took the pass safely and scored under the posts amid the wildest excitement. Conway had no difficulty in converting. Xll Blacks 17, England 11.

No further scores were added. The match will always be remembered for the sensational punishment of Cyril Brownlie, who was ordered off seven minutes after the start of the jame, for retorting to the referee, who had previously cautioned him for using his fists and knees in the scrum. The followed a scrummage, in which Voy.ee (Gloucestershire) was hurt in the mouth. The Englishmen in the opening stages, showed such surprising dash that tlie All Blacks hardly saw the ball. The crowd of 50,000 was watching the Home side’s-first successful aggressive movement and there was tumult and excitement as Corbett and Davies crossed the All Blacks’ line unopposed. Suddenly there was an unforgettable silence, the crowd realising that something was amiss and that the whistle had previously been blown. Then Brownlie separated himself from the group in. obedience to the referee’s gesture and walked dejectedly, head down, fifty yards to the exit, under the Prince of Wales’ and Mr Baldwin’s box. It was the most unexpected and tragic moment in classic rugby. The crowd, unaware of the nature of the offence, felt it marred the glory of a triumphal tour at its climax and later showed exaggerated generosity in cheering the New Zealanders’ prowess.. His comrades were grievously discouraged and lacked “zip.” The Englishmen bungled three distinct onslaughts before the first score by Cove-Smith. It was not till half an hour had elapsed that the All Blacks got really into their stride, and took advantage of the strong wind. There was constant scrummaging . in the second half, wherein the Englishmen got most of the ball, wheeling the scrum cleverly. After the All Blacks had secured a fourteen points’ lead, the crowd'showed irritation and loudly expressed indignation at what they considered the New Zealanders’ deliberate dawdling in bringing the ball into play. In the last twenty minutes, the Englshmen again overwhelmed the All Blacks and after Kittermaster’s try, there was again an uproar at the visitors’ slowness. Mr A. E. Freethey, of Wales, states that he ordered C. Brownlie off for deliberately kicking on the leg an English forward, who was lying face downwards on the ground. Mr Freethey adds that he had warned each side generally three timestherefore he was obliged to act drastically. Some of the members of the New Zealand'- team state that Cyril Brownlie was not the aggressor, but retaliated when struck by an English player, who had been previously warned three times. „ The “Suffday Express” reports that. Mr Freethey, the referee, after the match said: “I have for a long time admired Brownlie’s play. I spoke to both captains before the match and emphasised that they must impress players to keep their tempers. I warned two players on either side, and gave two general warnings to the teams before I ordered Brownlie off the field. It hurt very much to do this, but I felt I had no alternative.” Brownlie said: “It was a piece of sheer ill-luck on my part. I found myself involved in a series of minor retaliations and was unfortunate to be dropped upon as the second man in the affair.. I am most sorry this 'happened in the last match, but I do think another man should have gone

off the field besides myself. Nevertheless (here is no ill feeling.” The visitors had a gruelling encounter with what is admittedly the best team Britain ever sent into the field. No more remarkable demonstration has been seen at Twickenham than that on the occasion of (he first try. The crowd rose as one man with a eresendo of cheers and tlie confusion lasted five .minutes, while hats and sticks were being recovered.

The All Blacks produced a new war cry: “We are about to slaughter our enemies.” A wag on the grandstand retorted with a. Latin quotation: “Those about to die salute you.” Nepia was again tlie idol of the crowd. His line kicking was magnificent and he was always pushing in the thickest of the fray. After the match he said: “Gee! It was the fastest game I was ever in. That fellow Gibbs runs like a hare. I could not catch him.” MR. MA SSEY’S CONGRATULATIONS. On receiving the news of the All Blacks’ final victory over All England by 17 points to 11, the Prime Minister cabled as follows: “New Zealand sends its team warmest congratulations on its splendid unbeaten record. Bon voyage on homeward journey.—Massey.” BROWNLIE’S ALLEGED VICTIM NOT FOUND. London, January 4. Mi 1 S. S. Dean denies that the New Zealanders are nursing illfeeling. The teams were on most friendly terms at Saturday’s dinner. Wakefield visited and lunched with flic New Zealanders to-day. Mr Dean says: “Mr Freethey told me he did not know which Englishman Brownlie kicked. I enquired of the English team, but none remembered being kicked when lying on the ground. We shall not take further action; nevertheless the incident, which was magnified out of all proportion, much ups&t us. We looked forward to beating England. We beat them a man short, and I suppose we should feel triumphant. Instead, we feel sick about the whole show.” One All Black says it is incredible that Brownlie should have kicked a man when he was down. Brownlie, although a giant, was the quietest man in the team, and was nick-named “Dummy” because he talked so little.

