THE "ALL BLACKS."

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1919, Page 12

THE "ALL BLACKS."

{JEW ZEALANDERS IN THE FIELD. v !A DAY OF VICTOR^ London, April 28. Wednesday, April 23, was a day of victory for New Zealand soldier footballers. In the opening match of the "Theatre of War Championship"—in which a Maoriland team has the honor of representing Egypt—the New Zealand fifteen beat the Home Forces' team by a penalty goal and a try (G points) to nothing; another New Zealand team "took it out of" the Coventry fifteen on their native heath to the "All Black" tune of four goals and nine tries (47 points) to nothing; and a third contingent of Islanders beat the Ebbw Vale team at home by one goal, two dropped goals, one penalty goal and four tries (28 points) to nothing. It is a pretty little sum to scan: N.Z. beat Home Forces ... G points to 0 N.Z. beat Coventry ...... 47 points too N.Z. beat Ebbw Vale .... 2S points to 0 81 points to 0

THEATRE OF WAR CHAMPIONSHIP.

For the Theatre of War Championship unfortunately, of the various threatres, only Egypt and France are able to send over Rugby teams, so the contest has been reduced to a field of three, completed by the Home forces. Wednesday's encounter saw the Home forces, who had experienced difficulty in getting together a team worthy of the occasion, beaten by New Zealanders chosen from the troops in Egypt. The play proved very even until the concluding quarter of an hour. From that point the New Zealanders overran the home side. Within five minutes Lieut. Scott, of the Wellington Mounted Rifles, had secured a try, and just on time the same player secured a penalty goal. The game at Coventry, as the score shows, was too one-sided to merit lengthy description. The New Zealand team was at full strength, and though tho Coventry forwards worked like Trojans the home team was outclassed fore and oft The tries were gained for the New Zealanders by Stohr (three), Fea (three), Ford (three), Tureia, Hasell, Cockroft, and McNaught, of which O'Brien converted three and Stohr one. At Ebbw Vale, also, the New Zealanders, who played a fast, open game, were altogether too much for the local team. They put on 22 points in the opening half. Ryan was in great form, dropping two goals and registering two tries, one' of which Capper improved. Standen also got over the home line before the interval, while afterwards McGibbon ran in twice.

UNITED SERVICES BEATEN. On Saturday New Zealand sent down practically the same side which carried off the inter-services competition to Salisbury to meet .the team of the United Services, and the Dominion fifteen, playing a forward game and showing excellent combination, gaineft a handsome victory by a goal and five tries to a dropped goal and a try (20 points to 7). Playing with the wind behind them in the opening half, the New Zealanders started off in such brilliant style that within ten minutes of the kick-off they had twice crossed the Services line, the scorer on each occasion being Singe, the wing-forward- A little later McNaught, who took the place of S.tohr in the threequarter line, put on a further try, but in all three cases the place kick failed. At times there was some promising work by the Services, and at length WicksPowell scored in the corner. Before the intert al the Now Zealanders went further ahead, Ryan plaoing a goal from a try by Ford, and nt half-time New Zealand led by 14 points to 3. On resuming the Services had the wind in their favor, but their efforts against the tremendous attack of the New Zealanders had taken too much out of them to permit the team reaping the full advantage of "Rude Boreas," and Rankin, an Australian who played full-back, dropped a fine goal from mid-field, but the New Zealanders were not to be denied, Ford and Hasell in .turn crossing the line.

LLANELLY TRIUMPHS. Defeat awaited a New Zealand I arkhill Camp team that visited I.lanellv on Saturday. The Maorilanders struck the Welshmen in form, and. Buffered defeat by 17 points to 9. The home team, with a strong wind behind them, put on three unconverted tries in the first half, while their opponents failed to score. 11l the second half, however, play was ot a more even character, and both sides were prominent in attack in turn, but Jenkins, for Llanelly, raced three parts of the field and scored under the posts, and also kicked a goal. The New Zealanders did not take the same advantage of the wind in the second half as their opponents did earlier in the frame, being no doubt rather spun out with their efforts against .the wind in the opening session. All the same, they kept the Welsh defence very busy, but their efforts were fruitless until a passing bout ended in Knight dropping a neat goal. A few minutes later Hines, from another passing movement, penel rated the home defences and scored, Woodrow converting. The New Zealand team was composed of: Deuelirass, Lenane, Robertson, Hines, Knight, Wiggins, Macartney, Barr, Woodrow, MeCormack, Smythe, Mclnnis, Pearcey, and Carrouth.

EXETER VANQUISHED. For a game at Exeter on Saturday against the New Zealand Demobilisation Depot team from Torquay, Exeter, and Exmouth combined, hut suffered defeat by 14 points to 0. During most of the first, half the Devon men were practically overwhelmed, and the visitors ran in four fine tries by Muir, Hunt (2), mid Ross, all from smart handling and strong, straight running. Later the home forwards developed loose footwork which the opposition found troublesome, and before the interval Mogvidge had reduced the lead, scoring from a breakaway. Continuing the same tactics in the second half, the Devons had a much better share of the game, and with the New Zealandera tiring towards the close, the only score was another try for the Devon side by Duclisehercr from a forward rush.

A TRIP TO IRELAND. A fourth New Zealand team sailed across the sea to piay Queen's University, Belfast, on Saturday, and justified the trip by securing an 18-point to nil victory, two goals (one dropped) and three tries rewarding the efforts of the Dominion players. Roberts opened the scoring for the visitors, and although the . Qtagg-kiak failed a dragged goal increase^'.

the New Zcalandors' lead. Change of ends sliowed the visitors still more formidable, King and Ry t an putting on further iries, while before the end Roberts got over and himself placed a goal. A LOST CHAMPIONSHIP, The New Zealand team representing Egypt in the inter-theatre of war championship were the unlucky losers of the final match of this tournament, which was played at Aldershot yesterday, the French-British Expeditionary Force fifteen winning after a stoutly contested game by 5 points to 3. From the meagre reports to hand, it appears that the losers had to play a man short after ,the first quarter of an hour, Trooper Johnston, of the Auckland Rifles, having the misfortune to break a rib. The teams were well matched, but the "Egyptians" had the best of matters during ,the first half, and McNeil scored a try for them, which, however, was not converted. After changing ends the play was very exciting and strenuous, and, in spite of deficiency in man power, the New Zealanders held on to their lead until about, .ten minutes from the end, when Harnson got through their defence, and, the place-kick being sucessful, won the match for the 8.E.F., and with it the championship.