ALL BLACKS LOSE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 298, 30 September 1935, Page 6

ALL BLACKS LOSE

SWANSEA SCORES 11 TO 3.

POOR HANDLING BY VISITORS. BACKS CHANGED AT HALF-TIME. (United Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, September 29. Swansea beat the All Blacks by 11 points to 3, at Swansea, before an attendance of 30,000. The teams were: All Blacks. Full-back: D. Solomon. Three-quarters: N. Ball, G. Gilbert, N. A. Mitchell.

Five-eighths: T. H. O. Caughey, E. W. Tindill. Half-back: M. Corner.

Forwards: A. Lamboum, C.'S. Pepper, J. G. Wynyard, W. Collins, R It. King, J. E. Manchester, H. F. McLean, G. T. Adkins.

Swansea. Full-back; iE. Jones. Three-quarters: G. Davies, R. Williams, Davey, Griffiths. Halves: W. Davies, Tanner. Forwards: Payne, Tarr, K. White, Harris, Long, D. White and Hunt.

Swansea kicked off. The All Blacks who had apparently abandoned packing a 3-4 scrum with a loose forward, lost the first scrum. Tanner, from the second, made a nice run but was forced out. Then there was a spell of open play, the backs exchanging kicks. Solomon was twice called on to save, but fumbled and knocked on. He seemed nervous. Caughey attempted a run and was almost through the defence. A few minutes later Williams and Davey were prominent in a fine run. The All Blacks’ inside backs then secured, enabling Ball to make an exciting run. He beat three opponents, but his in-pass was dropped. Gilbert missed with a penalty kick. The Swinsea forwards, showing determination, held their own for the first 20 minutes, heeling well in the serums and rucks. This delighted the spectators. They kept up the pressure, which led to the first score. From a scramble near the lino Hunt used his weight and scored. Harris did not goal. Swansea 3, New Zealand 0. Caughey was generally prominent, but was closely watched. At one stage he had four men on him. Caughey appeared to say something to the referee, a (Swansea man, who spoke ,to the players. Shortly afterwards, Davey, receiving the ball from Davies, scored a grand try between the posts and Harris converted. Swansea 8, New Zealand 0.

Soon after Davey again pierced the defence, Solomon saving when the Welshman kicked. The New Zealanders eventually got going. Gilbert made an opening after Caughey, Tindill, and’ Corner had handled, for Ball to score. Gilbert did not convert. Swansea 8, New Zealand 3.

The New Zealand backs were again defeated when Davey scored after a spectacular moyement among the backs, eadh majn gaining ground. Harris did not goal. Half-time score: Swansea II New Zealand 3

In the second half Caughey went to centre, Gilbert to full-back, and Solomon to second five-eighths.

Harris was bowled over when marking the ball from the kick-off. The crowd hooted and there was an even louder expression of resentment when Jones was also knocked over when taking a mark. The referee spoke to Pepper. Solomon was on his toes, and was eager to rectify his former mistakes. The All Black forwards, rising tear; away tactics, early gained ground. The team evidently realised the seriousness of the position, as Swansea was playing well and giving the hacks little room to move. Apparently they sensed a victory ahead. Their forwards again began holding the New Zealanders, making the All Blacks defend for 10 minutes. Swansea played with a wing forward in the line-outs apparently aiming to swoop on Corner and Tindill with all possible speed. The All Black forwards were now fighting magnificently. Manchester, King, and Collins were especially prominent, and were in the thick of every ruck. Manchester looking grim, was spurring on his men. Swansea a - eip,eatedly took scrums instead of line-outs. A drizzle, which began after half-time, was now lessening the All Blacks’ chances. Corner finally got his backs moving but they were upset by determined tackling. The Welshmen, exploiting stab linekicks, gained ground and hemmed the All Blacks on the line making every effort to increase their score. They lost a chance when Davey attempted a scissors movement. The home team continued to hold the upper hand and the All Blacks, making desperate efforts and trying to .vary tactics, wei'e unable to makie headway. Swansea, held the advantage territorially during the first part of the second half, but a breakaway carried the ball to Swansea’s goal-line, the full-back saving. His kick reached half-way. Swansea, pressed from this relief, hut a promising movement by them failed through a dropped pass. Many of the spectators began to leave, satisfied that the game was over. Gilbert, in attempting to save, kicked over his own goal-line. The scrum was formed near the posts in a roar or excitement. The All Blacks, with a final rally, dashed down the field and a try seemed certain, but the Swansea full-ball pounced on the ball in the nick of time, just ahead of Adkins. With the final whistle, the crowd exultantly rushed the field, cheering the victors. Thousands gathered in front of the stand, singing “For They are Jolly Good Fellows.” Long, the Welsh captain, addressed: them. The New Zealanders looked disappointed as they trooped off. The special correspondent of the

