INTERNATIONAL SIDE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 171, 22 July 1930, Page 14

INTERNATIONAL SIDE.

TWELVE SELECTED FOR N.Z.

FACTOR IN COMBINATION.

TWO YEARS YOUNGER THAN ALL BLACKS.

(By PONTY.)

The question of the inferiority of the British personnel (with Spong, Sobey, and Murray not on the field) in Saturday's Rugby match, or of the possibility or probability of the visitors being stale, does not concern the writer. He is anxious only to stress the fact that with the strongest team Britain could have turned out on tour, Auckland must still have won had its hookers given the side the same opportunities as they did on Saturday. Not only has Auckland turned out the strongest pack in the Dominion from 1927 onwards, but it is doubtful if any province has ever been served so well in the front of the scrum as Auckland, has been with Hadley, Palmer, and A. Finlayson available, unless it was Wellington when Eric Watkins and Ernie Dodd were on deck. Then we have the published statement of Mr. G. W. Nicholson (Auckland's sole 'selector and one of the Big Six) that the Auckland side has been specially prepared for seven weeks for the match with Britain. A Dozen All Blacks. It is to state, however, that the Auckland side was really an international fifteen, and not merely a provincial team, that' "Ponty" has taken up his pen, and only because of so many opinions voiced to-day that it will be only a shame what will happen to the Britishers in the third Test. The following dozen players have -been selected to plav for New Zealand at various times from 1923 onwards: —

V. C. Butler (full-back) —1928. L. Hook (wing)—l92B, 1929. F. W. Lucas (centre)—l923, 1924, 1925,' 1928 (Africa), 1930. . P. C. Minns (wing)— North Island, 1929; selected' to play for New Zealand against New South Wales at Wellington in 1928, but did not take field owing to injury. M. Corner (half) —1930. S. Hadley (hooker) —1928 (Africa). B. P. Paljner (hooker) —1928, 1929. A. Knight (10ck)—1926, 1928. L. Knight (support)—l92s. R. B." McWilliams (support)—l92B (Africa), 1930. Angus Finlayson (back row) —1928; „ hooker -in final 1929 trial, New Zealand v. Maoris. falter Batty (back row) —1928, 1930. Thus it will be seen that really there were only three players (R. Haslam, F. Jamieson, and F. Solomon) on Saturday's r.side hot. yet New Zealand internationals—now rather sombrely termed All Blacks; which, as far as 1930 is concerned, is a. misnomer, as the New Zealanders are playing in white jerseys in the Tests. " •

Combination and "Fitness." ' It should be readily seen that with all these All Blacks playing in the same club championship, they have a, far greater chance of developing combination than fifteen men drawn from seven -or eight cities and towns. This tends, too, to that individualistic play which is eo often the greatest destructor of team-, work.' Besides which the Aucklanders are all living under home, conditions and not subject, as Test men, to the racket of travelling and hotel life. ,In this respect Auckland is undoubtedly a stronger combination (using that term in its true sense) than the All Blacks "for the Dunedin or Christchurch Test matches, and I don't think Wellington or Canterbury are inferior either.

Another factor in Auckland's favour is that of age. The aggregate ages on Saturday totalled 373, which gives an average of 25.' The average age of the New Z'ealanders at Dunedin and Christchurch was 27, equivalent to that of the Australian ; cricketers!„ This would appear to be too high for international Rugby, apd is the real reason of southern criticism of the All Blacks' lack of fitness in the Tests. Despite Saturday's conclusive victory of four tries to one, it is by no means certain that New Zealand in the remaining Tests can concede Britain a handicap of nearly four years a man. (I say nearly, because Strang and McLean ftiay have slightlyreduced New Zealand's average of 27— that of Britain is 23.)

SOBEY MAY PLAY. Mr. Jas. Baxter, manager of the British Rugby, team, informed a Christchurch man who was in the North Island the other day that he had high hopes that Sobey would be able to play in the .third Test, but that there was no doubt about his playing in the fourth Test.

If Sobey plays at scrum-half, and Spong outside him, Eden Park will not be a good place to stay away from on Saturday.