FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8554, 12 October 1907, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

THE "PRO-BLACKS."

The following matches will be played by the New Zealand professional team in October: — October 12th —v. Huddersfield. October 16th —v. Widnes. October 19th —v. Broughton Rangers. October 23rd—v. ' Wakefield Trinity. October 26th—v. Leeds. October 30th—v. St. Helens. Commenting on the first matoh of the "All Black" professional team against "All Ceylon," The Times of Ceylon of Friday,' September 13th, says: "Yesterday evening Colombo witnessed a display of football such as it has never seen ' before, and is not likely to do again for many a long year. . . . The display of the 'All Blacks' realised the high expectation formed of tliem. They are a stupendous team, and are likely to a lot of heartache when they start playing in England. Every man knew his game thoroughly, and the ■combination exhibited the machine like precision and the absence of I hindering which is to be seen in a first-class professional Association loam at Home, combined with the inc'widui.l brilliancy usually to be seen in such a sid?. The way every man appeared to be in just the right place v. han required, and the consequent Marvellous quickness with which openings were taken advantage of — rto ball being one- minute in their n twenty-live and in !ef-s than half < minute being taken over the other •Ve's line—shows that in New ZeaRugby has been raised to the urne perfection of almost automatic :■ ■ribination as Association has been . f."d by English and Scottish pro;3si' nalism. Tnis s'.ate of efficiency

can only be the despair of Ceylon teams, but there were a good many lessons to be gained from the 'All Blacks' such as sharpness in forming and breaking up the scrums, quickness in handling, smart heeling, and the old lesson of quick following up. The magnificent kicking and passing are. of course, matters of practice and individual efficiency. There were fine individual displays. Messengar is a name that we are sure to hear of frequently when the Home matches begin. His speed and diabolical trickiness were such that it is almost an impossibility to stop him, whereas bis value as place-kick must be enormous to the team. He shone out clear amongst a galaxy of fine players. All the others, with the exception of the full back, appeared to be almost equal in their high degree of skiil. If anybody it was Cross, a tremendously strong and fleet forward, who struck one most among them. The full back, Turtill, did not show to great advantage." Wright, of Fetone, has been elected captain of the "Pro-Blacks," and Smith, of Auckland, vice-captain. D. Fraser, a Petone forward, joined the team at Sydney, and played in one of the matches against Nsw South Wales.