"A GREAT PLAYER"

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 292, 4 August 1932, Page 4

"A GREAT PLAYER"

PRAISE FOR COOKE LEAGUE MANAGER EULOGISES EX-ALL BLACK FIVE-EIGHTH. STANDARD IN NEW ZEALAND. "Though Cooke is just a hit inclined to kick too much, there's no doubt he's a great player," said Mr. R. P. Anderton, one of the joint managers of the British Rugby League team to a ''Morning Post" representative yesterday befor-e the departiire of the team. j "When Cooke beeomes more familiar with the League code and tactics, he will be a most formidable player," he continued. "There is no question of his having slipped, or if he has slipped as some peqple say, then he must have been one of the wonder-players -qf.. world. His try in the Test at Auckland was one'. of the finest I have ever seen. He and Brisbane, who is reaehing the veteran stage, but who is a great back still, had" us in trouble more than once, 'and I can assure you they take a lot of watching. "Of course, as I said before," Avent on Mr. Anderton, "Cooke is inclined to kick a bit too much, but that seems to be a fault of all the New Zealand backs. We have a rule that there is practically no kicking by any back at all, except the full-back, and he more often than not runs his backs into position. We believe in the passing game every time, and that is what has made League so attractive. The fault of the Union game in England is tllat there is too much kicking for j the line, and that is why our game is more popular. "The lessons New Zealand should draw from the tour," he concluded, "are that speed is essential. Here is our team averaging 13/3 and they are all fast, forwa/ds and backs. Even our heaviest man who plays at 16/3, can clap on the pace with the fastest when the need arises. Pace and more pace, together with less , kicking and more long passing, will make the standard of the game in New Zealand improve."