THE ALL BLACKS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 296, 27 September 1935, Page 6

THE ALL BLACKS

CLEARLY SETTLING DOWN.

BACKING UP A FEATURE.

COMMENT ON ABERTILLEEY GAME. (United Press Association—Copyright). (Received This Day, 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, September 26. Howard Marshall 1 , writing in the “Daily Telegraph,” says that the All Blacks playing against Abertillery and Cross Keys gave the best display yet, clearly settling down and acquiring positional sense, their backing-up was amazing in swiftness and anticipation. A man merely had to fling the ball at random over his shoulder, sure that a team- mate would be there. The forwards are speeding up, finding form in the loose. The “Morning Post” says that the All Blacks’ backing-up was a feature. Both forwards and backs showed remarkable ability in snapping up stray passes. There is no suggestion that Wales mil he able to find a team to overcome the visitors. The “Daily Express” says that the All Blacks have arrived in thrustful force. They were sparkling, swift and audacious, and their open play was dashing.

THE MATCH AGAINST SWANSEA. TEAMS FOR TO-MORROW. (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, September 26. The All Blacks team against Swansea, at Swansea to-morrow, is as fob lows: All Blacks. Full-back. Gilbert Tlireequarters. Ball. Oliver. Mitchell. Five-eighths. Caughey. Tindall. Halfback. Corner. Forwards. Lambourn, Pepper, Wynyard, Collins, King, Manchester, McLean. (One name missing). Swansea. Full-back. E. Jones. Threequarters. G. Davies, R. Williams, E. Davey, Griffiths. Halves. W. Davies. Tanner, Forwards. Taylor, Payne, Tarr, K. White, Harris, Hunt, Long, D. White. CONDITION OF THE DISABLED. CAUGHEY SPRAINS A LEG. (Received This Day, 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, September 26. Hart injured a thigh muscle and willj probably be out, for several games. Mahoney and Page are remaining at Bradford for a week, while Dalton will remain at Newport for a similar period. Hart is fit to travel. There is some doubt as to Caughey playing on Saturday on account of a strained leg.

GREAT INTEREST IN EDINBURGH (Received This Day, 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, September 26. The Scottish Union is doubling the seating accommodation at Murray Field for the international match against the New Zealanders on November 23.

GOOD GAME PREDICTED. The All Blacks will meet Swansea on the fine St. Helen’s ground, where the tourists will probably experience for the first time that extraordinary phenomenon, the singing Welsh crowd, with thousands joining with fervour in “Land of My Fathers” and other of the national airs of Wales. Many visiting sides have been disconcerted by the remarkably electric atmosphere cast over the ground by these enthusiastic and impressive community singers, but the 1924 All Blacks evidently had no ear for music, for they beat Swansea 39-3, and on the same ground downed Wales 19-0. In 1905’ it was touch and go, only a great left-foot dropped goal by W. J. Wallace enabling New Zealand to beat Swansea 4-3. That, however, was the last match of the tour. The All Blacks will be fortunate to have a walk-over this year, for last season Swansea at times displayed form which sent supporters into transports of delight, and caused critics to recall the “good old days” of football in Wales. E. C. Dayey, a big and strong centre three-quarter, led the side as he did Wales, which he has represented since 1930. In the forwards were I>. Thomas arid T. Day, both Welsh representatives since 1931. Contributing more than anything else to the success of the side, however, wa3 the discovery of two brilliant schoolboy half-backs, H. Tanner and 1 W. T. H. Davies. Tanner, only 18, was effective in both attack and defence, and shrewd judges said his play contributed substantially to the brilliance of Davies, whose form was one of the sensations of the season in British Rugby. The “London Times,” not given to indulging in superlatives about footballers or anything else, said of his play for Swansea against Cambridge University: “For sheer skill and artistry young W. T. H. Davies, the standoff half, was not to be equalled, by even the exceptional C. W. Jones,” high praise indeed 1 , as Jones was another remarkable find, and has been described! by some New Zealanders who have seen him as another A. E. Cooke. “The Times” said of Davies that

“better handling, cleverer running and more perfectly placed kicking could hardly ho imagined,” and voiced the prediction that on the youngster would settle the mantle of “such geniuses as R-. Jones and W. Trew.”