United Press Association, commenting on the game, says the match against Swansea was the All Blacks’ first meeting with an entire club side, and they encountored the best combination so far. Swansea was anxious to avenge the overwhelming defeat the New Zealanders inflicted in 1924, and lived up to expectations, providing the tourists with a real test. The forwards fought tigerishly, and had the better of the rucks aucl scrums. The backs were especially formidable, particularly the "schoolboy halves,” Tanner and W. Davies, who are regarded as the most promising pair in Welsh today, and Claude Davey, the International centre, one of the surest and hardest tacklers playing in Britain. The Swansea backs were generally better than the All Blacks, none of whom was in real form. Their handling was poor, and Solomon and Gilbert were decidedly weak. Caughey was definitely off form. It is understood that he was not keen to play, doubting whether his leg would stand the strain, but he was persuaded to turn out.

A gigantic crowd sang "Land of Our Fathers,” when the piayers came out. The weather was dull and overcast, and rain during the morning had mails' the ground heavy, contributing to the All Blacks’ defeat. STRENGTH OF SWANSEA PACK.

EQUAL TO BEjST NEW ZEALAND.

(Received This Day, 12.55 p.m.) LONDON, September 29

Several writers sympathise with the All Blacks in having to meet an inspired, Swansea team early on the tour, also when weakened by injuries.

Howard Marshall, writing in thg "Daily Telegraph,” while admitting that Oliver was a great loss owing to his tactical guidance and clever defensive covering, doubts whether the New Zealanders at full strength would have stayed off defeat, as the result depended on. the forwards. The Swansea pack would have beaten any All Black combination. The All Blacks apparently do not realise that sound scrummaging is the foundation of Rugby tactics. Their packing three-quar-ter and three-four-one are only quick heeling expedients against inferior packs on dry grounds. They are not sound for all-round purposes, especially when a slippery ball necessitates forward control.

"The Times,” hoping that the game at Swansea marked the beginning of a new golden era, still believes that the New Zealanders will confound their detractors.

"RATHER BADLY RATTLED.”

WEAKNESSES IN THE FORWARDS

LONDON, Sept. 29. The Rugby critic of the "Observer” says: "The defeat of the All Blacks is relatively unimportant, as it is an undisputed fact that some recent international teams, owing to poor combination, would have been beaten by a tip-top club side. Consequently the All Blacks’ international matches are still open, although they must improve their forward play in order to succeed. Moreover, Swansea proved that a club can provide better fixtures than combined teams, which may affect future programmes. Dr. Gent, writing in the "Sunday Times” on the Swansea match, says the All Blacks were rather badly r attled in the opening stages of the second half, when the referee stopped the game three times in three minutes to speak to players on both sides. The Swansea pack repeatedly exposed the visitors’ weakness in the forwards, which the brilliance *of the backs was unable to counteract.

E. H. D. Sewell in the “Sunday Graphic” says the defeat was due to lack of pace behind the All Black scrum,-for which injuries were not responsible. The victory proves the folly of.giving touring teams fixtures with 10 “gift matches” against English scratch sides.

“SWANSEA WON ON ITS MERITS.”

MR MEREDITH’S COMMENT

LONDON, September 29

Mr V. It. Meredith (manager of the All Blacks) in an interview, .said Swansea won on its merits. “They played better football than New Zealand,” he said. He refused to comment on the All Blacks’ display, or to discuss the possibility of the experimental back formation having caused the defeat.