FOOTBALL.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 55, 13 November 1924, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

ALL BLACKS’ SIXTEENTH MATCH ANOTHER SUBSTANTIAL WIN. All Blacks . . .. .. . . 27 Northumberland . . . . . . 4 The 1905 All Blacks beat Northumberland by 31 to 0. The Northumberland match is reported to be one of the games in which the All Blacks' back passing was poor in the earlier stages, but in the second half the rearguard got going properly and the score mounted rapidly. It is said that a side plays just as well as the other team lets it. Very probably such was the case in the Northumberland match. During the greater portion of the first spell the All Black forwards were kept busy repelling the Northern County’s vanguard, and the backs were too harried to be able to open up the game. Gradually the visiting forwards wore down their opponents and taking up the aggressive allowed the backs to make their openings.

It would appear that Ulster was about as strong a side as Ireland, and that the difference of the score w r as very largely accounted for by the weather conditions. From the reports of the game it appears as if the All Blacks’ backs have improved, and have secured the combination that is needed to make a back division a successful attacking machine. On paper, and judging by what was known of the players prior to their departure, and what can he gathered from the scanty information that trickles through, the backs, with the exception of Mill, was the strongest combination that the All Blacks could field. It would seem that Lucas has finally been sorted out as the centre, a position which many Aucklanders have long contended is his proper place. Whether Brown and Robilliard are still on the sick list is a matter for guesswork. A great many people are wondering what has happened to McCleary. It is known that Munro, Harvey and Stewart are suffering from various ailments, but nothing lias been heard of the South Island front ranker.

In View Of the fact that the All Blacks in the course of the next few days will p l ay the two Universities it is interesting to note that Gloucester beat Oxford by 23 to 16. The All Blacks played Gloucester as their fourth match, beating that county by 6 to 0. Leicester beat Cambridge by 39 to 3. The seventh match of the All Blacks was with Leicester, which they \v<m by 27 to 0. Newport, whom the All Blacks just beat at the last moment by 13 to 10, beat Cardiff, whom the visitors have to play, by 6 to 3. Another Welsh team whom the New Zealanders have to meet is Llanelly. This side beat Swansea, over whom the All Blacks romped by 37 to 3, by 13 to 8.