HAD A REPUTATION, TOO

NZ Truth, Issue 1184, 9 August 1928, Page 14

HAD A REPUTATION, TOO

AH Blacks Play With Allegedly Powerful Border Team

(By Cable. — From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Rein-esentative touring with the All Blacks.) . ... . • THE All. Blacks gave their best display against a really powerful opponent m beating Border at East London decisively by 22 points to 3, but it was only, m the last twenty minutes that the tourists asserted themselves to wear down a lighter pack of forwards. .- Border has always been noted for bright, open play, and despite the reputation of their opponents, they elected to stand or fall by their usual taptics, having rather the better of the first half,. when Strang at scrum-half and Lilburne, playing the unaccustomed position of first five-eighths, were rather slow. , Getting the ball, Lilburne gave standing passes, with the result that the All Blacks' opponents generally managed to smother their outsides. The All Blacks' line had several narrow shaves, at one stage the Border backs obtaining a grip m. the twenty-five, and Duffy, Cheshire and Hoare all attempting to score m a movement which swept the whole length of the line. ' . ; Lilburne,though rather slow m getting. away with the ball, did some grand defensive, work of the donkey order, stemming several loose rushes when the-Border pack were m possession 'and fearlessly went down on theball. It.was a* nimble break by Lilburne which led to the first try, Nicholls taking the pass, drawing the defence* s and letting out to Carleton, whose pace carried him over. '' X <■ Nicholls was the outstanding back on the field, giving the best exposition of. inside play yet seen on the tour. ■•'; Whereas the other backs were inclined continually to pass out wingwards, Nicholls made hjs thrusts m the centre, and his openings were much more dangerous. . / Nicholls was also responsible for the second try, breaking m, drawing the defence near the line and elusively changing direction to send Hazlett over. He scored a penalty and was mainly responsible for the third try, taking the ball from String from the scrum, "dummying" an opening and passing out to Lilburne, who transferred to Strang, who had come up on the outside. The brilliant "Mark" also converted two tries, and his play generally, despite the fact that he is suffering from two badly-bruised shoulders, should prove of tremendous assistance to the All Blacks m the third Test. In many respects, the Border game should be known as Mark Nicholls' match. ' Brownlie scored a good try reminiscent of his best form when he gathered the ball near the Border twenty-five and rushed for the line, fending off several opponents, while Hazlett's second try came from a cleverly: wheeled scrum near, the line, the forward gathering the ball and diving over. \ Burrows again gave a clever display, while Stewart was a brilliant forward m the loose. McWilliama, impressing as a solid scrummager, was always. on the ball. ; . Lindsay did not kick up to his best form," either to touch or goal, but was sound and sober defensively. All the three-quarters were sound, Carleton giving a dashing display. - ■ ■

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