LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume 257, Issue 257, 29 October 1926, Page 13

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

HZ. LEAGUE TEAM.

DEFEAT BT HALIFAX. FORWARDS' SCRUM FAILURE. In the third match of their tour the All Blacks at Halifax failed, says "Forward" of the Manchester "Athletic Newe." The adverse score came as no surprise to those who, like myself, have cloeely followed their methods in the previous two matches, for the palpable ecrummage weakness so plainly manifest could only end in disaster. The All Blacks have fortunately realised where their trouble lies. The team wae heralded as the best forward combination in New Zealand, but the eponsors of the ecrummagere were not so certain as to the qualities of the backs. Yet even in this early stage of the tour the backs cannot he co adversely criticised as their forward colleagues, and New Zealand expectations are being far from realised. A line of fact is perhaps worth a column of theory. When the game commenced at Thrum Hall I carefully noted the scrummages and the result of the respective forwards' efforts in the allimportant essential of eecuring possession. My record jives— First half scrummages 39 Halifax secured possession from 33 New Zealand „ „ „ 6 Second half scrummages 35 Halifax secured possession from 23 New Zealanr „ „ „ 12 These sturdy New Zeaiana forwards actually in the whole game only heeled out the ball on eighteen occasions out of a possible 74. This method of scrummaging will never consistently win matches against our clubs, and until the All Blacks solve their apparently great p-oblem, the backs will be sorely troubled in every match they play. Lackadaisical Attack. A further feature of Saturday's play which calls for serious attention is that during the first forty minutes the All Blacks played, or, shall I say, did not play, as if they were tired. They had neither sparkle nor vim, and Halifax rightly took advantage to establish an interval lead, which the All Blacks, try as they would, could not erase. The New Zealand manager made several alterations, presumably to allow players to v ave a turn. Desmond, the youthful Wellington three-quarter, appeared in the three-quarter line, but, like Gardiner the sturdy, he does not appear equal to a sustained run at the pace necessary to defeat a watchful defence. Cole was to have appeared at fiveeighths, but injury prevented, and Kirwin partnered Brisbane. Both are resourceful, but denied opportunities in the first half. Like many of their colleagues, their tackling was faulty, and the maxim of going low was frequently disregarded. Davidson only gave *. glimpse of quality in -he later stage of the game. Opportunity • -:ver came his way, and

criticism of Delgroeso, the Auckland half-back, " wav making hie first appearance, mast be modified for the same reason. All the New Zealand backs can rightly plead exte-*uating circumstances. But restricted opportunities in attack must not absolve them from their errors in defence. These were serious, and the art of tackling low, both man and ball, must be perfected. Henziee was included in the forwards for the first time; Carroll occupied the "hooker" position in the first half; and Herring wae the middle man after the interval; but these tactical changes did not materially help. In the open, of course, every forward satisfied. Dufty did not maintain Wednesday's high standard, and his touch-finding was only moderate. Bustling Halifax. Halifax left nothing to chance. Their forwards were the dominant force from start to finish, and the backs were equal to their opponents in every phase of combined play. Watkins had a great time. He wae never penalised for putting in, and the little Welshman overplayed Delgrosso all through. Todd, a quick-thinking outside halfback, gave admirable support to bis centres, and if W. Young and Rhoades could not be described as brilliant, they were safe. H. Young and King made headway from many combined movement*, and Davies, at full-back, accomplished all that was necessary. W. Young opened the scoring with a penalty goal. In fifteen minutes Todd broke away, for H. Young to score, W. Young failing to augment. Eight minutes later the All Blacks' defence was at fault, and King finished another round of passing, the try not being improved. The home team's interval lead of eight points was quickly increased, H. Young scoring a try after two minutee' play, W. Young failing at the goal kick. Then the All Blacks made their first real attack. Delgroeso got away, but Avery dropped the transfer. Following a grand run by Davidson, Avery fielded a weak clearing -ick from Davies, and scored a try, which Dufty improved. A kick through by Todd, which he followed up, beat Dufty, and another try was recorded, W. Young again failing with the goal kick. The All Blacks during the next thirte\n minutes, through Avery and Briebane, scored tries, the latter being improved by Dufty. At this stage the All Blacks were a point in arrears, and I thought they were entitled to a penalty, the claim for which the referee ignored. Had this been given the position was* easy for Dufty. In the laet minute, from a series of scrummages near the visitors' line, Townend scored a try, which W. Young improved. The gate receipts were £1034. Players of Promise. Commenting on the New Zealand team's personnel the same critic says:— Already several players have revealed skill above the ordinary. At least three of the backs who played in both matches would be eagerly welcomed by many clubs if the standing orders allowed a

transfer. The came compliment can be paid to a trio of forwards, and, if my views are accepted, this means that fifty per cent, are regarded by club officials ac players who could give useful service to English clubs:The touriste do not possess a Horder or a Blinkhorn to fill the flank positions in the three-quarter line and maybe this lack of pace in these important positions will prove a handicap in the Test matches. Ido not think, however, that even these places will be more adequately filled when the men improve in condition and get quicker off the mark. SEASON ENDS TO-MORROW. COLTS AND VETERANS. The League football season will close to-morrow at Carlaw Park, when two matches will be played. The chief item is the game between two teams, one representing the Colts and the other a thirteen selected from, the B grade clubs. Memories of other days will be recalled when veterans of the League code will meet on No. 2 ground. The teams are: — Colts. —Fallback, Hanlon (Richmond) ; threequarters, L. Scott (Devonport), TJsher (Poneonby), Little (Newton) ; five-eighths; Seagar (Devonport), Crewther (Marist) ; halfback, Davis (Richmond) ; forwards, Avery (Richmond). Campbell (Richmond), Ward (Poneonby), Courtney (Grafton), Ruby (Devonport), Moore (tPonsonby). Reserves: Backs, .Tenkinson, Lucas, Morman ; forwards, Bass, Moisley. B Section Representatives.—Murray, Carter, Ellery. Wilson, Herring, Thompson, Robinson, Croxson, Page, O'Brien, Clarke, Fitzgerald and Flower. Emergencies: Eustace, Speight, Simms, Grubb and Penny-' cook. Asher's team will be selected from the foUowing:—'Fitzgerald, "Opae" Asher, E. Asher, Mlnchim, W. Harrison, P. Morse, G. Robinson, L. Parrant, P. Williams, J. Bennett, J. Rukutai, T. Avery, R. Mitchell, Haddon, J. Gleeson, Ohristensen, B. Tresize, E. StaHworthy, S. Walters, W. Davidson, G. Hunt and McAubrey. Hardgrave's team will be selected from the following:—W. Wynyard, "Pip" Webb H. Jackson, J. Clark, Fricker, G. Bailey, A. H. H. Francis, Neighbour, W. Dervan, C. Brockliss. P. Castles, H. Oakley, F. Turner, W. Cloke, W. Walsh, A. PuHen, A Cross, J. Stanaway, McClymont.