"Will Do Our Best"

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 328, 13 April 1928, Page 11

"Will Do Our Best"

ALL BLACKS SAIL MESSAGES TO THE SUN (Special to THE SUS I WELLINGTON. To-di' The All Blacks sailed from Wellington this afternoon for South Africa. In a farewell mes sage to THE SUN. Mr. W. F. Hornig, the manager of the team, said: “We know that the eyes of th* country ana upon us and we will do our best. “New Zealand considers this the most important Rugby tour of the century, for during it the Rugoy supremacy of the world is at stak We are sending the cream of our fooi ball talent and it will be a great team that beats us. ' We are not underrating the opposition. but at the same time we are not afraid of anything which they ms set against us. If we fail, it will no: be through lack of determination .<» do our best.’* In a message to The Sun's readers just before sailing. Maurice Brownlie, captain of the team, expressed his and the team's highest appreciation of the enthusiasm and interest shown by the people of New Zealand in the coming tour. “I should like to thank the people for their expressions of goodwill. We realise that the task ahead of us wiH be a very difficult one. but it will he our endeavour to maintain the high est standards of sportsmanship in the truest sense of the word. “New Zealand may rest assured that we will do our utmost to justify its confidence in us and to uphold worthily* the traditions handed down to us by previous teams from these shores. Au revoir!” Yesterday the team was given a civic farewell in Wellington and entertained at a banquet in the evening, when the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, was present. Mr. Coates wished the team success. and said they had the backing of the whole of the people of New Zealand. The conference of the New’ Zealand Labour Party passed a resolution wishing the team good luck and approving of the contribution which past teams had made to internaXioraJ goodwill.