AN EASY MATCH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 227, 25 September 1935, Page 7

AN EASY MATCH.

CRITICS' OPINIONS. All Blacks' Prospects Against Welsh Side. TEAMS FOR TO-DAY'S GAME. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, September 24. Critics expect the All Blacks to gain an easy victory over the Welsh team selected from tho Abertillery and Cross Keys Clubs in their match at Abertillery to-morrow providing they obtain the ball from a fair proportion of the scrummages. The New Zealanders' opponents, it is stated, are likely to be ragged behind the scrum, although they have a hefty pack, of whom Ward and Williams arc internationals. In the meantime tho Combined Services and London Counties have arranged a fixture which will be a trial for the matchcs with the All Blacks on October 19 and November 2 respectively, this indicating that the authorities are taking greater trouble to cliooso their best sides.

The Welsh team for to-morrow has been chosen as follows: — Full-back: Brown. Three-quarters: Woodhousc, Idris, Griffiths, Ivor Jones. Half-backs: George. Richardson. Forwards: Thornbury, Ward, Williams, K. Jones, Fildcs-Morgan, Norster, E. Joues, Kcysay. Tho following team has been chosen to x-epresent the All Blacks:— Full-back: G. D. M. Gilbert (West Coast). Ttyree-quarters: G. F. Hart (Canterbury), C. J. Oliver (Canterbury), H. M. Brown (Auckland). Five-eighths: T. H. CI Caughey (Auckland), E. W. Tindill (Wellington). • . Half-back: B. S. Sadler (Wellington). Forwards: H. F. McLean (Auckland), J. G. Wynyard (Waikato), W. R. Collins (Hawke's Bay), R. R. King (West Coast), R. M. McKenzie (Manawatu), G. T. Adkins (South Canterbury), A. Lambourn (Wellington), C. S. Pepper (Auckland). Ivor Jones is the only member of the Welnh team known to New Zealand crowds, and ho is best remembered as a forward of outstanding ability. He toured New Zealand with the 1930 British team, when lie played off the back of the 6crum. He was particularly fast in the loose, and frequently figured as an extra back. His ability to handle the ball like a back hafi evidently influenced his selection as a three-quarter, particularly in view of the fact that the home chain is reputed to be the weakness of the team.

In tho All Blacks' side Brown and Wynyard will be making their first appearance in England. The CaugheyTindill combination is being given another trial, and they will be served from behind the scrum by Sadler, who appears to be striking his best form. Lambourn will bo the hooker in view of the fact that both Hadley and Dalton are on the injured list, and heavy responsibility is being placed on him. Should he, too, meet with injury the All Blacks' scrum will be seriously disorganised. Pepper, the Aucklander, is apparently being played in his usual position in the front row. Owing to Mr. V. R. Meredith's determination to give every man of the touring side a game as soon as possible there are only two men in the side for to-day who have not so far been given a spell. They are Gilbert, the full-back, and Lambourn, who has had to be kept in tho team owing to tho injuries to the other hookers.

The All Blacks' record to date is as follows: — Devon-Cornwall, won. 35—6. Midland Counties, won, 9 —3. Yorkshire-Cumberland, won, 14—3. Points: For 58, against 12. The fifth match of the tour will be against Swansea next Saturday. The 1905 and 1924 teams did not play either Abertillery or Cross Keys, but the 1905 team beat Swansea by 4 points to 3, and the 1924 team won by 39 points to 3.

IN TRAINING AGAIN. INJURED AUCKLAND FORWARD (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, September 24. W. Hadley, the Auckland forward and All Black, has recommenced training despite the fact that he is still suffering from fractured facial bones and is unlikely to play for some time.