ALL BLACKS FINE FEAT.

Shannon News, 18 November 1924, Page 3

ALL BLACKS FINE FEAT.

LONDON COUNTIES DECISIVELY BEATEN. MANY INTERNATIONALS PLAY. Since the Twickenham ground was opened in 1008-1909, England ha s not been beaten by any International side, excepting by the South in 1912. On Siturday, the 1924 All Blacks celebrated their first appearance at Twickenham toy walking over a strong London Counties' fifteen by 31—6. Many English Internationals playet*. i'or London and no doubt the Kom e critics will be really aiarmed at last. O. A. iiershaw has come back from the. Atlantic fleet to play for England and worked the scrum on Saturday. \Va;ieaeJd, England's captain, and Cove-Smith, the British skipper, led the forwards, Thi; Counties will be* played again at Twickenham on December 37th and All England on January 3rd.

WONDERFUL RETURN TO FORM. NEW ZEALAND 1,0-6 at INTERVAL ; LONDON, November 15. After their nai'rbw victory against Cambridge University, the All Blacks in their next match showed a wonderful return to form . knd went even further, for in defeating the London Counties' strong team, including several international players by 31 to t : , the tourists gave their most exbliarating and best exposition so far) afforded at Home. The back division, especially was obviously superior to its opponents in finesse variey of attack ana defence. The London line was quite overshadowed. The New Zealand forwards, too, were brilliant, and outstandingly useful were M. Brownlic; Richardson, White, Stewart and Irvine.

Mill Opens up The Game. Spectacular play : there was in plenty, Mill frequently setting the v-hoie back line in motion, to carry out beautiful and well-executed rushe a that pierced the most stubborn defpnee the'home team could offer. Every man in the AH Blacks' rearguard showed that versatility was individual as well as in combination Parker-Mill-McGregor Melded." Th e New Zealand team, regarded as a strong one. was:—: Full back: G. Nepia. Thr63 quarters: A. H. Hart, A. E, Cooke (centre),! K. S. Svenson. * Five-eighths: N. P McGregor (2), M. F., NicholJs (1). ' ' Half: J. Mill. Rover: J. H. Parker. Back row: A. White, R. L 4 Stewart, Supports; J. Richardson (capt) M. J| Browniie. Lock: P.. R. Masters. Hookers: W. R. Irvine, Q. Donald. Counties Make the Pace.

On • this occasion the weather. wa3 fine though dull, and the turfewas soft and eaay, conditions which > apparently suiU-d the visitors admirably. Forty thousand attended the match which was the first of the tour to be played at Twickenham. Early in the game, London showed out in strong attack, the forwards making headway with fast dribbling rushes. The New Zealandera retaliated with some effective back play, but the County men were soon within striking distauce again i,.nd it was only by a narrow margin that Richardsofi (London) missed scoring with a drop kick which ho slightly misjudged. Nepla relieved the position and with play trnasferred to London territory, the All Blacks sorely tried the home team's defence. Hart <;ive s Brownlie Chance. Then Hart cleverly marked near the corner from a centering kick, and initiate 1 an attack in which M. Brownlie dashed over by sheer pace end weight. Nichclls converted. New Zealand 5 \ Ljondon 0 From the kick-off, Lawton, the Queenslander, started a fine passing bout for London, which finished in (Millar crossing at the corner, Dut the try was not converted. New Zealand ........... 5 London .!.... 3 Millar Puts London Ahead. Not long afterwards, Wakefieid picked up in the loose, and passed to the three-uuarters, the movement again t-ndiug with Millar, who put London ahead, by means of a fine piece of work. His- try was unconverted r London 6 New Zealand 5 This way only the second occasion in which the visitors have been hebind at ai.y stage of a game, the other time b*mg in'the match against Newport.

Brownlie's Second Try. I Injthls latter case, the lead was not held' long ,as the New Zealanders, by hard forward play, transferred action to London's territory, where Brownli2 cicssed under the posts, Nicholls easily converting. New Zealand 10 London ..; 6 There was no further score by half time, bui. each moment the superiority of the New Zealander combina tionwas becoming 1 more and more apparent. The backs were playing with beautiful precision, though the forwards were still faced by vigorous resistance, bolh In the scrums and in the loos'.-. New Zealand Plays "Four-three" After the interval, Farfegr. jdayed

right w'ng three-quarter, improving matters materially by checking and defeating London's efforts to score with their fleet backs. The v's-ritors' scoring commenced almost immediately, Parker cross-kick-ing to the centre, Cooke secured and transferred to Svenson, who finally passed back to Cooke, and after the finest piece of combination work, the fast Auck ander scared—it was the gem of ti-'e match. Nicholls failed with the kick:— • New Zealand 13 London 6 Parker Successful at Three-quarter. Richardson (All Black) then fielded rear the line and passed inwards, Parker scaring after Brownlie, McGregor and Svenson had all handled Nicholls asain failed: — New Zealand .......... 16 London ..... .• •. • 6 The next try was Richardson's, as the result of excellent opening work l:.y Mill, McGregor and Nichollß, the last namod converting:— New Zealand 21 London 6 Cooke In Under Posts.

The tourists were now in charge of the game, and it was only a matter how many points they would win by. London, however, did not let up, the visitors vastly improved style of play was too effective 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:— , New Zealand .......... 26 < Londo.i 6 Parker Runs from Half-way. From a weak kick by Lawton, Parker secured, and from half-way started a ;un* which he finished under the pons for Nicholls to convert. There was no further . score, and the game, in which delightful form was shown by the All Blacks, ended: New Zealand 31 London 6