THE ALL BLACKS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 72, 7 January 1936, Page 3

THE ALL BLACKS

RICH SEASON FOR ENGLAND.

STIMULUS GIVEN TO THE GAME.

United Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, January 5. Howard Marshall, writing in "The Daily Telegraph," says: "The New Zealanders must be painfully surprised at the brilliance of Prince Obolensky's running, though they encountered him on a wet day at Oxford. I will never forget how Gilbert raised his hand helplessly with a look of almost comic resignation as Obolensky raced round him to score the first try. This has been a rich season. We must be grateful to the New Zealanders for the stimulus they have given our game. They ran up against England when the side was at its top form. That is all." "The News-Chronicle" says: "All things must come to an end, even the superiority of New Zealanders at Rugby. They suffered the heaviest defeat any New Zealand side has even experienced in these islands. In all the finer arts of Rugby, save only quick heeling from the scrummage, England surpassed her rivals, whose attempts to batter through the middle, of the English defence were frustrated. They seemed to have no alternative method of attack. They have nobody to match speed with Obolensky, or skill with Gadney or Cranmer. Their backs were badly overplayed."

"SIMPLY DID MY BEST." PRINCE OBOLENSKY'S MODESTY. LONDON, January 5. "It is difficult for me to, believe I am anything but an Englishman. As one I simply did my best at Twickenham. I will play again for England if selected," said Prince Obolensky, who expected shortly to receive naturalisation papers. He is the son of a, former officer in the Tsar's Imperial Horse Guards. He will return to Oxford next term and will continue to play there, where he is the first Russian to win a Rugby blue. None of the congratulations are more appreciated than those of the All Blaoks. THE VICTORS CONGRATULATED. NEW ZEALAND' UNION'S CABLE. ■ WELLINGTON, January 6. The New Zealand Rugby Union has cabled to the Rugby Union in England; "New Zealand Rugby Union extends hearty congratulations on your victory in the final test." "VERY SATISFACTORY." POPULARITY OF THE TEAM. WELLINGTON, Jan. 6. Mr FY T. Glasgow (acting-chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union's management committee), commenting on the All Blacks' tour, said : "I consider that the tour has been very satisfactory.' Although the match record has not been quite as good as that of former tours, 'from private advices we learn that the team has been most popular, both on and off the field, and nothing but praise for its members has been heard from all quarters. They have created a most favourable impression, and their behaviour throughout has been most exemplary." OBOLENSKY PRAISED. ENGLISH CRICKETER'S TRIBUTE. INVERCARGILL, Jan. 6. "We are naturally pleased at England's win in the Rugby test on Saturday, though it was rather a surprise to me personally," said E. R. T. Holmes, captain of the Marylebone Cricket Club team, this evening. Speaking of Prince Obolensky's scoring, Holmes said that the Russian prince had jumped into prominence all of a sudden, as it was his first big game, apart from university games and matches, in which he represented Oxford. The Marylebone Cricket Club team had had a high opinion of Prince Obolensky's ability, and bis success in the match was not altogether a surprise to them. A few of the Englishmen were among the listeners early on Sunday morning. N.Z. RUGBY TEAM'S RECORD. SELECTOR ANSWERS CRITICS. GREYMOUTH, January 6. Mr Alan Adams, a New Zealand selector, interviewed, expressed the opinion that the All Blacks' tour had been most successful. The team was unfortunate through injuries and sickness, and a great strain was placed upon players by the number of Thursday and Saturday fixtures arranged. Discussing Wales's win, Mr Adams said that in 1905 New Zealand was beaten bv Wales, which was then at its peak in Rugby football, and the 1924 team, with it's unbeaten record, were fortunate to find Welsh football at probably its weakest period since the war. Last season Home critics Mere agreed that Wales was fast approaching its pre-war standard, so that the performance of the 1935 team was splendid against a country which had won previously against the 1905 New Zealand team the 1908 Australian team, and

had only lost by a penalty goal to the 1912 South African team.

"Although the record of 27 games played with constant travelling and the necessity of keeping in regular training is a big strain on players, with the likelihood of staleness developing, nothing can detract from the splendid victory gained by the English side over our boys," said Mr Adams. It is obvious that visits from New Zealand, South African, and Australian teams have developed the tactical play of the Home countries, who have always had individual talent, but, with tho exception of Wales, wore generally content to rely on individual rather than combined effort. "Successive tours to the Old Country have shown us that they have players of a calibre equal to our own, and the lessons learnt from touring sides have been taken to heart, and now England, Ireland and Scotland are able to place in the field teams capable of measuring up to the best Dominion standards, all of which is for the good of the game. I have always been of the opinion that Wales, despite a few lean seasons, has always been in the front rank in international Rugby. "I am sure that the 1935 New Zealand team has proved a most popular body of men, both on and off the field, and worthy representatives in every respect of all that is best in New Zealand sport. They have been very fortunate in having at the head Mr Meredith, who had a most difficult task through the injuries and illness of many of his team. "When the record of the tour is written I am sure we will find that no touring team from New Zealand has ever had as manager one more capable of looking after the interests of the team and of upholding in every way his position as representative of New Zealand's national game." Mr Adams concluded: "One jarring note in connection with the tour has come from within New Zealand, where some ex-players rushed early into print, and from the commencement of the tour were determined to see no good in the team or its manager, and were obsessed with the idea that the only footballers produced in New Zealand were of their time and that, incidentally, they themselves had set up an unapproachable standard. They adopted a most ungenerous attitude toward the touring side. "The 1935 team can rest satisfied that whilst they by their sportsmanlike conduct both on and off the field have built up a wonderful reputation for themselves and New Zealand Rugby, the reputations of these vindictive writers have dropped considerably in the minds of all New Zealanders loving fair play."

PRINCE OBOLENSKY.

LIFE SPENT IN ENGLAND. Not only among University men, but also in the town, where he has already an enthusiastic following, I found great satisfaction to-day over tho fact that Prince A. Obolensky, the Oxford University Rugby right wing three-quar-ter, had applied for British naturalisation papers (wrote the Oxford correspondent of the "Daily Mail" recently). The prince has not only won his blue, but he also has a personality and a style which have made him already much of a hero with Rugby football enthusiasts here.

Everyone was asking whether, in tho event of his being regarded by the selectors as good enough to play for England, his Russian nationality would make him ineligible. When I called on him at Brasenose College I found that to everyone in the University he is "Mr Obolensky." He is, as one might expect, in perfect training. With fair hair and complexion, ho looks a typical English public schoolboy, and there is nothing of the popular notion of a Russian prince about his appearance. "Although my naturalisation may have some bearing on my future chances of being included in an international side, the chief reason for it is that I intend to work in England," said Prince Obolensky. "Naturalisation would have been necessary in any case, especially if I wished to enter the civil service. I had been thinking about it. I was born in Petrograd, but came to England when I was two, and, except for visits to Paris to see my parents, have lived here ever since. I am now 19."