The newspaper “Sketch” expresses the opinion that stories of strained relations have been .dissipated by the All Blacks’ invitation to (lie R-ugbv Union to send a team to New Zealand in 1920. The International Board is considering the matter. LONDON TIMES OPINION. London, January 5. The “Tmes” attributes the AllBlacks’ triumphal tour to their ceaseless energy, speed and following up. which is also the reason for the charges of obstruction and unfairness. Nevertheless the All Blacks’ lapses were preponderatingly unintentional. Saturday’s crowd genuinely sympathised with Brownlie in temporarily forgetting himself in the heat of the struggle, in which both sides were over pugnacious. The match will he memorable for the high standard of play, not for •errors into which excess of zeal betrayed (he players.

CONGRATULATIONS FROM THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL. Auckland, Last Night. The following cablegram of congratulation has been forwarded by tlie Govern or-General to the manager of the All Black team: “Heartiest congratulations on your splendid success. The warmest welcome awaits the team on its return. Fergusson, Governor-General.” Mr H. Frost, president of the New Zealand Rugby Union, has forwarded the following congratulatory message to the team: “New Zealand players and supporters delighted with the great victory, crowning a successful tour.” BROWNLIE VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCES. Wellington, Last Night. Mr Cecil ,T. Wray, the representative of the New Zealand Rugby Union is outspoken upon the Brown>r incident. In a cablegram received by the Union yesterday, Mr Wray says: “Warmest congratulations on New Zealand’s magnificent record. Every match lias .been won and the last on the famous Twickenham ground, where England looks § for victory, but the spell was broken by the glorious determination of fourteen men against a full English side. I take off my hat to the sporting and manly bearing ,of every man in the team, including Cyril Brownlie, who was a' victim of circumstance,- All New Zealanders in London join me in saying: “Well done New Zealand !” To this the Rugby Union sent a brief reply: “Appreciate congratulations. All New Zealand jubilant.” The “News of the World” drama"'"tically relates how Maurice Brownlie, scoring the first try in the second spell, knocked out the English hopes. Maurice, receiving the ball on the spot where his brother received his marching orders, sunk his head and shoulders and charged, bull .fashion for the line. He was repeatedly tackled, but shook off his opponents like a mastiff would shake off terriers. The crowd frenziedly cheered his effort.

PRESENT TOUR. RESULTS OF MATCHES PLAYED The results of the present tour to date, together with th escores of the 1905 All Blacks for comparative purposes, are as follows: — 1924 1905.

v. Devon, won 11- 0 55- 4 v. Cornwall, won 29- 0 41- 0 v. Somerset, won 6- 0 23- 0 v. Gloucestershire, won 6- 0 44-0 v. Swansea, won 39- 3 4- 3 v. Newport, won 13-10 6- 3 v. Leicestershire, won . 27- 0 28- 0 v. N. Midlands, wo|i 40- 3 21- 5 v. Cheshire, won 18- 5 34- 0 v. Durham, won 43- 7 1(1- 3 v. Yorkshire, won 42- 4 40- 0 v. Lancashire, won 23- 0 — v. Cumberland, won 41- 0 — v. Scotland, won — 12- 7 v. West Scotland, won 22- 0 v. Ireland, won 0- 0 15- 0 v. Munster, won — ' 33- 0 v. Ulster, won 28- 0 — v. Northumberland won 27- 4 31-0 v. Cambridge University, won 5- 0 14- 0 v. London Counties, won 31 -6 — v. Middlesex, won v. Oxford University — 34- 0 won 33-15 47- 0 v. Cardiff, won 1(1- 8 10- 8 v. Wales, won 19- 0 — v. Wales, lost — 0- 3 v. Llanelly, won 8- 3 — v. Glamorgan, won — 9- 0 v. E. Midlands, won 31- 0 — v. Northampton, won — 32- 0 v. Warwickshire, won 20- 0 — v. Cheltenham, won — 18- 0 v. Comb. Services won 25-3 — v. Hampshire, won 22- 0 — v. Surrey, won — 11- 0 v. London Counties, w on 28-3 — v. Blackheath, won — 32- 0 v. Richmond, won — 17- 0 v. Bristol, won —- 41- 0 v. Hartlepool, won — 63- 0 v. Devonport A, won — 21- 3 v. Bedford, won . — 41- 0 v. England, won , 17-11 15- 0 Totals (154-08 830-30