A COMFORTABLE WIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 252, 23 October 1924, Page 7

A COMFORTABLE WIN.

ALL BLACKS AT MANCHESTER. TWENTY-THREE POINTS TO NH, COOKE PLAYS AGAIN. <By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 2.20 p.m.) LONDON, October 22. The All Blacks played the twelfth match of their tour to-day against Lancashire at Old Trafford Park, in Manchester, when there was an attendance of 40,000 spectators. The New Zealand team was.- Full-back, Nepia; ' three-quarters, Hart, Cooke, Svenson; five-eighths, Paewai, McGregor; half, Dalley; rover. Porter; forwards, White, Irvine, Masters, M. Brownlie, Richardson, Cupples, Stewart. It will he observed from the team that the All Blacks were spelling three of theiir four hookers, and substituting White. MOSTLY IN THE FIRST SPELL. At the..outset the New Zealanders were forced into defensive play, quite contrary to their usual experience, but within ten minutes they had struck their combination, and they then' went right away to the attack. This ended in ruck play close to Lancashire's goal, where Porter snapped the ball up and went over fora try, which Nepia converted. All Blacks 5 Lancashire 0 The Lancashire backs, in trying to open up the attack,, were playing loosely, and their tackling was weak. From another scramble Richardson scored, but Nepia failed to convert. All Blacks 8 Lancashire 0 The New Zealand backs then opened up with -smart handling, which kept Lancashire in their own territory, where there were some fine bouts of r passing. The All Blacks were kept out until Svenson smartly fielded a rebound from a Lancashire player and scored at the corner, a try which Nepia failed to convert. Very shortly afterwards Porter scored again In almost similar fashion, and once more Nepia failed to add the extra points. Further passing bouts resulted in Cooke scoring a try, which was not converted, and the score at half-time was: All Blacks 17 Lancashire 0 SECOND SPELL, MORE EVEN. In the second spell the home players made a much better showing, and with a. rush in the first few minutes they compelled the All Blacks to force. Then the New Zealand forwards went away in a dittbbling rush to tho Lancashire line, where Masters fielded and scored. Richardson took the shot at goal, but failed. Although tlie All Blacks continued to press, they were well held off until Stewart fed the hacks from a lineout, the bout resulting in Cooke notching his second try. Nepia, in his effort to convert, hit the post with the ball, and the game ended with the score:— All Blacks 23 Lancashire 0 "NEPIA IN GOOD FORM. The game was not an edifying exposition, Lancashire's tackling being deplorably weak, and the. backs relying principally on line-kicking. The All Blacks got the hall from most of the scrums, hut many of the passing attacks failed through faulty handling by Paewae and McGregor. Lancashire improved in the second half, especially among the forwards, who put in some fine rallying rushes, but the defence was sound, Nepia fending off the attackers with fine lengthy kicks. j Many of the All Blacks' attacks were disorganised and lacked finish.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.)