OVERSEAS SPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 172, 23 July 1929, Page 7

OVERSEAS SPORT.

THE ALL BLACKS.

Generous Newspaper Tribute To

An Unlucky Side.

THE TEAM'S POPULARITY. (Australian and N.Z. Tress Association.) (Received 11.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. The ''Herald" says that because the All Blacks have been beaten there is a tendency to under-rate their ability. The average New Zealand resident in Sydney declares that Porter's present team is the worst that has ever worn the silver fern. What an injustice to Rugby! An explanation can be made without any apologies. After surveying their performances it can bo seen they have been wonderful. After a storm-tossed trip, they lost their captain and Dalley was leading a fifteen which had not then been moulded into shape. The team played a scoreless draw against a more-than-Waratah side, which was regarded as equal to the strength of Australia. The next big loss was Dalley, and the New Zealanders were struggling to maintain a national record second to none, with the second Test at hand. And now Stringfellow became hors de combat, while Nep'ia and Reid also were laid up. Fate seemed to tread on the heels of the gallant band; they could not escape the train smash. It is not often All Blacks' who are level at the interval are beaten, but the retirement of Oliver in the second Test must be remembered, and also that the New Zealanders met an ascendant Australia, The effect of the Waratah tour cannot be over-estimated. How the present All Blacks would have fared if at full strength is a matter of conjecture. At least justice should be done to their record in the light of unforeseen casualties. It is also overlooked that for the first time for twenty years New Zealand was outweighed man for man. These remarks are actuated by desire not merely to present the case of Australia's Rugby advance, but to do justice to the ability of a great, but sorestricken side which, notwithstanding that it struggled hard against adversity, has proved .itself the most popular New Zealand side which has ever visited this country.