RAIN AND SNOW

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 267, 24 August 1949, Page 3

RAIN AND SNOW

Experience for All Blacks LONG DRY SPELL BROKEN (From Claude King.—N.Z.P.A. Representative with the All Blacks) (Rec. 9.35) ALIWAL NORTH, Aug. 23. In the midst of a tour which has been marked by a sequence of fine and hot days, the All Blacks were surprised to-day just before leaving Bloemfontein for Aliwal North to experience conditions which reminded them of home . more than anything else.

This was the sudden banking up of thick rain clouds followed by a light snowfall. The team lias now been in South Africa for 107 days, and has travelled just on 7000 miles. During those three and a half months they have rseen rain on only three days. To-day’s light snowfall recalled to many of them conditions before the New Zealand-Britain match at. Carisbrook in 1930. To-day’s light rain and snow broke the long dry spell in the Orange Free State and should help to take the sing out of the grounds, which are very hard in this area.

INJURED PLAYERS RECOVER

(From Claude King—N.Z.P.A. Representative with the All Blacksi. BLOEMFONTEIN, Aug. 23. With the return of such players as Willocks and Gudsell to the active ranks, the All Blacks now are completely free from injuries. Scott’s injured ankle has mended, and it is expected'that he will play against the Orange Free State on Saturday. Skinner, Harvey and Scott have played in most games on the tour, namely 13. Henderson, Simpson, and McNab are next with 12. The North-Eastern District team to play the All Blacks to-morrow contains one player who took part in the Springbok trials. He is Slabbert, the scrum half. The side is not regarded as a formidable one, and the All Blacks are expected to have their easiest win of the tour.

The home team is:—-Full-back: Brink. Three-quarters: Labuschagne, Greyvenstein, van Rooyan, Wagner. Halves: Chandler, Slabbert. Forwards: van Zyl, ‘Strydom, Joubert; Cronje, Ackermann, Pienaar, van dor Vyver; Cloete.