THE ALL BLACKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 219, 15 September 1924, Page 9

THE ALL BLACKS.

DEVON DEFEATED 11 TO 0.; SARD, BOUGH GAME. NOT SPARKLING FOOTBALL. \ {By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright.) I , LONDON, September 14. |, ; The All Blacks opened their tour yes-11 terday, when they defeated Devon by 11 points to nil. All the seats were boofiect • for the match. Critics had awaited the ! engagement with the keenest interest, ' having already been highly impressed i with the form of the Xew Zealanders in training and also with their exemplary , conduct. Th? visitors were accorded a tremendous reception at the ground, whicii was ; crowded to its capacity of 16,000. The ■ turf was in excellent condition. ' Devon won the toss, and the New Zea- ■ landers opened the attack. Play was ragged through over-keenness on both sides. Devon made a surprisingly fine stand, holding the New Zealanders in the scrummages by tremendous efforts, . but their play lacked finesse and method. I HALF-TIME SCORE B—O. ' After 30 minutes' hard, rough play, 1 with the New Zealanders mostly in. ! Devon's quarter, fine passing put Svent son over the line at the corner. Nepia ! failed with the kick. -! Hanley almost kicked a goal for Devon. ■ Then good passing from a scrum gave ■ Cooke an opening, which he accepted, j \ Nepia converted. • i' This reverse stung Devon into action, ■ and the New Zealanders had to force : down twice in rapid succession. i 1 Half-time came with the scores S—o, j i in the visitors' favour. i i The Xew Zealanders underestimated > ' the strength of the opposing forwards, ( who after the interval showed increasing . cohesion, and were responsible for clever ; playAt last, Svenson, following up his own | ' kick, passed in to Brown, who scored. 1 >" Isepia failed to convert. A SHARP COMMENT. ; A continued melee among the forwards ! induced rough play on i>oth sides. The , i passing of the New Zealand backs was | not up to the usual standard. Although j the forwards were usually successful in I gaining the ball from the scrums, frequent knocking-on by the backs prevented the movements reaching successful . finality. Devon almost crossed the line on two • occasions. Frequent use was made of the ( ' line by Devon. One back being appreci- , ably the slowest in the game prevented the -New Zealanders from giving a spectacular exhibition. The consensus of opinion is that the team has ibeen considerably over-rated, j : Cooke and Svenson were the best of the . i backs, and Richardson and M. Brownlie j tie best of the forwards. The AH Blacks had the advantage in weight, but their play was not convincing. The colonials present were surprised at the showing made by Devon, but regarded the play of the New Zealanders as hardly an index of their future performances.—(A. And SfJL Cable.) COMMENT ON THE PI-AY. UESS STRONG THAN 1905 TEAM. AMAZINGLY FAST." (Received 9.30 a.m.) i LONDON, September 14. j ' The "Sunday News*' says that the.' New Zealanders on a hard ground will be difficult to beat, but it will be surprising if they even approach the record .of their predecessors. iThe "News of the World" gives a. similar verdict, and - expresses the opinion that Dalley and Cooke are likely to distinguish themselves. Porter's mission as extra half, wing forward, or rover does not appeal to the English footballers. For most of the time he ' was purely an abstractionist "That style of play is not wanted- here," says. the "News." The "Observer" says that the aiewj Zealanders on this showing are riot so powerful as the previous team. Their forwards were not a whit in advance of Devon, but the team had a decided pull, outside the scrum. ! The "Sunday Express" says that some of the New Zealanders' ways in the scrum displeased the spectators, the crowd at one time demanding that two should be sent off. The team was amazingly fast. (A. and N.Z. Cable.) : The second match of the tour will be 1 played at Cam-borne on Thursday, when the All Blacks meet Cornwall, whom the , New Zealand team of 1905 defeated by 41 points to 0. The other fixtures for this month are: Saturday, v. Somerset; ; September 25, v. Gloucester; September; : 27, v. Swansea. j I